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Cannot connect to FRITZ!Box over Wi-Fi by scanning QR Code

After scanning the QR code "Wi-Fi access" on the type label of the FRITZ!Box or from the FRITZ! Notes service card, the smartphone or tablet does not connect to the FRITZ!Box over Wi-Fi. One of the following error messages may be displayed by the device:

  • "Failed to connect to network [...]"
  • "Check Your Connection and Try Again"

Simply proceed as described below. After each measure, check whether the problem is solved.

1 Enabling the Wi-Fi network

The following step is only necessary if the WLAN LED on the FRITZ!Box is not lit:

  1. Briefly push the WLAN button on the FRITZ!Box to enable the Wi-Fi network. If you enabled keylock in the FRITZ!Box:
    1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
    2. Click "Wi-Fi Channel" ("Radio Channel") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
    3. Click "Adjust Wi-Fi channel settings".
    4. Enable the Wi-Fi network.
    5. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

2 Optimizing the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi settings

Perform the following steps on a different device connected to the FRITZ!Box:

Important:If you cannot access the FRITZ!Box with any device, proceed as described in the guide FRITZ!Box user interface cannot be opened.

Disabling the MAC address filter

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Security" in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Click "Restrict Access to Wi-Fi".
  4. Enable the option "Allow all new wireless devices".
  5. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Adjusting the name of the Wi-Fi network (SSID)

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Network" ("Radio Network") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Click "Additional Settings for the Wi-Fi Network" and disable the option "Different names for the Wi-Fi networks on 2.4 and 5 GHz" to use the same name (SSID) for both Wi-Fi networks. Only then can the FRITZ!Box automatically steer your wireless devices to the ideal frequency band ("band steering").
  4. Click "More Information on the Wi-Fi Network" and disable the option "Hide name of the Wi-Fi network". This way, all wireless devices can connect to the FRITZ!Box and the FRITZ!Box can optimally control your wireless devices in the Mesh ("Mesh Wi-Fi Steering").
  5. If you changed the name of the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi network (SSID), remove all special characters from the Wi-Fi network name. Since some wireless devices do not support all of the special characters allowed by the FRITZ!Box, only use letters (but not special characters such as ä, ë, ö, ü, á, é, í), numbers, and spaces.
  6. Click "Apply" to save the settings. If the wireless devices were only connected to the 5 GHz Wi-Fi network with a different name, you must then reconfigure the Wi-Fi connection on those devices.

3 Scanning a valid QR code

By default, the QR code on the type label of the FRITZ!Box contains the preconfigured Wi-Fi access information of the FRITZ!Box. If the Wi-Fi access information was changed, you can find a valid QR code in the FRITZ!Box user interface:

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Network" ("Radio Network") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Scan the QR code directly from the screen or click "Print Info Sheet" to print out the QR code before scanning it.