PS4 Keep Disconnecting From Wi-Fi? Here’s How to Fix It

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Your PS4 has to be the most-used electronic in your home. Day and night, your family and friends can find you gaming to your heart’s delight in your decked-out gaming room. 

However, your PS4 has started randomly disconnecting from Wi-Fi, even though your other electronics stay connected to the network. Needless to say, these network problems are seriously impairing your gaming abilities. 

Why does your PS4 keep disconnecting from Wi-Fi, and how can you ensure it stays connected once and for all?

Keep reading to find out! 

1. A Problem With the Wi-Fi Router

There may be something wrong with your Wi-Fi router, especially if you notice this issue happening on other devices, like your smartphone and computer. Malfunctioning routers struggle to stay connected to the network, causing connectivity problems. 

Let’s go over a few basic troubleshooting steps to figure out if your Wi-Fi router is to blame for your network problems before discussing the solution. 

Troubleshooting Steps

• Head to your smartphone, tablet, and computer and check if they can successfully maintain a connection to your Wi-Fi router. 
• If the rest of your smart devices can connect to your Wi-Fi network, then there’s likely a problem with your PS4. 
• If all of your smart devices consistently disconnect from Wi-Fi, then there’s probably an issue with your router. Try the solution outlined below if this is the case for your devices. 

Solutions

1. The easiest way to troubleshoot your router’s connection problems is by power cycling it. To do this, unplug your router for at least 30 seconds, before plugging it back in and allowing it to restart. 

2. If power cycling doesn’t fix your issues, you can try updating it. Routers, like all electronics, may start to malfunction if they have pending updates. To install updates on your router you will need to access its web page to navigate its settings. 

This process varies depending on the router’s brand. Luckily, HP’s article How to Update Router Firmware includes comprehensive instructions for how to update routers from popular North American Wi-Fi providers. 

3. Last, but not least, try factory resetting your router, which will erase all custom settings by returning them to their default values. 

Follow the instructions below to factory reset your router. 

Step 1: Find your router’s RESET button, usually located on the back of the unit in the form of a button or pinhole. 

Step 2: Ensure your router is turned on before activating the RESET button.

• If the RESET option is a WPS/RESET button, long press it until you notice your router’s slow-blinking SYS LED light begins flashing quickly.
• If the RESET option is a pinhole, stick and hold one end of a paper clip or SIM ejector tool into it for at least 15 seconds. 

Step 3: Now that you’ve factory reset your Wi-Fi router, all you have to do is wait for the router to complete the reset process and power on. 

2. The Wi-Fi Router Is Too Far From the PS4

Your PS4’s Wi-Fi may be disconnecting because it’s too far from the router and experiencing interference. If your Wi-Fi router isn’t in a central location in your home, you may notice this occur on your other devices as well since the network can’t reach them.

Solution

Ensure your PS4 is close enough to your router to receive its signal. Ideally, both devices should be in the same room since thick walls can cause signal interference. 

However, if it’s not possible to place both devices in the same room and your home is large, consider using a Wi-Fi MESH system or extender. These gadgets will extend your router’s signal, ensuring your PS4 has a strong and stable network signal. 

3. Your PS4 Is Connected to the Wrong Wi-Fi Frequency Band

If you’re using a dual-band network that supports multiple frequency bands, your PS4 may be connected to an incompatible band. PS4s are sometimes incompatible with 5GHz bands, and will randomly disconnect from Wi-Fi when connected to them. 

So, it’s a good idea to try connecting your PS4 to the 2.4GHz band. 

Let’s learn how! 

Step 1: On your PS4, swipe up using its controller. 

Step 2: Head to the Settings, marked by this icon

Step 3: Then, go to Network. 

Step 4: Open Set Up Internet Connection. 

Step 5: Click on Use Wi-Fi.

Step 6: Now, you should see a list of available Wi-Fi networks on-screen.

If you’ve already set up a separated dual-band Wi-Fi network (i.e. 2.4GHz and 5GHz), test its 5GHZ network first. 

Step 7: Click on your Wi-Fi network’s name. 

Step 8: Hit your PS4 controller’s Options key. 

Step 9: Click on Wi-Fi Frequency Bands.

Step 10: Select 5GHz Only and connect to it accordingly. 

If the 5GHz frequency band isn’t working, try connecting to the 2.4GHz band by selecting 2.4GHz Only. 

If your router uses an automated dual-band network, your Wi-Fi will only display one network. So, to access both frequency bands, you must separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz. 

Note: Select automatic dual-band routers do not support connection separations. If you’re unsure if your router supports this function, check its user manual or contact the manufacturer’s customer support for more information. 

If your router does support this function, check out the links below to learn how to separate the 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections.

• Netgear Nighthawk Routers
• Tenda Routers
• Huawei Routers

If you don’t see your router brand listed above, head to the manufacturer’s official website for guidance. 

Once you’ve successfully separated the 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections, try connecting your PS4 to the 2.4GHz band and see the results. 

4. There’s a Software Glitch

Many network issues are a result of a glitch in the software. Something may have gone wrong when you turned on your PS4, preventing it from creating a secure connection to Wi-Fi. 

Solution

Try rebooting or power cycling your PS4 to resolve the software glitch. 

Power off your PS4. Once the Power LED indicator light has turned off, unplug its power cable from the wall outlet. Then, wait at least 30 seconds. 

Once 30 seconds have elapsed, plug it back in and power it on. Now, try to use it and observe if it stays connected to Wi-Fi. 

5. The Software Is Outdated or Has Bugs

PS4 frequently has software updates, with many of them boasting new improvements and bug fixes. However, some of these updates contain bugs in the software, which can lead to glitches, like network connectivity problems. 

Alternatively, your PS4’s current software may be outdated, leading to incompatibility issues. 

Solution

The best way to resolve either of these problems is by installing the latest software updates by following the steps below. 

There are two ways to update your PS4: in its settings with Wi-Fi or using a USB flash drive. 

How to Update the Software via the Settings

Step 1: Head to your PS4’s display and swipe up on your controller. 

Step 2: Select the icon to launch the Settings menu. 

Step 3: Head to System Software Update. 

Step 4: If there are any pending updates, click on Next. 

Step 5: Then, select Update. 

Step 6: Your PS4 will now restart and install any updates. 

How to Update the Software With a USB Flash Drive

If your PS4’s Wi-Fi is frequently cutting off, it may be difficult to install updates using Wi-Fi. So, it’s best to update your PS4 manually using a USB. 

While this method is less convenient than updating your PS4 via Wi-Fi, it may be the only option if your PS4 has severe network connectivity problems. 

Follow the instructions outlined in How to update system software on a PS4 console to install updates with a USB. 

This process involves downloading the update file onto your computer before installing it on your PS4. Never download any update files from any source other than the official Play Station website, as they could contain malware and corrupt your PS4’s software. 

6. The Software Is Corrupted

Your PS4’s software may be corrupted. Unfortunately, the only way to fix corrupted software is to factory reset your PS4 or reinstall the system software. 

Note: Factory resetting your PS4 or reinstalling the system software will delete any custom settings and all of your saved data. This process is irreversible, so ensure you save any files you want to keep on an external hard drive. 

Solution

Head to Play Station’s website to learn how to factory reset a PS4 via its settings. 

Otherwise, you can follow the steps below to factory reset your PS4 via Safe Mode. 

Step 1: Completely power off your PS4 and detach any cables. Do not set it to Reset Mode. 

Step 2: Long press your PS4’s Power button until it makes two beeping sounds, which should take about eight seconds. Once your PS4 enters safe mode, you should see a black screen with a message appear on your display.

Follow the instruction of the message by connecting the controller to PS4 via USB port and press the PS button.

Step 3: Now, you should see a few options on-screen. Select Initialize PS4 to factory reset your device.

Step 4: Then, read the warning on-screen before selecting Yes. 

If the factory reset process did not work, it’s best to manually reinstall the system software using a USB. Although this is a slightly longer process, it will ensure that your PS4 is fitted with uncorrupted firmware that can run smoothly. 

Only install firmware software downloaded from the Sony website. Otherwise, you may accidentally install malware or viruses on your computer and PS4. 

To learn how to reinstall your PS4’s software and download the correct files, head to the official Play Station website.

7. Your PS4’s Hardware Has Failed

If you’ve tried all of the above solutions and still cannot get your PS4 to maintain a stable Wi-Fi connection, there may be something wrong with its hardware. Faulty main boards or network cards can cause network problems and must be repaired or replaced when faulty. 

Head to Play Station’s Hardware & Repairs Support to inquire about repairs and see if your warranty will cover them. 

Good luck!

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