One of the most common problems when we change smartphones is the issue of data. For whatever reason it is misconfigured or does not take the data from the SIM well, and that leads us to not be able to connect to the Internet or make calls.
In today's tutorial we are going to review some settings that we can check if we have network problems. Many of these cases I have seen with my own eyes in friends and family, so I can assure you that they occur more frequently than it seems.
Before starting, we must make sure that we start from a minimum base, and that we comply, at least, with these 3 conditions.
- The SIM card is correctly inserted.
- The "airplane mode" is deactivated.
- We are not in a low coverage area.
Normally, if the SIM has been inserted correctly, it will appear automatically activated. We can see this from "Settings -> Network and Internet -> SIM cards”.
1 # Check that mobile data is activated
The usual thing is that when we launch a mobile phone or change SIMs, the system itself detects our operator's network, and that, in addition, it activates mobile data. However, it does not always happen.
We can solve this from "Settings -> Network and Internet -> Mobile network” activating the tab of "Mobile data”.
2 # Set the APN correctly
If we already have the data activated and we still do not have Internet, the next thing we should check is the APN configuration (Access Point Name). This is the "access point" that ensures that we have access to the data service from our operator from the phone.
We can check our APN from "Settings -> Network and Internet -> Mobile network -> APN”. If no configured APN appears we will have to add the corresponding data of our company.
In this other post we will find a wide list with the APN configuration of a large number of telemarketers.
3 # Applications to save battery
Some terminals usually bring pre-installed applications to control battery consumption. These supposed applications that in theory serve to save energy, sometimes play very bad tricks on us.
If we have any of these applications installed, let's access them to check that We do not have the "Energy Saving" mode activated. This type of configuration sometimes causes Internet access to be blocked so that the battery lasts longer.
4 # Activate data roaming (carefully)
It may seem silly, but this is a case that often occurs with some operators and certain Chinese mobiles. Some of these terminals require roaming or data roaming service to be activated, so that we can call and use the Internet.
The reason? Some Chinese mobile phones, such as Xiaomi or Huawei, detect some European networks as “foreign networks”, even though we are using a local and perfectly legal SIM.
We can activate data roaming from "Settings -> Network and Internet -> Mobile network -> Data roaming”.
Take special care to carry out this check if we are abroad, since in this case we may be charged an extra for roaming use. Of course, if we are in national territory there is no problem in this regard.
5 # Make sure you don't have an active VPN
Do you use a VPN service on your mobile? If so, make sure you don't have a VPN client activated. Also take a look at “Settings -> Network and Internet -> VPN”, And if there is any private connection delete it.
If we later verify that the problem was not with our VPN, we can always reconfigure it.
6 # Have you set a data limit?
When we reach the data use limit in our rate we usually realize it. However, the most recent versions of Android also allow us set a data usage limit manually. And that can be a problem.
- We are going to "Settings -> Network and Internet -> Mobile network”.
- Click on "Use of data”And select the settings wheel.
- If the tab “Set data limit”Is activated, we will proceed to deactivate it.
If we still want to keep track of the megabytes we spend, we can always leave the option to set a warning activated when we reach a certain limit.
7 # Is your smartphone compatible with your operator's networks?
Not all mobiles are compatible with the mobile bands and networks offered by operators and telephone companies. This is especially the case with very basic smartphones and low-end mobiles from China.
If you want to know if your mobile is compatible with the 3G and 4G networks of your Internet and calls provider, take a look at the device's specifications sheet, or visit the following table of compatible bands / providers by country HERE.
None of this works?
Lastly, if none of this has worked, the best we can do is contact our telephone company and explain the problem to them. It may be a general failure in the network or any other type of problem that we cannot solve directly.
If you know other methods or checks to carry out, do not hesitate to go through the comments area.
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