Why does my Google Pixel 2 XL unable to connect to Wi-Fi internet and how to fix it? [Troubleshooting Guide]

One of the most complex and inevitable issues in mobile devices is on Wi-Fi connectivity as many factors are involved for Wi-Fi functions to work as intended. Network signal, account status, network equipment and the device itself must all be good so as to have a hassle-free mobile wireless connections. Needless to say, if one of the said factors is having some issues, then that will likewise affect Wi-Fi feature on the phone. That is why if you are dealing with Wi-Fi problems on your device particularly Google Pixel 2 XL, don’t forget to consider looking into all these elements beforehand. Should you need further assistance in troubleshooting wireless connectivity issues on this device, read on and then try any of the highlighted methods as they can potentially fix the problem you have. Just make sure that it is not triggered by some faulty hardware (physical or liquid damage) though. Hardware-related problems often require a technician’s aid for fixing.

Before we proceed, if you are trying to find a solution to a different issue with your phone, visit our Pixel 2 XL troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed some of the most commonly reported problems. In case you need more of our help, then fill up our questionnaire accurately and hit submit to contact us.

Possible reasons why your Google Pixel 2 XL is unable to connect or use Wi-Fi internet

As explicated earlier, problems on wireless connectivity in mobile devices are complicated issues as it involve multiple factors as triggers. There are times when all of a suddenly you lost Wi-Fi connection and unable to access the Internet due to unexpected network problems, including technical problems with the network tower or network outage. In other cases, the Internet could also become unavailable as it is temporarily disabled among your other outgoing services due to an account issue that needs to be settled. Another possibility is on the network equipment like your wireless router or modem that is misbehaving due to a corrupted firmware. As a result, it loses connection from and is no longer able to communicate properly with the network tower. Thus, it wouldn’t be able to feed Internet signal to any of the connected devices including your phone. Lastly, something on your phone is messing up the Internet connection like incorrect settings configuration, software bugs, apps glitches, or worst, hardware damage.

Possible reasons why your Google Pixel 2 XL is unable to connect or use Wi-Fi internet

As explicated earlier, problems on wireless connectivity in mobile devices are complex. There are times when all of a suddenly you lost Wi-Fi connection and unable to access the Internet due to unexpected network problems, including technical problems with the network tower or network outage. In other cases, the Internet could also become unavailable as it is temporarily disabled among your other outgoing services due to an account issue that needs to be settled. Another possibility is on the network equipment like your wireless router or modem that is misbehaving due to a corrupted firmware. As a result, it loses connection from and is no longer able to communicate properly with the network tower. Thus, it wouldn’t be able to feed Internet signal to any of the connected devices including your phone. Lastly, something on your phone is messing up the Internet connection like incorrect settings configuration, software bugs, apps glitches, or worst, hardware damage.

Usually you will be prompted with an alert or error message when attempting to connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi on your device and then you couldn’t. Make sure you read and review the details because these will give you some hints on what went wrong and what needs to be done in order to fix it. But if you don’t see any message or just lost wireless connection when using your device, then you need to try every possible solution there is. No worries though because your Wi-Fi connection will get back up and running once you are able to resolve the underlying causes, except if it’s triggered by a physical or liquid damage on the device. Should you suspect that a hardware damage is causing the problem especially with prior instances of dropping or liquid exposure on the phone, then you can just take your device to a service center for hardware assessment.

How fix Wi-Fi connectivity issues on Google Pixel 2 XL?

Considering that the problem you are dealing with your wireless internet is related to the software, you can try to troubleshoot and fix it using any of the applicable workarounds including the ones highlighted below. Be sure to test your device and see if your Wi-Fi connection is working again after performing each method. So whenever you’re all set, start working on any of these options.

Power cycle your network equipment (modem/wireless router)

If your Google Pixel 2 XL cannot connect to wireless internet at home (home network) you can start by working on the very source of internet connection, that is your modem or wireless router. Typically, home networks are using the modem/wireless router to network devices setup. Most of the latest network equipment are already capable of functioning as both modem and wireless router, thus making the network setup way simpler than before especially the traditional wired connections (using Ethernet cables). Often times, problems with wireless internet connections either on a home computer or mobile devices are rectified by simply turning the network equipment off and then back on. This process is referred to as power cycle by ISP’s tech reps. So yours can likely get fixed by doing so. If you haven’t already, here’s how it’s done:

  1. Locate and press the Power button on your modem or wireless router. The location may vary depending on the network equipment you have. Just look for the button with Power label and then press that button until the device powers off.
  2. Once the modem or router is turned off, unplug its power cord from the power source or outlet and leave it unplugged for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  3. After the elapsed time, plug it back into power.
  4. Then press the Power button to turn it back on.
  5. Wait until all the lights on the modem or router become stable.

Then, reboot your Google Pixel 2 XL. After the phone boots up, try to open an app browser and navigate to a website. If you can go through then you’re good, otherwise, you need to try other methods to fix the connection.

Note: In case you see any red light on the modem or router, then that must be the reason why you cannot connect to the wireless internet. Contact your internet service provider to escalate the problem and seek further assistance in fixing the network equipment. Your wireless connection should go back once the network equipment is fixed.

Turn Wi-Fi off and on

Toggling the Wi-Fi switch has done wonders to many people who have experienced connectivity issues with Wi-Fi on their respective mobile devices. Somehow, doing so refreshes the Wi-Fi connection between the phone and network equipment and clears any minor glitches that might have hindered the network access. You too can take your chances and give it a shot. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Tap the Arrow Up icon from a home screen to view all apps.
  2. Tap Settings.
  3. Tap Network & Internet.
  4. Tap Wi-Fi.
  5. Tap the Wi-Fi switch to turn it off for a few seconds then tap the switch again to turn Wi-Fi back on.

Reboot your phone then try to open a browser app and navigate to a website and see if you can connect. If that won’t work, verify and make sure that Airplane Mode is turned off then try the next applicable solutions.

Forget Wi-Fi network on your Google Pixel 2 XL

Forgetting the network means deleting the network in use from your device. This helps eliminate any glitches caused by incorrect settings or improper configuration of the current wireless network on the phone. The only downside of this method is that all your saved networks and passwords will also be erased in the process. But on the positive note, you will likely end up having your wireless connection back up and working fine again afterwards. All you have to do is backup or take note of your current Wi-Fi network information, especially your network password as you will need that in setting up and connecting to Wi-Fi again after the reset. Once everything is set, follow these steps:

  1. Tap the Arrow Up icon on the Home screen to view all apps.
  2. Tap Settings to open the Settings app on your device.
  3. Tap Network & Internet.
  4. Tap Wi-Fi.
  5. If necessary, tap the switch to turn on Wi-Fi.
  6. Touch and hold the saved network that you want to remove or forget.
  7. Tap the option to Forget network.

After the network has been deleted successfully, reboot your device.

  • To reboot your Google Pixel 2 XL, press the Power button for a few seconds, then tap the Restart icon on your screen. If you don’t see the Restart icon, hold the Power button for about 30 seconds until your phone restarts.

After the reboot, add the Wi-Fi network again. Here’s how:

  1. Open your device’s Settings app.
  2. Tap Network & Internet.
  3. Tap Wi-Fi.
  4. Scroll to the end of the list then tap the option to Add network.
  5. If necessary, enter the network name (SSID) and other security details.
  6. Tap Save.

Reboot your device one more time and then try to connect the wireless network afterwards.

Reset network settings on your Google Pixel 2 XL

As the name implies, a network settings reset will reset your phone’s entire network settings including network servers and saved Wi-Fi networks on the phone. Several issues in mobile devices that are related to network errors and glitches have been rectified by performing a reset on the network settings so you might as well consider this among your next option. But before you proceed, make sure that you create a backup of your network information.  Then follow these steps to reset network settings on your Google Pixel 2 XL:

  1. Open the Settings app on your device.
  2. Tap Network & Internet.
  3. Tap More.
  4. Tap Network settings reset.
  5. Scroll to and tap to select Reset settings option.

Factory reset/master reset

A factory reset or master reset is often considered the last resort when troubleshooting and fixing software-related issues in mobile devices including network problems. For as long as hardware damage has been ruled out from the possible causes, your chance of getting the problem completely resolved after the reset is definitely high. But then again, creating a backup of all your device information would be necessary before you proceed as everything will be wiped out in the process. After the reset, your device will restore to factory defaults and by then you can proceed with the initial setup. Here’s how a factory reset or master reset is done on Google Pixel 2 XL:

  1. Open Settings app on your device.
  2. Tap System.
  3. Tap Reset.
  4. Tap Factory data reset.
  5. Select Reset phone.
  6. If necessary, enter the correct passcode for your phone.
  7. Tap Erase everything to erase all data from your phone’s internal storage.
  8. Wait until your device has finished erasing then select the option to Restart.

After the factory reset, set up your device and restore your backup data if necessary.

Seek More Help

Contact your device carrier or Google Support if the problem persists and that you still cannot connect to Wi-Fi on your Google Pixel 2 XL device.  Escalating the problem is also recommended especially if it is triggered by a major software update. Doing so will let Google team assess the bug and create an official fix in a form of another minor software update.

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