How to fix your Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) that can no longer connect to Wi-Fi hotspot [Troubleshooting Guide]

Internet connectivity issues are among the most common problems we’ve received from our readers ever since we started providing support to select devices. But recently, we started receiving complaints from owners of the Samsung Galaxy A7 because according to some our readers, there units can no longer connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot they used to connect. We don’t know why this is happening but we know there were a few forced update for the device but all of them are actually minor. Those updates may have something to do with this problem so we also have to take them into consideration.

In this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your Galaxy A7 that has issues connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots. We will take every possibility and rule them out one by one until we can easily determine what the problem is, what causes it and what needs to be done to fix it. This isn’t the first time we tackle this problem, in fact, we’ve already published a lot of articles that tackle this topic. We know this problem can be fixed but it all depends on the gravity of the problem. If you’re one of the owners of this phone and are currently bugged by a similar issue, then continue reading below as this post may be able to help you.

But before we actually jump to our troubleshooting, if you have other issues with your device, then try to visit our Galaxy A7 troubleshooting page for we have already addressed the most commonly reported issues with this device. Try to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions and workarounds we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you need more help, then feel free to contact us by filling up our Android issues questionnaire. Just give us the information we need and we’ll help you solve your problem.

How to troubleshoot your Galaxy A7 that can no longer connect via Wi-Fi

Problem: My phone is a Galaxy A7 that I bought in January. There have been quite a few updates but nothing big actually. Recently, there was also an update and that’s when this problem started. My phone can no longer connect to a Wi-Fi network after the update and I really don’t have a clue why it’s doing this. I don’t think it has something to do with the settings since I don’t tinker my phone around. I’m afraid I can mess my phone up and have issues while using it. Can you guys help me out with this please? Thanks.

Troubleshooting: We just have to see if this problem is minor and can be fixed by basic troubleshooting because if it’s a issue with the hardware, then there’s only so much we can do about it. Here are the things you should do about this problem…

Step 1: Try connecting your phone to Wi-Fi network while in safe mode

First off, we have to know if this problem is caused by one or some of the third-party apps you installed on your phone. You have to bring the phone to boot up in Safe mode to temporarily disable all third-party elements and then try to connect it to a Wi-Fi hotspot that you used to connect.

To run your phone in safe mode, here’s what you need to do…

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.
Uninstall apps that are causing a problem.

Now that your phone is already in safe mode, try to connect to see if the problem is fixed because if not, then you have to move on to the next step. However, if you can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi while in this mode, then there might be an app that’s causing the problem. You have to find that app and reset it first, if it’s not enough, then you have to uninstall it.

How to reset third-party applications on your Galaxy A7

From the Home screen, tap the Apps tray.
Tap Settings > Apps.
Tap the desired application in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display pre-installed apps.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear data and then tap OK.
Tap Clear cache.

How to uninstall applications from your Galaxy A7

From the Home screen, tap the Apps tray.
Tap Settings > Apps.
Tap the desired application in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display pre-installed apps.
Tap the desired application.
Tap Uninstall.
Tap Uninstall again to confirm.

Step 2: Reset all Network settings

By doing this, you’re actually deleting all your network preferences and this brings the phone to its default settings. The following changes will then occur the moment you reset the network…

Stored Wi-Fi networks will be deleted.
Paired Bluetooth devices will be deleted.
Background data sync settings will be turned on.
Data restrictive settings in applications that were manually turned on/off by the customer will be reset to the default setting.
Network selection mode will be set to automatic.

The following device connections status will default to when the device was being powered on for the first time.

Airplane mode: OFF
Bluetooth: OFF
Data roaming: OFF
Mobile hotspot: OFF
VPN: OFF
Mobile data: ON
Wi-Fi: OFF

To reset network settings, follow these steps…

From the Home screen, tap the Apps tray.
Tap General Management > Reset > Reset network settings.
Tap Reset settings.
If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
Tap Reset settings. Once complete a confirmation window will appear.

This procedure can potentially fix the problem but if it remains after doing this, then you have no other choice but to go after the firmware.

Step 3: Delete all the system caches as some of them may have been corrupted

System caches get corrupted all the time and more often they automatically become obsolete when a new firmware is installed on your phone. You’ve already done a couple of procedures that aren’t directed at the firmware to no avail so it’s time to see if this problem gets fixed by this…

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds, then ‘No command’ before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe cache partition”.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight “yes” and press the Power key to select.
When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

After this and the phone is still not capable of connecting to a Wi-Fi network, it’s time to reset it.

Step 4: Backup all your files and data and reset your phone

This is your last resort and you have to do this even if there’s no guarantee the problem will be fixed. It’s because after this and the phone is still not capable of connecting to a Wi-Fi network, you will have to bring it to the shop and let the tech check it for you. To protect your privacy, you have to reset your phone so that all your personal information will be wiped out. But then again if the problem is caused by a minor firmware issue, then this procedure will take care of it.

There’s a catch though. All your personal files and data that are stored in your phone’s internal storage will be deleted so make sure you make a backup before you actually reset the phone. After the backup, I suggest you also disable the Factory Reset Protection so you won’t be locked out of your device after reset especially if you don’t know your Google ID and password. The steps on how to do this as well as how to reset your phone can be found below.

How to disable Factory Reset Protection on Galaxy A7

From the Home screen, tap the Apps tray.
Tap Settings > Cloud and accounts.
Tap Accounts.
Tap Google.
Tap on your Google ID email address if multiple accounts are setup. If you have multiple accounts setup, you will need to repeat these steps for each account.
Tap 3 dot icon.
Tap Remove account.
Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT.

How to reset your Galaxy A7

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds, then ‘No command’ before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe data / factory reset.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
When the master reset is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

You can also reset your phone from the Settings menu…

From the Home screen, tap the Apps tray.
Tap Settings > Cloud and accounts.
Tap Backup and restore.
If desired, tap Back up my data to move the slider to ON or OFF.
If desired, tap Restore to move the slider to ON or OFF.
Tap the back button to the Settings menu and tap General Management > Reset > Factory data reset.
Tap Reset.
If you have screen lock turned on, enter your credentials.
Tap Continue.
Tap Delete all.

If the problem continues after doing all these procedures, then seek further assistance from a tech.

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