Router is hidden and I am unable to manually connect from my phone

[jeremybrett]

Hello. My router was made by Vodafone. It doesn't show up in my android phone's list of wi fi networks. Step by step I: opened settings, clicked 'wi fi', pressed the three dots in the corner, pressed 'add wi fi', I turned the router upside down, I typed the SSID in the first box exactly as it's printed on the sticker on the router, I selected WPA/WPA2PSK from the security drop down menu, I typed the password in the password box exactly as it's printed, and I clicked 'connect'. Nothing's happened except my router now shows up in the list of saved networks and my phone thinks it's out of range. What have I done wrong? How do I connect? (I'm at another address to ask this)

[Jayach]

Firstly, you shouldn't need to type in the SSID, unless you have deliberately hidden the SSID.

If your phone isn't "seeing" the SSID, and other devices are, it's likely the router is using a channel that the phone can't use.

Is the router visible to other devices?

[Ripshod]

Have you accidentally turned wifi off with the button on the top? 

[Jayach]

If the Wi-Fi is off, as @Ripshod suggests, the WIFI led will be out. (they are so dim it's hard to tell, what bright spark thought that having the leds reflected from a dark grey surface was a good idea)

[Ripshod]

If you've deliberately gone into the settings and hidden the ssid I have to ask why? It's actually less secure. 

[Ripshod]

mmmmm. I'm a little suspicious now. I'm wondering if this router is actually theirs or their parents. Every adult I know, and most kids actually, have a 4G/5G phone with data. That plus the lack of access makes it feel wrong to keep helping. I'm out.

[jeremybrett]

It's my landlord's and I'm too poor for 5g. You don't have to help if you don't want to

[jeremybrett]

I'm only assuming it's hidden and if we can rule that out then we can troubleshoot other possibilities. The router came with the house that I've moved in to.

It hasn't said but these were replies to poster Ripshod, I thought it makes a note of who you're replying to. By the way out of curiosity how does hiding your SSID make you less secure? I thought it just doesn't help

[Ripshod]

---

@jeremybrett wrote:

I thought it makes a note of who you're replying to. By the way out of curiosity how does hiding your SSID make you less secure? I thought it just doesn't help

---

If you hide the SSID on the router the connected devices still transmit the SSID in their beacons. If you think you're safe from hackers you're not. Any packet sniffer will display your SSID in the open. 

[Ripshod]

On to your problem. What phone are you trying to connect?

I think we may be heading for a reset of the router.