A fairly common situation goes like this: the tablet sees available Wi-Fi networks, but refuses to connect or stays stuck on “Connecting.” Turning airplane mode on and off suddenly makes the connection work — at least temporarily. After sleep or moving between networks, the problem returns and the same workaround becomes necessary again.
This behavior usually points to the wireless radio failing to properly reset after waking, switching networks, or recovering from a weak signal. Instead of refreshing its network state automatically, the system keeps using a corrupted or stalled connection profile. Toggling airplane mode forces a full restart of the wireless stack, which is why it works — but only briefly.
Confirm the Problem Isn’t Router-Side
Before changing tablet settings, make sure the issue is isolated to the device.
- Connect another phone or laptop to the same Wi-Fi network.
- If other devices connect instantly, the router is likely fine.
- If multiple devices struggle, restart the router first.
If only the tablet behaves this way, continue below.
Forget and Rebuild the Wi-Fi Connection
Saved network profiles can become inconsistent after updates or password changes.
- Open Settings → Wi-Fi.
- Tap the connected or saved network.
- Select Forget.
- Restart the tablet.
- Reconnect by entering the password again.
This forces the system to create a clean authentication session instead of reusing damaged configuration data.
Reset Network Settings
If airplane mode keeps acting as the only fix, cached network services are likely stuck.
- Go to Settings → System → Reset options.
- Select Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.
- Confirm the reset.
All saved networks will be removed, but this clears low-level connection conflicts that normal restarts do not fix.
Disable Battery Optimization for Wi-Fi Services
Some tablets aggressively suspend background radio services to save power. When the device wakes, Wi-Fi fails to reinitialize correctly.
- Open Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
- Switch view to All apps.
- Locate system entries related to Wi-Fi or Connectivity Services.
- Set them to Not optimized.
After changing this, restart the tablet and test reconnection without toggling airplane mode.
Check for System Updates
Driver-level Wi-Fi bugs are often corrected silently in firmware updates.
- Open Settings → System → Software Update.
- Install any pending updates.
- Restart once installation finishes.
Optional: Change Router Band or Security Mode
If the issue appears only on one network, compatibility between the tablet’s Wi-Fi chipset and router settings may be involved.
- Try connecting to a 2.4 GHz network instead of 5 GHz.
- Switch router security temporarily from WPA3 to WPA2/WPA2-WPA3 mixed mode.
Some tablets repeatedly fail handshake negotiation until the wireless radio is reset, which explains why airplane mode temporarily resolves it.
After rebuilding the network profile and resetting network services, the tablet should reconnect normally without needing repeated airplane mode toggling.