156-585 tricks - CheckPoint Certified Troubleshooting Expert Updated: 2024

Google Maps has changed how we navigate the world. Its desktop and mobile apps have become more than just a way to get from point A to B via car, public transportation, or on foot: The ubiquitous Google service is also a geospatial search engine for the world around us.

Google continues to revamp and Strengthen its map product, but there are a ton of customizable tools and hidden functions already baked into Google Maps that you may not know about, such as Incognito Mode. Check out our tips for how to maximize your Google Maps power.

1. We're Doing It Live

Search with Live View (Credit: Google)

You can get an AR view of the street you're on, if that street is in Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence, London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo, or Venice. Open Maps, click the camera icon at the top, and hold your phone up to scan your location. You'll get an overlay of all the places you'd see on Maps, so you can easily find restaurants, shops, and more.

Meanwhile, Immersive View for routes, which rolled out in October, gives you a bird's-eye view of your route complete with 3D imagery along the way, whether you're walking, cycling, or driving. Look for it in select cities, including Amsterdam, London, New York, and Tokyo.

2. Inside Access

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Google Maps isn't just for the great outdoors. You can navigate through malls, airports, and other big buildings by finding the location in Maps, clicking on it, then scrolling to Directory. You'll never get lost looking for a Cinnabon again. This feature is available in over 10,000 locations worldwide.

Navigating with indoor Live View (Credit: Google)

Some places even support Live View inside, where animated arrows will guide you around airports, train stations, and malls. It launched in 2021 in the US, Zurich, and Tokyo, and in early 2023, it announced plans to expand to more than 1,000 new locations in Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Paris, Prague, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, and Taipei. Just lift your phone up in a supported region to jump into Live View.

3. Plot Multiple Locations on Google Maps

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Rarely do car trips consist of going from point A to B; more often, they are something like A-to-café-to-library-to-Joe's-house-to-B. Thankfully, Google makes it possible to anticipate real trips. To add multiple destinations in the Google Maps mobile app, enter your starting point and your ultimate destination, and then click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner. This prompts a pop-over menu with the option to "Add stop." Click that, and you can create a route with multiple stops. You can even drag and drop stops within your itinerary. (Note that this doesn't work when you're using the mass-transit option.)

4. Customize Your Vehicle Icon

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When you're driving, Google lets you choose what kind of car shows up on your navigation in the iOS and Android apps. In the app, plug in your destination and start up driving directions. Tap the icon that shows your current location, and a pop-up menu appears with several car-icon options: a sedan, a pickup truck, or an SUV.

5. 'Hey Google, Where Am I Going?'

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You might want to interact with Maps while you're driving, but you don't want to take your eyes off the road. With "OK Google" voice commands in the Google Maps Android app, you don't have to. For example, if you notice you're running low on gas, say "OK Google, find gas stations," and it will show gas stations on the map (which you can look at when you've come to a red light or pulled over). You can also ask questions like "What's my next turn?", "What's my ETA?", and "How's traffic ahead?" On Android, set up Google Assistant, and you're good to go. (You'll need a phone running Android Version 9.0 or higher with 4GB RAM or more.) On iOS (pictured above), tap the microphone icon at the top-right, then ask your questions via voice.

6. Access Google Maps Offline

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Today, Maps is most useful on mobile, which brings up a problem: When you're in need of Maps, you may find yourself somewhere with limited (or—gasp—nonexistent) coverage. To help, Google Maps supports offline access. Type in an address or area, swipe up on the menu at the bottom of the screen, tap the ellipsis icon on the top right, and select Download offline map. If you have enough storage on your device, the map in question will be saved. To access it later, tap your avatar > Offline maps, and you can then get information about businesses in the region and turn-by-turn directions within the downloaded section.

7. Get Your Groceries

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Google has incorporated grocery ordering and pickup functionality into Maps for select brands. Things kicked off a few years ago amid the boom in curbside pickup during the pandemic. That's still an option; in early 2023, Google touted the improvements it's made to the ETA function inside Google Maps for Kroger pickups. But grocery stores can also add a Place an order option to their Maps business profiles. In addition to Kroger stores (which also includes Fry's, Ralphs, and Marianos), it's also available for Albertson's and Fred Meyer locations.

8. Let Other People Drive

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Ride-sharing services are a big part of the modern transportation mix, so Google added ride options from companies such as Lyft (sorry, no more Uber) to its mobile app. Once you enter your destination, tap the little figure attempting to hail a taxi or the mass-transit option. You'll then be presented with nearby rideshare options, along with the estimated time of arrival and fare. Tap Open App to book your ride.

9. Find Accessible Transit Routes and Locations

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Those with mobility issues can search for wheelchair-accessible transit routes by tapping Options > Wheelchair Accessible when looking for train or bus directions. When you get to your destination, meanwhile, the Accessible Places setting offers up wheelchair-accessibility information about that location.

Turn it on via Settings > Accessibility > Accessible Places. "When Accessible Places is switched on, a wheelchair icon will indicate an accessible entrance, and you’ll be able to see if a place has accessible seating, restrooms, or parking," Google says. "If it’s confirmed that a place does not have an accessible entrance, we’ll show that information on Maps as well."

10. Change The Font Size

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If the words on Google Maps are too small to read, make them bigger.

On an iPhone, make sure you have iOS 15 or higher via Settings > General > About. Then go to Settings > Control Center. Under More Controls, you'll see Text Size. Tap the green plus icon on the left, which moves it to the top under Included Controls. Now, open Google Maps and swipe down from the upper right where you see the battery icon. Tap on the Text Size button (an icon of a small A next to a large A). On the bottom, select whether you want to increase the font size on just Google Maps or across all apps. You can then increase the font size with the white bars. Close out of Control Center and your font adjustments should update automatically.

On an Android, you can change the size of the font or display but this is going to be a universal change across all of the device's apps. Open Settings, then select Accessibility. You can make words larger by tapping Font Size and then setting your preferred letter size or change the display size by tapping Display Size and then setting your preferred icon size.

11. Remember Where You Parked

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Remember when the Seinfeld gang spent the whole half hour wandering around a parking garage looking for their parked car? That episode (along with many others) would not work in 2024, thanks to Google Maps.

At your destination, tap the blue location dot, and select Save parking, which adds a label to the Maps app identifying where you parked. On Android, tap that to add details such as the parking garage level and spot or the amount of time left before a meter expires. You can also set meter reminders, add a photo of where you parked, and send your parking location to friends.

To find it later, tap the search bar at the top, and select Parking location (Android) or Saved parking (iOS). Or tap the Driving arrow below, and look for Saved parking on iOS. Google will automatically delete the parking reminder after 8 hours, though you can manually get rid of it by tapping You parked here on the map and selecting Clear (iOS) or More info > Clear (Android).

12. What's the Parking Sitch?

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Google Maps can provide turn-by-turn directions based on live-ish traffic data, but it can also provide you with a glimpse of the parking situation. When you search for driving directions to a location on iOS or Android, you might see a P logo at the bottom of the screen along with one of three designations: limited, medium, and easy (plus On-site for retailers with large parking lots). This can help you decide how much time you'll need to allocate for parking or even whether another form of transportation would be a better option.

13. Share Your Location

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Google Maps lets you share your current location with people for specified periods of time. When you share your location with a certain contact, they'll see your icon moving in real time on their map. On mobile, tap your profile icon on the top right, and select Location sharing. Then choose with whom you want to share and for how long. (You may need to first allow notifications from Google Maps in your phone's settings menu.)

14. View (and Delete) Your Google Maps History

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Google maintains a very detailed record of your digital activities. If you'd rather it lose your Maps data, you can erase it on desktop or mobile. On a desktop, go to maps.google.com. Click the hamburger menu, and select Your data in Maps. You'll end up on a page titled Google-wide Controls, where you can go to Location History > See & delete activity. You'll see a map with a timeline of your activity. On the bottom-right of the map, click the trashcan icon to delete all your location history permanently.

As of December 2023, the first time you turn on location history, Google will default you to auto-delete your history every three months. To adjust that, navigate to myactivity.google.com. Click Location History > Choose an auto-delete option, and choose how often Google will delete your data (every 3, 18, or 36 months) or turn auto-delete off completely.

On mobile, go to Settings > Maps History, which will bring you to a Maps Activity page. Look for the Delete drop-down menu, where you can opt to delete your history from today, all time, or a custom range. Tap Auto-delete to select a timeframe for when Google will automatically delete Maps data

15. Go Incognito

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For a quick way to poke around Google Maps without leaving any obvious footprints, go Incognito. Google Maps won't save your browser or search history in your account or send notifications. Your searches and movements won't be added to location history or shared location. And Google won't use your activity while you're in Incognito Mode to personalize Maps. This mode has advantages when you want to peep a location without having it tangled up with your search history, but just as on web browsers, it doesn't make you invisible. To turn the mode on, tap your avatar and select Turn on Incognito mode; the Incognito icon appears in the search bar. Tap it and select Turn off Incognito mode to switch it off.

16. Time Travel With Google Maps

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Street View has amassed a huge collection of street imagery over the years. In 2014, Google introduced Time Travel, a way for users to see how Street View has changed over time. And in 2022, it expanded from the desktop to mobile. To look back at a particular address, enter Street View and tap anywhere on the screen. At the bottom, tap See more dates. Where available, this should produce a series of photos. Scroll through and select the date you want to see.

17. Add Some Music

If you've always got Google Maps navigation open while you're driving (or walking), you can add music to your trip without leaving the app. Sync music apps such as Spotify or Apple Music by opening the menu and navigating to Settings. On iOS, tap Navigation > Music playback controls to connect Apple Music or Spotify. On Android, tap Navigation settings > Assistant default media provider, where you can link a number of music-streaming services, including YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and Deezer. Once you do, a pop-up to your app of choice should appear as you're driving for a quick tap to get your music started. Be sure to create your playlists beforehand so you can keep your eyes on the road!

18. Find Electric-Vehicle Charging Stations

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More and more electric vehicles (EVs) are taking to the road, and Google Maps is adapting. You can search "EV charging" or "EV charging station" in Google Maps, and it suggests the best station for you based on traffic conditions, your charge level, and the expected energy consumption. You can filter by types of plugs, and if you're in a rush, you can select Fast Charge to find the charging stations with the most voltage. If you use Android Auto in an EV, meanwhile, it will no longer show gas stations.

19. Request Fuel-Efficient Routes

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Want to make sure that next road trip is fuel-efficient? Turn on this setting in Google Maps and the app will prioritize fuel- or energy-efficiency over other factors like real-time traffic and road conditions. "So besides showing you the fastest route, it will also show you the most efficient one, even if they aren't the same," Google says.

Go to Settings > Navigation / Navigation settings and toggle Prefer fuel-efficient routes to on. Here, you can also tell Google Maps your engine type: gas, diesel, electric, or hybrid. Google will then serve up routes based on that engine type to help you save fuel.

20. Find Safe Drug-Disposal Locations

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Google Maps is doing its part to fight the opioid crisis with a search tool to help users find safe drug-disposal locations. Type "drug disposal" into the search bar to pull up pharmacies, medical centers, and local authority locations where you can safely dispose of excess pills.

21. Share Your Favorite Places

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Google Maps lets you share some of your favorite places with a friend. Just tap the share icon on the location's Google Maps card to send it to them via text, email, or your app of choice. Save favorite places by tapping the Save icon; they then show up in the Saved option in the menu bar.

If you want to share more than one favorite location, you can create a Pinterest-like list within Google Maps. When you save a favorite place, tap New List to create a collection (like "Thai restaurants in Brooklyn") or add it to an existing collection. You'll find them in the Saved tab under Your lists; tap the three-dot menu and then Share List to send a link to friends.

22. Become (or Consult) a Local Guide

Think you know your neighborhood better than Google's algorithm? Then consider becoming a Local Guide. Although anyone can leave reviews and tips in Google Maps, being a Local Guides allows you to earn points for leaving more insights and data, which—as you go up the ladder—can result in "rewards and early access to new features," Google says.

With the proliferation of smart home devices, cloud gaming, and video-streaming services, maintaining a strong internet connection is more important than ever. If you're experiencing lag while playing League of Legends, or it takes forever to get music, there's a good chance the problem is on your end and not an issue with your internet service provider. Before you schedule a service call with your cable company, check out our tips for troubleshooting your internet connection.

1. Try Another Device or Website

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Start with the obvious: Is the problem only happening on one device or all your devices? If your computer's having problems, see if your tablet or someone else's laptop can connect to the internet. If the problem only happens on one device, you can safely narrow the problem down to that particular machine.

If a specific website won't load, try another site. If you can visit other websites just fine, it's likely that the problem is with the website you're trying to visit, and you'll have to wait for them to fix things on their end. Try typing the website's address into downforeveryoneorjustme.com or downdetector.com to see if there's a known service outage.

If there is no known outage, it could be an issue with your browser's cache. You may want to try visiting the site in a private browsing window or from a different browser to see if that fixes the connection problem. And clear your browser's cache and cookies.

2. Check the Wi-Fi Settings

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Check the Wi-Fi settings on your device and make sure you are connected to the proper SSID. If not, you may be accidentally connected to the wrong network by default. Windows users and those with macOS Monterey or older can change the connection priority to ensure you can connect to the correct network. Alternatively, you can deselect the auto-connect option next to any unwanted network names.

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If you're connected to the right network and still have problems, Windows can help you diagnose the issue. Right-click on the network icon in your system tray and select Troubleshoot problems (Windows 10) or Diagnose network problem (Windows 11) to run the Windows Network Diagnostic routine. This can sometimes correct common issues by resetting the adapter.

You can also check your network adapter settings under Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel to make sure the adapter is using the correct gateway address and other settings.

3. Check Your Internet Package

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If your internet is working, but it's slower than expected, it may be time to doublecheck with your ISP on what speeds you should be getting. Head to a site like Speedtest.net and run a speed test. You'll get a number in megabits per second denoting the speed your computer is actually experiencing. From there, open to your ISP's website and check your bill.

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If the number on your bill is the same as your speed test, then you're getting the correct speeds you pay for. If that feels too slow, you'll need to upgrade to something faster. If your speed test is significantly slower than the speed you pay for, then you are indeed having problems, and should continue with troubleshooting.

4. Scan for Viruses

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Sometimes your internet connection can be affected by malicious code on your computer. Spyware, viruses, and malware can each have a significant impact on your web-surfing speed and overall system performance. If nothing else is making sense, do a virus scan to be sure.

Windows comes with Windows Defender built in, which can do the job nicely, though there are plenty of free and paid utilities available as well. And yes, even if you have a Mac, you should still invest in good antivirus software—despite what you might have heard, they are not immune to infection.

5. Bypass Your DNS Server

(Credit: Whitson Gordon / Microsoft)

When you type a website into your browser, your computer looks up the IP address of that website using a Domain Name System server. Occasionally, these servers can have problems, making it difficult to visit websites using their friendly domain names (like PCMag.com). It's like having a working phone with no contact list—you technically have the ability to call people, but you don't know anyone's number.

You can try to fix the issue by flushing your DNS cache. Sometimes these things get stuck, and hitting reset can help. Otherwise, you can change the DNS server outright, either on an individual device or at the router level so it affects everything on the network.

6. Decode the Blinking Lights

If you can't connect to the internet at all, take a look at your modem and/or router and their LED status indicators. If some of the lights are on, but some aren't—or they're flashing repeatedly—you'll want to look more closely at what they're telling you. Check the documentation for your modem and/or router to diagnose what these lights.

For example, if your router's network light is on but the Wi-Fi lights aren't, you may need to press the Wi-Fi button on the side, or re-enable Wi-Fi from its configuration menu. Your modem's lights may be flashing rather than solid, which could mean is it unable to find an internet connection, necessitating a new modem (or a call to your ISP).

If none of them are lit up, then the modem or router is likely off. Check to make sure that nothing has been accidentally unplugged and that the power switch (if there is one) is turned on. Otherwise, disconnect the power cords and wait a minute or two. If your modem and router are separate, plug in the modem first. If the lights turn on, you can then plug in your router. If you still don't see lights after plugging them in, you may have a failed power adapter, a faulty power strip, or a fried router.

7. Check Your Bandwidth

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It's possible that everything is working properly, but a program on your computer is using up all your bandwidth. On Windows, open up the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc and click on the Network column to sort by network usage. On a Mac, press Command + Space to open Spotlight, type "Activity Monitor," and head to Activity Monitor's Network tab.

If a certain app is using a lot of bandwidth—like if you're downloading a big file—you may just need to wait until that process is finished, or cancel it to get your internet snappy again. If you don't see any obvious culprits, see if someone else in the house is downloading a large file on their machine, and tell them to knock it off.

If someone is using a game streaming service, don't let them hog all the bandwidth on the network. There's also always the chance that a neighbor is stealing your Wi-Fi. We have instructions on how to see who is on your network and kick them off.

8. Get a Better Signal

Google Nest Wi-Fi (Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

If you're using Wi-Fi, there are plenty of problems that can slow down your connection. Try connecting your computer directly to the router with an Ethernet cable. If that solves the problem, then your Wi-Fi signal is poor enough to degrade your internet speed.

Check the Wi-Fi icon on your computer: How many bars do you have? If you're low on bars, you may need to move your router to a more central location in your house, or buy a Wi-Fi extender. (If you already have a Wi-Fi extender, it may just be poor quality—a mesh system will probably do a better job).

If you have full bars but there are a lot of Wi-Fi networks in your building, it may just be too congested, and changing the channel or using the 5GHz band may help solve the problem. Check out our guide to boosting your Wi-Fi signal for more tricks to improving reception.

9. Update Your Firmware

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Firmware is the low-level embedded software that runs your modem, router, and other network hardware. Most vendors provide downloadable firmware updates that can resolve performance issues, add new features, and increase speed. If there's a known issue with your router, it's possible an update will iron things out.

Look for the firmware update tool in the System section of your router's settings and follow the instructions carefully to ensure that you're installing the correct firmware version. Do not get firmware from a third-party site.

10. Wipe Your Settings Clean

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If you have previously changed any router settings, and now there's a problem, try resetting your router to its factory default configuration. For most routers, this involves pressing a very small reset button on the rear panel and holding it down for several seconds until the LED lights begin flashing, but there may also be a reset option in the settings menu.

Once reset, you can log into the web interface and set it up from scratch as if you're hooking it up for the first time. Just be careful not to enable the same setting that caused the problem in the first place.

11. Upgrade to a Faster Router

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If you're using an older 802.11b or 802.11g router, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer, more powerful one, especially if you have multiple computers, smartphones, and other devices vying for bandwidth.

A dual-band router gives you two radio bands to choose from and allows you to dedicate a band to clients that require lots of bandwidth, like streaming video devices and gaming consoles. A tri-band will offer three bands, and can support even more activity on your network.

Moreover, newer routers employ the latest technologies to deliver speedy throughput, with enhanced Wi-Fi range. The latest router standard is 802.11ax, also known as Wi-Fi 6, and it's enhanced version Wi-Fi 6E. Check out our list of the best wireless routers when you're ready to take the plunge.

12. Head to the Source

A coaxial cable splitter (Credit: RadioShack)

If troubleshooting your modem and router doesn't help, the problem may come from further down the line. Inspect the connection coming into your home. This is usually located on the side of your house, and may or may not be housed in an enclosure. Make sure that the main cable hasn't been chewed up by squirrels or knocked loose by a storm. (If you have Starlink, we can help you repair a damaged cable).

If you see a cable splitter, make sure each connection is tight and the connectors are properly crimped. If the splitter looks suspect (i.e., rusty or dirty), try replacing it. Cheap splitters can also degrade signal strength, so if you don't need to split the signal, try getting rid of it altogether.

13. Last Resort: Dial Up Your ISP

If you've tried everything and are still experiencing internet connection woes, it's time to call your service provider. The problem could be on their end, and may require a new connection at the pole coming into your house or new equipment, such as a better modem or an amplifier.

If you're experiencing slowdowns at certain times of the day (think after work hours), it's possible that your ISP is simply unable to handle the increased user load, in which case you may want to find a new service provider. Lucky for you, we've tested them to find the best ISPs in the country.

Disclosure: Downdetector and Speedtest.net are owned by Ookla, a subsidiary of PCMag's parent company Ziff Davis.

WiFi is great because it gives freedom, and while Ethernet still dominates in delivering better speed compared to WiFi, there is nothing like sitting anywhere you wish and working or enjoying a movie. No wires! But then, when you face issues, a wired connection sounds more reliable. In this post, we will show how you can troubleshoot WiFi problems in Windows 11/10 and use it without any problem.

Technically, Wi-Fi adapters are different from Ethernet Adapters, but when it comes to functionality, they are both network adapters. So unless it’s a problem with the hardware, troubleshooting both is more or less the same. Here is our list of tips to fix the most common WiFi problems in Windows 11/10:

1. Turn on the WiFi Adapter
2. WiFi is missing from the Action Center
3. WiFi doesn’t connect automatically
4. Connected to WiFi, but No or Limited Internet
5. Problem with wireless adapter or access point
6. Low Wi-Fi signal strength on Windows
7. WiFi keeps disconnecting
8. Unable to find WiFi Networks
9. Update WiFi Driver

Before we go ahead, there is one thing you should be sure of – There is no issue with your ISP. If that’s the case, and your WiFi adapter is working fine, then there is nothing much you can do. The best way to find it is by connecting the internet with another device.

1] Turn on WiFi Adapter

It is always a good idea to start with the basics. Just like we asked for an Ethernet adapter, it is essential to check if WiFi is turned on or not disabled. Sadly, the Windows connectivity icon doesn’t send a clear message, and hence you need to do some manual digging.

Click on the WiFi icon in the system tray, and make sure it’s not grey or dark-shaded. If that’s the case, then the adapter is turned off. If that’s the case, then you should also see a drop-down option that says Turn WiFi back on—Manually/In 1hr/4hrs/in 1day. Click on the WiFi icon to turn it on. The color should now match the accent color of the system. Lastly, click on the network you plan to connect and enter the password to complete.

Earlier, Windows used to replace the connectivity icon in the system tray with a clear message that the ethernet cable is not connected. The same applied to WiFi.  Now all you get to see is a globe icon that says “Not connected – No connections are available.“

Read: Internet keeps disconnecting when playing games on PC

2] WiFi is missing from the Action Center

When you click on the Globe icon, and there is no option to turn on WiFi, then it’s because the WiFi Adapter has been disabled.

1. Click on the Globe Icon > Network and Internet Settings > change adapter options
2. Locate your WiFi adapter on the next screen, and double-click to enable it.
3. To check for issues, you can right-click and choose to diagnose, which will launch the troubleshooter.

The inhouse-program will troubleshoot WiFi problems, and fix it using standard methods.

Read: WiFi option not showing in Windows 11.

3] Computer doesn’t connect to WiFi automatically

Windows 11 screenshot

Windows 10 screenshot

If you often connect to a network, but every time you turn on WiFi, it doesn’t connect automatically, then it’s because you need to turn on that option. When connecting to a new network, always make sure to check the box which says—connect automatically.  To get the option back to the already connected network, disconnect, and then select the adapter again. The “Connect automatically” choice will reveal itself.

Read: Fix Wi-Fi Networks not showing up on Windows 11

4] Connected to WiFi, but No or Limited Internet

So now that you are using that computer is connected to WiFi, the internet is working on other devices; let’s find out how to fix it in this situation.  There are usually two situations here—No Internet or Limited Internet—for the latter, follow our guide to fixing the Limited WiFi connection problem, but for the former, here is what you can do.

Troubleshooter

• Go to Settings > Windows Update and Security > Troubleshoot.
• Select Internet Connection, and then click on the button which says, “Run the troubleshooter.”

Shell Commands to troubleshoot WiFi problems 

Open Command Prompt as admin, and run the following commands one after the other to flush DNS cache, reset TCP/IP and reset Winsock:

netsh winsock reset

netsh int ip reset

ipconfig /flushdns

Netsh is a command-line utility to manage network connections. While Winsock or Windows Socket decides how any program handles input/output requests for Internet applications. Hence reset may help.

ipconfig, on the other, can clear out a lot of buffers and renew the WiFi connection with the DHCP. Any of the command options can help you achieve it.

Both of these commands will refresh WiFi status, in a way, and help you troubleshoot WiFi problems.

Incidentally, our portable freeware FixWin allows you to reset these and most other Windows settings or functions with a single click.

Related: Fix WiFi not working on Windows 11 – Here we have discussed what you can do if ASUS, HP, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, etc. Wi-Fi is not working.

5] Problem with wireless adapter or access point

When troubleshooting WiFi issues using Network troubleshooters, if you receive an error saying “Problem with wireless adapter or access point,” then it can be because of multiple reasons. Still, mostly, you will need to power-cycle the modem, router, and computer. At times the devices are not able to hold their state, and that causes unexpected issues.

Here is a classic example. Once in a while, I need to take out the ethernet cable from my router and plug it in. If I don’t do that, the router keeps disconnecting as if someone has turned off the power of the source.

Read: Things in your home that can block or obstruct Wi-Fi signal

6] Low Wi-Fi signal strength on Windows 11/10

It is not an issue that is related to your WiFi adapter or Windows. Windows WiFi icon usually shows the strength of WiFi you are connected, and if it is low, then you need to move close to the source. If you own the router, and its place in your office or home, you should plan to widen the WiFi range and reach by either purchasing a powerful router or adding extenders to it. Additionally, you can think of switching to 2.4 GHz, which offers a broader range but lower strength.

Read: How to increase WiFi Speed and Signal strength and coverage area.

7] WiFi keeps disconnecting

Similar to the above issue, WiFi can keep disconnecting if the signal strength is too weak. If that’s not the case, then follow our detailed guide to fix this. It can be because the computer gets into sleep mode too early, or the VPN is using the Kill Switch to disconnect.

8] Unable to find WiFi Networks

There are two scenarios here. First is where you cannot find a particular WiFi network. Second, you are not able to see most of the WiFi network, and at times, the scan is empty.

The first case can mean that either you are not close to the range or the WiFi SSID is hidden. Many people create a network and keep it protected for security. In that case, you need to get information about the exact SSID, and then manually connect to it.

If you fall into the second category, then you may need to update your WiFi driver if the issue started occurring after a latest update or roll back the update itself.

9] Update WiFi Driver

There are a couple of ways to do this, but you may have to try to figure out what works. Drive issue usually occurs when a feature update is rolled out, and OEM hasn’t updated or included their drive with the Windows update. While the Windows team typically take care of such issue, most of the time, but its a slip then you can choose to update the driver:

• OEM website: If you bought a branded laptop, I would strongly suggest you find if they have rolled out an update
• WiFi adapter OEM: Find out the real manufacturer of the WiFi adapter and check if they have updated to get along with the latest release of Windows.

I hope these tips to troubleshoot WiFi problems in Windows 11/10 help you fix the issue you have. It’s a broad topic, so if there is an issue that is not listed here, do let us know.

Product Details

For Trainers and Service Managers

This Package Features:

Two Trainer Textbook Resources That Include A Technician Textbook and Power Point Presentation

“HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Electricity & Wiring Diagrams”

“HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Refrigeration & Air Flow Systems”

Two Video Training Programs That Include A Disc Containing Quiz Questions and Resource Materials

“Electrical Fundamentals For HVACR Technicians” …Run Time 120 Minutes

“Refrigeration Fundamentals For HVACR Technicians” …Run Time 90 Minutes

Two Copies Each Of Two Technician Textbooks

“HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Electricity & Wiring Diagrams” … 420 Pages

“HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Refrigeration & Air Flow Systems” …310 Pages

Additional Free Bonus Video Program That Includes A Resource Material Disc

“Proper Use Of Test Instruments” DVD With Training Resource Guide …Run Time: 60 Minutes   A $40 Value

When these resources are implemented into your staff development program, technicians-in-training use their textbook for study and accomplishing end-of-chapter exercises.

At your regularly scheduled training sessions, the Instructor Guide and/or Power Point gives you the opportunity to assess technician progress, and the DVDs allow you to present video segments to supplement the training process.

Regular Retail If Purchased Individually:

1. Electrical Fundamentals For HVACR Technicians DVD……………$80.00

1. Refrigeration Fundamentals For HVACR Technicians DVD……….$80.00

1. HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Electricity & Wiring Diagrams: Instructor Package……………………………………………………..$125.00

1. HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Refrigeration & Air Flow Instructor Package……………………………………………………...$120.00
2. HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Electricity & Wiring Diagrams: Student Text: $75.00 Ea………………………………………………..$150.00

2. HVACR Troubleshooting Fundamentals: Refrigeration & Air Flow Systems: Student Text: $70.00 EA……………………………………$140.00

Total Price If Purchased Individually………………………………………….$695.00

Your Package Price…………………………………………………………….$610.00

There's no denying that we live in a connected world, where losing your cell phone signal doesn't just mean you can't check Instagram, it could be a matter of life and death. It doesn't matter which type of phone you have or which cellular service provider you use, it's inevitable that you'll run into service disruptions, which can be caused by bad weather or even remote areas that weaken your phone signal.

As travel continues to ramp up for the winter holidays, losing your cell phone signal can get you into some trouble. If you want to avoid losing signal when navigating, dropping important calls with friends and family or even missing all-important travel updates and advisories this holiday travel season, there are several tips and tricks you should know.

The tried-and-true approach of turning on Airplane mode, waiting a few seconds and then turning it off again can definitely help with reception. But when that doesn't work, you might need to take more drastic steps, like removing your SIM card or resetting your network settings. 

iOS 7 is a major redesign of Apple’s mobile operating system that, alongside a fresh new look, comes with dozens of new features like Control Center, new multitasking, new Notification Center, and improved browsing experience in Safari. At the same time, together with all the most visible additions and user features, there are hundreds of details, tricks, and hidden functionalities that you can take advantage of to get more out of iOS 7.

At MacStories, we enjoy finding all the little gems that come with a brand new iOS version each year. In this post, you’ll find 100 tips, tricks, and details of iOS 7 that we’ve collected throughout the summer since the first beta release of iOS 7.

For more iOS 7 coverage, check out our news hub and Federico’s Living with iOS 7 article.

General

Spotlight doesn’t have a dedicated Home screen page anymore. It’s now accessible from any page – just swipe down on any screen to reveal it and swipe up to hide it.

There is a new system-wide gesture to “go back” to a previous screen inside an app: just swipe from the left edge of the screen.

When you wake an iOS 7 device from sleep, the Lock screen clock subtly fades in before the background. At the same time, there’s also an animation that shows the wallpaper “zooming in” from the background (it zooms back when locking a device).

When you lock a device, the lock sound has been tweaked to have an “echo” effect.

The SpringBoard has a new opening animation.

There is a new sound for plugging in a device via USB. Every time you plug in a device, the battery percentage flashes on screen once, then disappears. After that, it’s displayed in the Lock screen under the current time, and disappears after a second (replaced by current date).

If you’re using an app that supports landscape mode on iPhone, you can bring up the new multitasking view in landscape. Control Center and Notification Center are also supported in landscape on iPhone.

You can now get and manage dictionaries from the Define menu.

The new multitasking view has different scrolling speeds for the icons and app snapshots. Scrolling is faster when swiping on the icons.

There’s a new animation for the “x” button that appears when you tap & hold an app you want to delete.

When you jump to a specific reminder or message from Spotlight, the item is highlighted with bold text in the app.

If you tap the Lock screen, there’s a quick bounce animation that suggests you have to swipe the entire screen to unlock the device.

The previously open app is always in the middle position of the multitasking tray, making it an easy target to tap and switch between two recently open apps.

You can quit more than one app at a time from multitasking just by using multiple fingers simultaneously and swiping up on the apps you want to close.

With enough bounce on the Lock screen’s camera icon, the Camera will launch.

In the Phone app, the keypad gets the color of the system’s wallpaper.

The system wallpaper also colors the passcod keypad, while contact photos are the background of a phone call in the Phone app.

Notes’ single note selection (yellow) is progressively desaturated as you swipe back and forth between list and a single note.

The Utilities folder is now called Extras and contains Contacts and the Calculator apps.

There is a new app get animation and default icon template based on Apple’s iOS 7 grid system. New apps have a blue dot indicator after the get is complete.

Siri has a new menu to learn how to pronounce your name. Just ask Siri to pronounce your name, and follow the steps.

Along with Siri having the ability to open apps, it can also open Settings - any specific settings too. Try it, “Siri, open wallpaper settings.”

Siri can do Q&As based on Wikipedia information. You can ask Siri a variety of new questions about people, places, historical facts, and more.

There is an iTunes wish list synced across devices, and you can redeem iTunes credit with your device’s camera.

Reminders has a “Scheduled” section to view all upcoming reminders from all lists, just pull down from the top to access the search field and tap the alarm clock.

In Calendar, you can view all your upcoming events in a timeline by tapping the search icon in the upper right corner.

Favorite contacts have profile pictures. When assigning a photo to a contact, there is now a new circle cropping tool to get the photo just right.

The compass has an inclinometer and a new UI. In the main compass view, the skeuomorphic design has been abandoned, leaving room for an essential black UI where letters always stay upright. Swipe right, and you can use an inclinometer. The screen turns green when you reach 0 degrees.

You can adjust the location radius in Reminders. In a reminder’s Details screen, activate the “Reminde me at a location” option, then tap Location, choose one, and you can tweak the radius in the “When I arrive…” and “When I leave…” tabs.

You can now view PDF annotations on an iOS device.

You can scan QR codes in Passbook. The app’s camera UI will turn red if a pass can’t be installed from a recognized code, and green if the pass can be downloaded and added to Passbook.

The “Add to memorizing List” menu has glasses similar to Steve Jobs’.

You can put Newsstand in a folder, and scroll through multiple pages inside folders.

In Weather, tap the current temperature to view information about humidity, chance of rain, wind, and “feels like”. Tap the list button in the bottom right to access an overview of all your configured locations.

For apps that support iOS7’s new background system, you can see apps live previews in the multitasking view (like Messages).

If you want to make your own parallax wallpapers, use a resolution of 744 x 1392 pixels (for iPhone 5, 5c and 5s). Hat tip to @marcedwards

There is a new shutdown animation that is used for the system (when you power off a device) as well as pass deletion in Passbook.

The animation for entering a wrong passcode in the Lock screen is new and inspired by OS X’s one.

Settings

You can check your location history in Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations to see locations that iOS logged over time alongside an embedded map view.

You can disable Control Center access within apps in Settings > Control Center. This will make Control Center accessible only from the Home screen and Lock screen.

Dynamic Type too large or too small? Adjust it in Settings > General > Text Size. Settings > General > Accessibility will also let you use bold text and increase contrast.

Apps that have requested access to your device’s microphone can be viewed in Privacy > Microphone.

Automatic updates can be disabled in Settings > iTunes & App Store.

Settings > General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion will speed up the opening of apps by “reducing the motion of the UI, including the parallax effect of icons and alerts.”

There are individual cellular usage for apps in Settings > Cellular. Scroll, and you’ll see how much cellular data apps have consumed; you can also see a breakdown for system services and uninstalled apps.

Customize the Today View in Settings > Notification Center.

Enable Do Not Track for Safari in Settings > Safari.

You can add labels to the default On/Off switches in Settings > General > Accessibility.

You can block contacts in Settings > Phone/Messages/FaceTime. You will not receive calls or messages from people on the block list.

You can activate short names for contacts in Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Short Name. Short names are used to fit more names on the screen and they can be set to: First Name & Last Initial; First Initial and Last Name; First Name Only; Last Name Only. if available, you can also choose to prefer nicknames.

You can now choose between driving/walking for default directions in Settings > Maps.

There is now an option in Setttings > Do Not Disturb to always silence calls and notifications, not just when a device is locked.

Messages

There are timestamps for individual messages in the Messages app. Simply swipe left while viewing a conversation to reveal the timestamps.

When scrolling a conversation, you’ll see a subtle gradient for blue chat bubbles (lighter at the top, darker at the bottom) and a new spring effect that keeps chats closer to each other.

When you send a message, the chat bubble rises up from the bottom and you can see it through the new iOS 7 keyboard.

There are suggestions for group messages (and group emails). When choosing the recipient of a new message, iOS will offer you to address it to a group you’ve used before. You can tap the (i) button on a suggested group to view the email addresses and phone numbers associated with each member of a group.

If a message you’ve tried to send fails, you get a notification.

You can view all photos in a conversation by tapping on one image, then tap the list icon in the bottom right.

If you’re trying to send an empty message in the Messages app, the “Send” button isn’t blue and it’s desaturated.

Maps

Maps now has night (dark) mode that turns on automatically at night.

Dropped pins in Maps show an estimated driving/walking time to that location.

When viewing a place in Maps, you can view apps that are popular nearby and get them from the App Store without leaving Maps.

Maps bookmarks are synced with iCloud.

You can have Maps show traffic; tap the (i) in the bottom right and select “Show Traffic”. Streets with traffic problems will be identified with symbols like the ones below.

Safari

You can tap at the bottom to make Safari’s toolbar appear on screen. The address bar in Safari recedes when you scroll down a webpage, but you can tap it to make it bigger at any time.

Safari’s address bar is now a unified search and URL field, showing bookmarks and search suggestions when you start typing. It shows a Top Hit, Google Search results, Bookmarks and History, and local page results. The Top Hit can be optionally set to pre-load from Settings > Safari > Smart Search Field (where search suggestions can also be disabled).

When sharing a webpage from Safari via AirDrop, the receiver’s AirDrop alert dialog will show an inline preview that respects the scrolling position of the original webpage.

You can now see alt text for images in Safari (useful for websits like xkcd). Just tap & hold an image to read the text.

In the new tabs view on the iPhone, you can close a page by swiping it to the left.

You can also access your iCloud tabs by swiping up from the bottom while in Tab view.

Clock

Clock faces are white for cities in the world where there’s still light, black where the sun has already set. Tap city names to switch the clock from analog to digital.

The timer you can set in the Clock app is also shown as a countdown in the Lock screen. When it’s up, you can tap to stop it.

The Clock icon has a live time preview on the Home screen, and it changes from continuous motion to ticking in wiggling mode.

The alarm clock displays a countdown on the lock screen after snoozing.

Mail

You can add a custom mailbox for the All Mail folder in your Gmail account. In Mail’s Mailboxes screen, tap Edit, then Add Mailbox, and point it to the All Mail folder you want.

There is a new message:// URL scheme to link to individual messages. Message URLs generated on a Mac (with tools like this) will continue to work on iOS 7, provided that the message has already been downloaded by the Mail app.

For often used contacts, Mail will try to automatically change your From address to the best one. For instance, when composing a message to a colleague, Mail will change the address to your work one.

Music

The Music app shows animated audio levels next to a playing song while in list view. The levels go flat when a song is paused.

iTunes Radio has an exclusive widget (★) in Control Center. You can “Play more like this”, “Never play this song”, and add to wish list.

A song’s elapsed time is now available in the Lock screen when a song is playing.

While viewing Artists, Songs, or Albums, switch to landscape and get a collage view of your album covers. You can also tap on one of the album covers to bring up a mini-player.

While listening to an iTunes Radio station you can tap the “i” button at the top to adjust settings for the station.

Photos, Camera, and FaceTime

On the iPhone, you can now pinch to open/close photos.

Upon first setup you can see your Photo Stream photos coming one after the other into the Photos app.

The FaceTime app is translucent, showing a blurred view of the front facing camera as the background.

In the Photos app, you can share selected photos from specific moment if you don’t want to share an entire moment. Just tap “Share” next to a moment and then “Share some photos”.

Each photo mode (square, photo) can have a different filter that sticks when the Camera app is closed or relaunched.

Tap location in Photos to view photos on a map.

Tap & hold the photo “mosaic” in Years and Collection to scrub through photos; release to view a photo in full-screen.

When a camera filter is active, the icon in the bottom right corner is colored.

The animation is new when you tap on the small face during FaceTime.

The UI of the camera options seem to be put on a virtual wheel.

Control Center & Notification Center

Notifications are now synced across devices using iCloud. Address a notification on one device, it automatically disappears on the other.

There’s a new animation for how the “x” button rotates and turns into a Clear button in Notification Center.

Notification Center wishes you happy birthday in the Today tab.

Notification banners can be dismissed by swiping them up. You can also swipe left and right between Notification Center areas.

The Flashlight switch changes when it’s toggled on and off, hat tip to @jackietrananh

To open the app currently playing audio from Control Center, tap the track title.

Apps that were automatically updated by iOS 7 show up in Notification Center, allowing you to tap them to open the App Store and see what changed.

The chevrons for Notification and Control Center change: when you drag them, they’re lines; when they are fully revealed, they turn into arrows.