Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues, help please?

[catu]

Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

Hi,

I'm new to Android after being an iPhone owner for many years. So far I'm loving it except for one issue. My Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is ruining WiFi everywhere I join. So what do I mean by ruining? As soon as I connect to ANY WiFi network it will crash the modem bringing download and upload speeds to almost zero. Since I'm not a tech guy I found that just hard to believe, how can a phone jam every WiFi signal I'm on? So far I've crashed signals at home, restaurants, stores, family's members homes, etc... you get my point. After realizing it was actually me I called an IT I know and happens to be my neighbor. He brought his equipment and after many tests realized it was indeed my phone that's crashing every WiFi network I join.

We found a thread that said Bluetooth causes this, while turning it off it did return the WiFi signal functionality but just for a few minutes, so that's not the issue. After many tests we did a factory wipe to the phone and everything went back to normal again, no WiFi crashes... BUT now theres a new issue. Now I wont crash every WiFi network I'm on but my phone will stop having connection, even when the WiFi bar is full and every other device connected to the network works perfectly. The fix is easy, I just have to turn off WiFi, turn back on and I will have connection again.

SO... my actual question. Is it possible that this issue is being caused by a hardware problem? I have 10 days left in warranty with my seller for a full refund. If it's just a software issue I'll just wait for the update that will fix it. But I want to know if there's a way that this could be a hardware issue so I can return the phone and get a new one. Thanks for your help.

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

Welcome to Android Central! That sounds pretty unusual. How did you know you were crashing public wi-fi networks at stores or restaurants? Did other people start complaining that they lost the network connection?

For your current issue with the phone dropping the wi-fi connection (after you did the factory reset), does this also happen on any network, or just your home network? If the latter, then try rebooting the router by unplugging its power for 10 seconds, then plugging back in again.

If problems persist, I'd go for the warranty repair or replacement. This kind of thing doesn't seem like a software issue to me.

 

[catu]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

Thanks for the reply. I know I crashed restaurants and public places networks because as soon as I logged in my wife's and friends wifi signal stopped working as well.

After the factory reset I no longer crash WiFi networks. But often my device WiFi does not have connection and all other devices connected to the same WiFi do have connection. I get a connection as soon as I turn WiFi on my phone off and on. It happens on every WiFi connection. Not just a specific one.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[rnich120]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

I had this issue with my Sony Z5 but it was only with my home router....every other work worked perfectly fine. I was a little worried it would happen with the S7 but it has been on point since arriving.

 

[erasat]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

What carrier are you on and what options do you have when in Wifi menu? I'm asking because not all carriers seems to have the same Wifi settings.

But try this, turn off Smart Network Switch, not need for the phone to determine what to use and in Advance Settings turn off Hotspot 2.0 option, then go to your Location Settings and under Improve Accuracy, turn off both Wifi and Bluetooth Scanning.

With this option off, do another test and see, if you still have issues I'd advice you to get a replacement.

 

[MartinMPL]

There is something odd about the S7 WiFi. Mine disconnects and reconnects with my home WiFi and some others. It can be a few times a day and enough to be annoying.

But then it's fine on some other routers for example I have a Three UK 4G mifi and it connects flawlessly to this.

My guess is that there is some incompatibility with some routers or WiFi types which affects some and not all.

There's a thread on this forum where Verizon users have reported an update which seems to have fixed these issues, but nothing yet for the OEM devices (which is strange). There's a few threads, have a look and see if anything helps.

 

[erasat]

There is something odd about the S7 WiFi. Mine disconnects and reconnects with my home WiFi and some others. It can be a few times a day and enough to be annoying.

But then it's fine on some other routers for example I have a Three UK 4G mifi and it connects flawlessly to this.

My guess is that there is some incompatibility with some routers or WiFi types which affects some and not all.

There's a thread on this forum where Verizon users have reported an update which seems to have fixed these issues, but nothing yet for the OEM devices (which is strange). There's a few threads, have a look and see if anything helps.

It has been proven (basically for most people with similar issues) to be problems with the IPv6 protocols, people with access to the routers and forcing it to use only IPv4 have fixed the issues almost all the time.

Only way to get this fixed is by people reporting it to their carriers and Samsung, if people don't do it, it may never get fixed.

 

[wxman2003]

It has been proved (basically for most people with similar issues) to be problems with the IPv6 protocols, people with access to the routers and forcing it to use only IPv4 have fixed the issues almost all the time.

Only way to get this fixed is by people reporting it to their carriers and Samsung, if people don't do it, it may never get fixed.

I don't think it's the phone at all. I have IPv6 protocol enabled on my router and have zero problems. It's more likely an issue with the router enabling IPv6, while the ISP's modem does not support it. Many times, the modems provided by the ISP are outdated, and people don't bother requesting a newer version. Their modem should be able to meet DOCSIS 3.0 specifications. All one has to do is google their modem's model number.

 

[erasat]

I don't think it's the phone at all. I have IPv6 protocol enabled on my router and have zero problems. It's more likely an issue with the router enabling IPv6, while the ISP's modem does not support it. Many times, the modems provided by the ISP are outdated, and people don't bother requesting a newer version. Their modem should be able to meet DOCSIS 3.0 specifications. All one has to do is google their modem's model number.

I'm not saying that the phone has a problem as in defective, I'm saying that something is not right and is not new and exclusive to S7, this began since the S6 and then Note 5, so something on the chips Samsung and maybe others manufacturers are using are not playing nice with SOME routers, hence the reason to report it together with the Router model so they are aware of the issue and look for a solution to this.

I love my S7 and S7 edge and I never had an issue with my S6, S6 edge and Note 5, but if I was one of the people with issues, and I couldn't have access to modify my Routers configurations at home and work (I'm the IT guy) then it would certainly be a huge issue for me and I'd have looked at other phones instead of all the latest Samsung Flagships I've had.

 

[catu]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

Thanks for all your replies. For everyone that's saying that it could be the router and that I have to call the carrier to update or change to iPV4 doesn't make sense since my wife's phone and my old phone work flawlessly everywhere and I can't keep calling carriers and fixing routers everywhere I go.

So my question. Is there a chance this could be a hardware problem? That's actually all I want to know so I can decide on returning this phone and getting a new one not just waiting for a fix from Samsung.

Thanks.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[erasat]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

Thanks for all your replies. For everyone that's saying that it could be the router and that I have to call the carrier to update or change to iPV4 doesn't make sense since my wife's phone and my old phone work flawlessly everywhere and I can't keep calling carriers and fixing routers everywhere I go.

So my question. Is there a chance this could be a hardware problem? That's actually all I want to know so I can decide on returning this phone and getting a new one not just waiting for a fix from Samsung.

Thanks.

Posted via the Android Central App

Your wife's phone (as far as I can get from your posts) and your past phones were not a S6, S6 edge, Note 5 or a S7/S7 edge, so that alone will tell that your actual phone doesn't have the same hardware as your previous ones. I'm not pretending you to go changing Routers settings everywhere you go but it can certainly tell you if that's the issue and then you can report it, if you don't want to know for sure what is causing it or don't feel like calling and reporting, then I don't see too may options for you other than return that one and try luck with another one. Problem is that if my theory is correct and it's not just a batch of defective chips and is more related to the software side, then it is highly probable that you may get the same issues while using the same routers.

Like I said in my last post above, if I'd been one of the affected people I'd be bothered and annoyed as hell, but even in that situation I'd need to decide if I just prefer to return the phone and try luck with a new replacement or being myself and go to the router I have access to and look for the causes and see how to fix it so I can report it and help others in the process by reporting it and hope that they can fix it.

 

[nutech12]

What does it hurt.... take it back. Get another one! Samsung support is brutal. All they seem to do is apologize, they would never replace your hardware. Better get it while it good! Your phone is way too young have be jumping thru 'hoops'..

IF this persists with the new device then you know you have a problem, and you can see you have lots of support here. Way more than the Samsung level one support in the Philippines can give you!

 

[wxman2003]

Try changing the router's DNS settings to either google or openDNS. Try 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4 for google. 208.67.222.222 or 208.67.220.220 for openDNS.

 

[hylex]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

Hi,



SO... my actual question. Is it possible that this issue is being caused by a hardware problem? I have 10 days left in warranty with my seller for a full refund. If it's just a software issue I'll just wait for the update that will fix it. But I want to know if there's a way that this could be a hardware issue so I can return the phone and get a new one. Thanks for your help.

I have 3 S7's in the house and none of them are facing the issue. I suspect you hit the nail on the head, when you said it's a hardware issue. I would get it changed pronto.

 

[Som3aa]

I have the exact same issue. It was driving me crazy. I thought that there was a problem with my adsl and i kept calling technical support , changing routers and trying different things till i realized it was the phone. It kills the connection to all devices connected to the router it is connected to.
Did someone find any fix?
Is it hardware?

 

[catu]

Re: Galaxy S7 Edge serious WiFi Issues

UPDATE:

I got my Galaxy replaced. SAME issue with new phone. Let me just explain something, some people tell me to configure the routers and the modems, this issue happens everywhere. My house, parents house, wife's parents house, brothers house, restaurants, office and airport. I've connected to all those places. Does anyone have a fix that does NOT include configuring a router? ( I can't go around configuring routers everywhere.) Absolutely every time I connect to WiFi wherever I am the Internet will drop. All the other phones and laptops connected to the wifi network will work perfectly without any issues while my galaxy won't have connection. So the problem is definitely in my phone software. Any help?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Keith Ledig]

I have the exact same problems with my new S7 on AT&T. I did the over the air update, there was one, and it didn't fix this issue. I also exchanged my 1st S7 and now am on my second one, exact same problem. The phone is awesome except for this wifi issue. 4G works flawlessly, and BTW on some wifi routers it works great too (Cisco at work, and WooToo at home). But on my Asus RT-N66U and sme netgear relic I pulled out of the closet (10 yrs old I approximate) I have the wifi issues.

The issues I experience are buffering often when streaming radio, and skipping. This is like the app lost connection then tried to reestablish. Buffering to get lost data or catch up, and skipping over unrecoverable lost data. I tried a couple different streaming apps with similar results. Also the data will pause for long periods (assuming the wifi is reconnecting) when browsing. It's wreaking major havoc with my house alarm app (at home only on the troublesome wifi routers, flawless everywhere else). Also I will wake up to both 2.5 and 5Ghz SSID's saying "internet not available" and it won't reconnect auto, I have to manually connect to it (and it will).

I am am engineer and have been working with tech for 27 yrs. I tried all the fixes suggested in the web, factory reset, forget network, etc. When I got the second S7 all I did was log in with my Google account and download the internet streaming app, sign into my wifi, to keep this as stock config as possible, and saw the problem.

I have seen issues with interpretations of specifications, and wonder if this is the issue with this current Galaxy S7 since some wifi routers work ok and some fail (intermittently drop connection). I would love to know if the Verizon fix works, and what they did to fix it. Sadly AT&T rarely issues an over the air update, they are notoriously slow to update phone SW.

I also had an internet chat with a Samsung Galaxy tech and all he did was suggest the same stuff commonly posted on the web, he was no help. I have to laugh when they say go into safe mode then try the app causing the issues, when in safe mode I can't run any apps I downloaded from the Play Store.

I like the phone and its new features, Android 6 is cool. But this wifi issue is a deal breaker. BTW I don't see any issues with my Galaxy S6, doing side by side the exact same things I am trying with the S7. Something broke when Samsung went from the 6 to the 7, and the Android version is the primary culprit in my book.

 

[RiaHannam]

I have your exact same issues. On my second phone. It just won't work with my home WiFi. I've tried all the tricks, changed my router settings, etc... It seems to work everywhere else I go but home! My router is a Belkin (new) - so now do I get a new router, or get an entirely different phone?? I am beyond frustrated. I have little faith this issue will ever be resolved.

A little update: Used the Guest Access WiFi connection......... and it WORKS! Why it works is beyond me..........

**A better update: This turned out to be an Android issue, not a Samsung one. An update last month cured the issue. WiFi now works normally. Whew!

 

[Peter Fogarty]

Same issue here. My Galaxy S7 drags extremely heavily on my WIFI making it difficult to use. I only got it yesterday. Software was updated. Any fixes?

 

[KingDingbat]

I also had this start happening after the last AT&T update. Several apps, (Facebook and Facebook messenger mostly) complain often that "No internet connection" or "Network something something." even though, I'm fully connected, and never actually have any trouble loading anything. Sometimes Facebook will refuse to do something BECAUSE of it. It will say "Can't do that right now." (What? Because you just don't feel like it, or what?) when I try things, but the internet is working just fine on my phone. Smart Network Switch is off on my phone, because I hated it. It's always been off. This was definitely after the update and has nothing to do with routers, or ISP's. It's something on the phone.