How to fix Galaxy J7 keeps losing network connection issue (not connected to network error)

Not connected to network error is a common problem for both Samsung and non-Samsung devices. In many cases, it’s not a hardware issue so the usual dose of troubleshooting steps that a user can do may help. For some cases, getting help from a network operator may also work. In this post, we show you the troubleshooting that you can try to fix your Galaxy J7 that keeps losing network connection.

Problem: Galaxy J7 keeps losing network connection (not connected to network error)

Hi, I recently purchased a new Samsung Galaxy J7 Crown with Straight talk service (using Verizon towers).  The problem I’m having is that it will lose service once or twice a day and it will not come back until I power cycle the phone. I’m in an area with good coverage. It’s a bit frustrating when you happen to get on your phone to do something and it says not connected to the network. I then power cycle the phone and messages and emails start coming through that were sent several hours ago. I have contacted Straight Talk and they say the phone is working normal (they are not any help). I’m about to return the phone to the store (Walmart) if I can’t figure this out. It’s not just my phone either, my wife got one too and it does the same thing. To me, it sounds like a software problem. Do you have any ideas?

Solution: This problem happens from time to time. It’s been reported by many users all the time. Unfortunately, there’s no direct way to know what causes it in a particular device. You need to narrow down the factors and see where the problem stops.

Clear the cache partition

Making sure that the system cache is refreshed should be the first troubleshooting step that you must do in this case. A corrupted system cache may sometimes occur after an update or app installation. There’s a whole range of bugs and problems that can develop when your device has a corrupted system cache. To refresh it, follow the steps below:

1. Turn off the device.
2. Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
3. When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
4. Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’.
5. Press Power button to select.
6. Press the Volume down key until ‘yes’ is highlighted and press the Power button.
7. When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
8. Press the Power key to restart the device.

Reset network settings

This one is a staple for any network troubleshooting. Some network bugs are caused by incorrect network configuration or settings. To see if the cause of the problem lies on your phone’s current network setup, consider wiping its network settings by doing these steps:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Tap General management.
3. Tap Reset.
4. Tap Reset Network settings.
5. Tap RESET SETTINGS button to confirm.
6. Restart your Galaxy J7 and check for the problem.

Install updates

By updates we mean that ones for both apps and Android. In some cases, carrier updates may be needed to optimize a device when using a network. Make sure that you install any available Android or carrier updates at this time.

Some outdated apps may potentially cause problems. To lessen the chances of that from happening, you want to keep all apps in their recent versions. Make sure to manually check for app updates in Google Play Store app if you changed the default setting to download and install updates automatically.

Observe on Safe Mode

Speaking of apps, some may interfere with Android and cause problems. To see if a downloaded app is causing your J7 to lose connection from time to time, you can let your device run on safe mode. You can then observe it for a couple of days to see if there’s any difference.

To boot your J7 to safe mode:

1. Turn the device off.
2. Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
3. When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
4. Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
5. Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
6. Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
7. Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.

To identify which of your apps is causing the trouble, you should boot the phone back to safe mode and follow these steps:

1. Boot to safe mode.
2. Check for the problem.
3. Once you’ve confirmed that a third party app is to blame, you can start uninstalling apps individually. We suggest that you begin with the most recent ones you added.
4. After you uninstall an app, restart the phone to normal mode and check for the problem.
5. If your device is still problematic, repeat steps 1-4.

Allow Background app data (Data Saver)

Sometimes, Data Saver may not work as intended and prevent apps that need internet, even when not used actively, from connecting. Try to turn off Data Saver off and see what happens. Here’s how:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Tap Connections.
3. Tap Data usage.
4. Tap Data saver.
5. Turn off Data saver.

Manually change network

Forcing the device to connect to another network sometimes fixes signal issues. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Tap Connections.
3. Tap Mobile networks.
4. Tap Network operators.
5. Force the phone to search for all available networks in the area by tapping on Search networks option.
6. Wait for a few moments until the device is done scanning.
7. Select a network (not the one you’re using).
8. After the device says it is unable to establish a connection or fails to register to the network, select your own network operator.
9. Wait until the device has registered to the network.
10. Restart the phone.
11. Check for the problem.

Reset app preferences

Resetting app preferences is oftentimes overlooked in many Android troubleshooting articles but when it comes to an issue like yours, it might help a lot. It’s possible that one or some of your default apps may not be set correctly, causing this glitch to occur. Because there’s no way to know if this guess is true, what you need to do is to simply ensure that all default apps are turned on. Here’s how to do that:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap on More settings at the upper right (three-dot icon).
4. Select Reset app preferences.
5. Restart your device and check for the problem.

Factory reset

Should nothing worked so far, you should consider reverting all software settings to their defaults. You can do that by wiping the phone thru factory reset. Be sure to back your personal data up before doing it.

1. Create a backup of your data.
2. Turn off the device.
3. Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
4. When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
5. Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
6. Press Power button to select.
7. Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
8. Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
9. When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
10. Press the Power key to restart the device.

Contact your network operator

Some network problems are not fixable on a user’s end. If the issue returns after a full reset, let your network operator know about it.

 

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