Wi-Fi QR code not connecting? WPA, WEP and hidden networks

3 minutes

A Wi-Fi code carries the network name, the password and the security type. iPhone and Android read it with the built-in camera and offer to join. Nobody types a 16-character password off a chalkboard again.

Watch it

Make one

  1. 1
    Pick Wi-Fi

    Click the Wi-Fi tab at the top of the generator.

  2. 2
    Type the network name exactly

    Capital letters, spaces and punctuation must match the router. Copy it from the router label or from a phone that is already connected.

  3. 3
    Type the password

    Also exact. The code stores it as typed.

  4. 4
    Pick the security type

    WPA covers WPA, WPA2 and WPA3, which is nearly every modern router. WEP is for very old routers. None is for open networks with no password.

  5. 5
    Download and test

    Scan it with a phone that is not on the network yet. Forget the network on your own phone first if you want to test with it.

Generator on the Wi-Fi tab with network name, password and security type filled in
Wi-Fi tab: name, password, security type. The preview is live.

Hidden networks

A hidden network does not broadcast its name. Phones can still join from a QR code because the name is in the code, but some Android versions will not, and iOS asks for confirmation. If you can, un-hide the network for guests or run a separate visible guest network. Hiding the name adds no real security.

It scans but will not connect

  • Name or password has a typo. One wrong character is enough. Re-check both against the router.
  • Wrong security type. A WPA network with WEP selected fails silently on some phones.
  • The phone is already on a network with the same name and a saved wrong password. Forget the network, then scan again.
  • Captive portal (a hotel or cafe sign-in page). The code joins the network; the portal still appears. That is normal.

Tip. Print the network name under the code as plain text. When the code is scratched or the phone is old, the text still works.

Should a Wi-Fi code be dynamic?

Usually not. A static Wi-Fi code works offline and joins the network directly. A dynamic one opens a web page first, which needs internet the guest does not have yet. Keep Wi-Fi codes static; if you change the password, print a new card.

Your turn

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