Why Does My WiFi Say Saved But Won’t Connect?

Network Congestion

In apartments, dorms or other dense living spaces with many active WiFi networks, signal congestion can cause connection problems. Too many competing wireless signals in the area can create interference and bandwidth constraints.

Try changing the channel your router broadcasts on for less congestion. Or adjust the channel bandwidth to 20MHz which uses less spectrum space. Just know that 20MHz provides slower maximum speeds.

Security Settings

Some WiFi routers have additional security protections enabled that could block new devices from connecting:

• MAC address filtering – The router only allows devices with approved MAC addresses to connect. Add your device MAC address to the filter list.
• AP isolation – Prevents connected devices from communicating with each other for privacy. But can also disrupt connectivity.
• Firmware firewall – Could be incorrectly blocking your device. Adjust router firewall settings.
• Guest networks – Separate SSIDs with independent security for guests can interfere if not properly configured.

Device Issues

Lastly, don’t overlook problems with your computer, phone, tablet or other WiFi device itself:

• Outdated WiFi standards – Older 802.11b/g/n devices may have compatibility issues on newer 802.11ac/ax networks. Upgrade your WiFi adapters if needed.
• Signal blocking – Metal casings or covers on your device could hamper WiFi signal reception leading to intermittent connections. Adjust device position to improve signal strength.
• Hardware damage – Any physical damage to network adapter components by drops or accidents can disrupt connectivity. Inspect your device WiFi antenna connectors for damage.
• Power saving mode – Some devices aggressively turn off WiFi adapters to save power. Change power saving settings to keep WiFi active during use.

Solutions to Fix “Saved, Secured” WiFi Connection Problems

Once you’ve identified what might be causing your WiFi network’s “Saved, Secured” but no connection issue, here are some potential fixes to try:

Double-check the Password

I know, it seems obvious. But take an extra minute to carefully review the WiFi network passphrase to confirm you’re entering it 100% correctly – the right case-sensitivity, symbols, spaces, etc. Connect another device successfully just to verify the password if needed.

Small typos are the #1 cause of failed WiFi connections. Save yourself frustration and double-check it.

Forget the Network and Reconnect

Sometimes previous connection conflicts or other temporary glitches can prevent connecting successfully again later.

Go into your device network settings, find the problem WiFi network, remove/forget it from your saved network lists and then reconnect freshly. Re-entering the password and settings again re-establishes the connection cleanly.

Restart Your Device

If you’ve tried other troubleshooting steps without success, often simply restarting your computer, phone, tablet or the wireless router can clear any software hangs or glitches that are disrupting connectivity.

Restarting flushes out bad network settings or drivers and reinitializes them properly. See if this quick reboot fixes the “Saved, Secured” problem.

Update Network Adapter Drivers

As mentioned earlier, the drivers that allow your device’s network adapter to “talk” to routers can become outdated over time. Newer driver updates improve compatibility, performance and can resolve bugs causing WiFi connectivity problems.

Check your device manufacturer website for the latest WiFi/network adapter drivers available for your model and install them. Keeping them updated prevents issues connecting.

Reset Your Router to Factory Settings

Sometimes router settings can get corrupted in ways that prevent establishing stable device connections. If your router firmware is up to date, the next step is reverting it to a clean factory default state.

Just know this will wipe out any custom settings & force you to reconfigure your network name, security options, etc. But it often resolves difficult connectivity problems.

Adjust Security Settings

As outlined earlier, advanced router security options like MAC filtering, AP isolation and firewall policies can inadvertently block new devices from fully connecting.

Check your router management interface for any connection-blocking settings that may need to be disabled or adjusted to allow your device to access the network.

Change WiFi Channels to Reduce Congestion

In crowded WiFi environments like apartment buildings, too many competing wireless signals in the same channel space can interfere with connectivity.

Log into your router admin panel and try changing the WiFi broadcast channel to a less congested option. The various 1, 6 or 11 channels typically have the least overlap with others around you.

Get Professional Help for Tough Issues

For persistent “Saved, Secured” connection difficulties, you may need to call in reinforcements. Professional computer technicians have advanced networking tools and spectrum analyzers to diagnose and pinpoint any number of complex issues:

• Interference from neighboring wireless sources
• Faulty or damaged router hardware components
• Incompatible devices or protocols
• Misconfigured network infrastructure
• Buggy router firmware in need of updates

Don’t keep banging your head against the wall. WiFi connectivity problems can have so many causes that it’s impossible to troubleshoot them all yourself. Get professional assistance to finally solve the trickiest issues.

Conclusion

Seeing your WiFi network marked as “Saved, Secured” but not having internet access is extremely common. But thankfully, with focused troubleshooting, you can usually isolate the culprit.

Carefully review the password, reboot devices, update drivers, reset the router and adjust settings to try fixing it yourself. Interference and hardware faults may require professional help to remedy.

Patience and methodically working through all the potential reasons though will eventually get your devices connecting properly again. Just knowing the likely causes like old drivers or IP conflicts saves you from endless frustration.

Now you have a complete guide to troubleshooting and solving the “Saved, Secured” but no connectivity issue. Don’t let spotty WiFi slow you down. Methodically work through possible fixes until your network reliably connects again.