Why Wi-Fi may not work on a laptop and how to fix it. Problems with Wi-Fi and wireless home internet
Wi-Fi not working on a laptop is a common problem faced by every third laptop owner. When the device stops receiving a signal, a lot of problems and inconvenience immediately arise, especially for those whose activities are related to working on the Internet.
There are many causes of failure and each of them requires study. If the problems are serious, then it will not be possible to solve them on your own and you will have to take the laptop to a service center. But, some connection problems can be solved independently.
Router or laptop - where is the problem hiding?
If Wi-Fi does not turn on on the laptop, the problem may be related to the router, or the receiving device in the laptop itself. What to do? To check the router, just try to establish a connection with it from an outside gadget - a tablet, smartphone, phone, another laptop, etc.
If the connection is established, then most likely the wi-fi adapter in the laptop itself is faulty. In this situation, the PC user needs to find out the cause of the malfunction.
Enable the adapter by hardware
If Wi-Fi stops working, you can conduct hardware diagnostics that will identify the cause of the adapter's malfunction. There are several options for checking the correct operation of the device.
The easiest way is to check the indicator light on the laptop, which notifies you that the device is working. The Wi-Fi module can be turned on by pressing the key combinations that are set by the manufacturer.
Turn on the adapter and check the indicator
If the indicator is lit, then the module must be turned on and work properly. If the lamp glows red or is completely absent, the cause of the malfunction lies in the laptop itself and the adapter that must be turned on.
To connect the module to the wireless Internet, you need to hold down the Fn key and one of the system buttons with the article F (F1-12). The combination that you need to hold down to connect the laptop to the network depends on the computer manufacturer. As a rule, the Fn key is located near the Win button, and required key to enable the adapter is marked with "antenna".
If the drawn antenna is missing, the user will need to hold down the following buttons:
On Acer, turn on wifi by pressing Fn+F3;
On Asus, Dell, Gigabyte - a combination of buttons to turn on / off Fn + F2;
Fujitsu - Fn + F5;
On HP - Fn + F12.
After the corresponding combination of buttons has been pressed, it is necessary to check the activity of the indicator. If he does not want to turn on, we are looking for other ways to solve the problem that has arisen.
Enable the adapter programmatically
If Wi-Fi on a laptop is faulty and the hardware connection method did not work positive result, you must try to turn on the device using the software inclusion method. This action is performed through the operating system, which controls all the functionality of the PC.
To enable Wi-Fi through software that does not work for unknown reasons, you need to do the following in Windows 7,8,10:
Adapter settings, click "Enable"
In the menu that appears, you should not click anything thoughtlessly - look at the backlight of the "Wireless Network Connection" icon. If WiFi is disabled, then the icon is not highlighted. To turn it on, you need to right-click on it and select the line "enable". After connecting to the network, the illumination of the icon should work.
In automatic mode, the adapter connects to available networks and the user can freely use the Internet. But what to do if even such measures did not help in solving the problem? Let's move on to the next troubleshooting method.
Driver - install and update
Often, there is a simple answer to the question why the adapter does not work - the lack of a driver is necessary or its outdated version is worth it. To check the driver, you need to enter the "Start", right-click on "This PC", then go to "Advanced", then "Management". In the window that appears, click on the "Device Manager" section.
Go to "Computer Management"
In the list that appears, the user will need to find the "name" of his network module. For example, the line might look like this - "Wireless network adapter". Here, its manufacturer is indicated. It can be Atheros, Realtek, etc.
In the "device manager" find "network adapter" right-click on it, then left-click "turn on the device" if the device does not turn on, go to "properties"
Having found the required line, right-click on it and select the "Properties" line. The window will display (if everything is in order) "the device is working properly." But, if there is a malfunction, and the inscription says otherwise, you should not trust everything. Often, the device sees the driver, but it may be outdated and not function correctly.
Check the status of the device and the relevance of its driver
If wi-fi disappears regularly, here we click on the "Driver" line and check the date of its development and the supplier. If the supplier is Microsoft, then we go from the laptop directly to the developer's website and download the latest version of the program (update the driver).
We resort to the same measures if you could not find adapter devices for wireless Internet on your laptop.
If there is an icon with an exclamation mark next to the module in the list of connected devices, it means that the adapter is not connected and, as a result, there is no access to the network. To fix the problem, go to the properties window and press the "Enable" button.
Computer power supply
What to do if the signal is lost? Perhaps the cause of the malfunction lies in the economic mode of energy consumption. To switch the mode, the PC user needs to do the following:
Go to the control panel;
Click on the "Power" icon;
In the window that appears, click on the "Balanced" or "high performance" button.
Everything, the performance is set at the proper level and such a problem as “Wi-Fi turns off” should not bother you anymore.
External "barriers" that interfere with the Internet signal
The reasons for the malfunctioning of Wi-Fi devices can be different, where one of them is external factors. In this situation, the laptop has nothing to do with it and the user will have to pay attention to the walls, ceiling, floor and other obstacles. They can interfere with the passage of the signal, making it weak or invisible at all.
The virtual sensor informs the user about the signal level - the more the indicator is filled with “sticks”, the higher the level. If the signal level is displayed as 1-2 bars, such a signal is considered weak and will “behave” unstably.
IN this case nothing depends on the power of computers - to make the signal strong, you need to install the router as close as possible to the laptop or purchase an updated and perfect transmitter model.
Other troubles
Now you know what to do if you encounter the most common wireless adapter problems. The above options allow you to troubleshoot problems yourself and establish an Internet connection with peace of mind.
But, are there situations when the above methods do not help fix the problem? How to be? What happened to the device? Often, problems with Wi-Fi arise due to the board - physical damage may occur.
To troubleshoot such problems, you need to disassemble the laptop and carefully examine the board. Attention! If the user does not have certain skills in working with hardware, it is better not to do this on your own, but to take the laptop to specialists who will quickly and efficiently make repairs.
Among the variations that can affect the correct operation of the board, there are the following:
The wire connecting the antenna to the Wi-Fi is disconnected;
Strong heating of the network card is possible, which happens due to contamination of the cooling system;
Dust can also affect the correct operation of the board, which prevents cold air from entering the network card.
If none of the above measures helped to fix the problem, you have a direct road to the service center. Experts will independently diagnose and help solve all problems associated with wi-fi.
In this article, we will look at the reasons why WiFi does not work on a laptop and how you can connect to the network / Internet in a similar situation.
The inability to work on a wireless network is a common laptop problem. If the module itself is serviceable, then in almost half of the cases this situation occurs due to an unconnected network card. Wi-Fi may not work due to other malfunctions, as well as due to incorrect equipment settings. Next, we will analyze in detail each of possible causes and describe ways to solve problems with a wireless network.
Checking the connection of the Wi-Fi adapter
Almost every laptop has a Wi-Fi connection button. More often it is combined with any of the keys of the device F1-F12, however, it can also be located directly on the device body in the form, for example, of a slider. If the wireless network icon is displayed on one of the laptop keys, then you must also press the Fn function button to activate WiFi.
The operation of the adapter can be judged by the light on the indicator on the laptop case or on the power button.
If, on pressing it, no reaction of the device is observed, then the cause of the problems may be in the absence of a driver responsible for the operation of the function keys. Typically, installing the required driver is done as follows:
- go to office laptop manufacturer website;
- go to the customer support section (sometimes called "Downloads", Download) and enter the model of your device in the search box;
- in the results, search for and download the software for the function keys.
But before that, it’s worth checking if you accidentally pressed the Airplane button, which may be present on modern laptops.
Previously, it was available only on tablets and smartphones, performing the task of disabling the radio module. If this function is active, then the system tray will not display the wireless network icon, but an icon with the image of an airplane.
Wi-Fi in the described mode does not work.
Network card connection
If the network icon is displayed in the system tray along with a red cross, this indicates that the network card is disabled.
To activate it in the "tenth" Windows, open "Settings", then the "Network and Internet" section. On the Wi-Fi tab, turn on the wireless switch.
In Windows 7 and 8, the following steps are performed:
- Go to "Connections" by pressing Win and R and in the "Run" window write down ncpa.cpl.
- Look for the wireless network icon in the list of connections. If he gray color, then in the context menu (right click on the icon) click "Enable".
If you can't find the WiFi adapter icon, it's most likely that you don't have the appropriate driver.
Checking for a driver for Wi-Fi
If wireless network refuses to work, for example, after reinstalling the OS, then this situation is almost certainly caused by the fact that the user forgot to install the driver for the module in question or installed the wrong one. The hypothesis is tested as follows:
- In the "Dispatcher" open the network settings section;
- The section should contain at least two icons - a simple Ethernet network card and a wireless one:
- If there is only an Ethernet icon, then again look at the contents of the Device Manager window. There should be an unknown device marked with an exclamation mark here.
This will be the Wi-Fi adapter for which the driver is not installed. And about where to find such software has already been described above.
Driver health check
When the driver is installed, check its status by right-clicking on the icon and selecting "Properties". Open the "General" tab and note what is written below the line "Device Status". During normal operation of the driver, there should be a record of its normal operation.
If instead an error message is displayed, then you should first try reinstalling the driver. For this:
- right-click on the adapter icon in the Manager;
- select "Delete" in the menu;
- Reboot your laptop when the uninstall is complete.
Next, go to the Manager again - the driver should be installed automatically. If the error persists, then it is better to update this software. To do this, the latest version must be downloaded from the manufacturer's website, and then in the context menu, instead of "Delete", select the driver update item.
For Windows 10 users on some devices, the adapter may not work due to compatibility issues with the new operating system. Laptop manufacturers solve this problem by updating the BIOS. To do this, the BIOS Update for your laptop model is downloaded from the manufacturer's website. You just need to run the downloaded utility, after which it will independently update the BIOS and reboot the laptop.
Checking the software part
If the WiFi icon with an asterisk is displayed in the system tray, then the laptop cannot see the network.
The malfunction may be caused by problems with the laptop itself, as well as the router that makes the wireless connection. To be more precise, click on the Wi-Fi icon in the tray and look at the contents of the drop-down menu.
If the laptop sees other networks (for example, neighbors), but not yours, you need to check the router. If no network is displayed in the window, then the cause must be sought in the hardware. Additionally, you can make sure that the router is working properly, for which you connect any mobile gadget to the Network through it.
Sometimes the laptop does not connect to the network due to an authorization error. If you have previously connected from this device, then delete your old account from the network management window and reconnect:
- In Windows 10, this can be done in the "Manage Settings".
- In the "Eight" open the list of networks and select "Forget" in the menu.
If you are connecting to Wi-Fi on this laptop for the first time, you are sure that the password is correct, but an authorization error does not allow you to go online, try making the key purely numeric without using other characters. If problems with the router continue, try flashing the device.
No internet connection when WiFi is on
Novice users often face a similar problem. It is mainly related to incorrectly spelled TCP / IPv4 protocol parameters. They are checked as follows:
- Open the network connections window and right-click in them, click on "Wireless Network".
- Open "Status", in this window click on "Details".
- In the Connection Information window that opens, look at what is written in the "Default Gateway" line. The IP of the router is indicated there.
- Above in the line "IPv4 Address" is written IP from the subnet of this device.
- Open "Properties" and select "IP Version 4(TCP/IPv4)".
- Write the address of the router in the fields of the main gateway and preferred DNS server. This data is usually indicated on a sticker or on the bottom of the router case.
- The numbers 255.255.255.0 are usually written in the mask, and opposite the line "IP address" specify the address from the subnet.
It remains only to click OK and reconnect. If the problem is still not solved after that, the most probable cause no connection - a malfunction of the network card. This is a hardware malfunction, which can be fixed in a specialized service.
WiFi does not work on laptop. How to connect?
4 (80%) 2 votes.Routers and access points with Wi-Fi - essential attribute home and mobile internet it's been 10 years now. One day speed wifi work-networks can be greatly reduced, and sometimes the wireless connection disappears completely and for a long time.
The main causes of disruption of the Wi-Fi network
Problems with wireless Internet access can be due to various reasons: router failures, wrong settings computer or smartphone, interference from nearby equipment, etc. Viruses and even hackers can disrupt the operation. In all cases, you need to identify the cause of the malfunction and try to eliminate it - first on your own, and if it doesn’t work out, then by contacting professional computer scientists.
Wi-Fi network is visible to devices, but they do not connect to it
There are several reasons why there may not be a connection to a Wi-Fi network.
Wi-Fi network not visible to devices
There are several reasons why a Wi-Fi network is not visible from a gadget or PC.
Wi-Fi on PC or tablet not working after reinstalling Windows
There are several reasons - from hardware to software.
Video: Wi-Fi not working after Windows 10 update
Laptop or tablet is connected to Wi-Fi, but there is no Internet
The reasons are related to the fact that there is no Internet access on the router.
Internet via Wi-Fi is available, but turns off by itself
There may also be several reasons.
- Poor internet connection quality. If the provider has an unreliable communication channel or, in the battle for the first place in the list of the most popular operators, it went too far with the number of clients, the speed of individual users will be very low, the connection will often reconnect due to equipment overload, and incoming traffic will hang. Previously, cellular providers suffered from this - on early stages development of the 2G/3G/4G coverage area, demand in the conditions of a precipitous decline in the price of 1 MB of traffic far outpaced the construction and launch of new network facilities.
- hangup random access memory router (data buffer overload). Restarting it will help.
- The device has overheated - in any modern technology there is protection against overheating of the chips. Both the CPU / RAM of the router or access point, as well as any of its microcontrollers that process incoming / outgoing data via LAN or Wi-Fi, can overheat. It is advisable to turn off the router for at least a few minutes.
In case of poor 3G/4G signal and high speed Internet, the 4G modem used with the router can also overheat at the same time. Users of Android smartphones and tablets (Yota subscribers), who distributed up to 40 GB every day via Wi-Fi (in the 2000s, these were Nokia and Motorola mobile phones connected via cable or Bluetooth), talk about cases when the device heated up like a kettle and disconnected every hour or two downloading / distributing torrents on a PC. The same thing happens with routers.
Wi-Fi not working due to firmware glitches and viruses
No matter how simple, friendly and secure the firmware (firmware) of the router is, the router itself is not protected from malfunctions and viruses. Viral technologies disrupted Apple, Android and Symbian gadgets. The virus code penetrated into ATMs, ATMs and access control systems at protected facilities with the Internet, disabled the firmware in USB modems. Routers are not insured either - neither purely wireless ones from Beeline or Yota, nor home ZyXEL and TP-Link, nor Cisco access points, nor purely cable equipment used at facilities where any wireless element is prohibited by security rules.
Crashes in software can arise both due to inept flashing (through ignorance or accident, the power is reset at the time of updating the firmware in the flash memory of the router), and the wear of the flash memory chip itself (it is even impossible to enter the router settings - underloading of the web interface pages in the browser) .
Virus activity is expressed in reprogramming the router settings: changing IP DNS to the values of a malicious server, substituting primitive passwords or turning off Wi-Fi security settings, switching wired protocols and cellular networks, etc. To fix this, do the following.
Sometimes a virus changes the firmware file just before it is loaded into the router. The solution is to remove viruses from the PC, using all means up to formatting the drive (of course, transferring valuable data to other media before that) and download official version firmware again from the manufacturer's website.
Slow internet speed over Wi-Fi
The reasons are related both to the quality of network access and to the Wi-Fi connection parameters.
The last point requires clarification. The fact is that the Wi-Fi speed is switched by the router and the gadget automatically. Even if you forcibly turn on the maximum (802.11n or 150 Mbps), then moving into the next room, you may lose your Internet connection - incoming and outgoing traffic will “freeze”, sites will stop opening and instant messengers will stop working, even simple ones like ICQ , because lower-level speeds (802.11g, or 54 Mbps) will not be enabled.
different types WiFi networks support different speed data transmission
Check the auto speed selection in the router settings.
Tip for experimenters: without highly directional antennas and amplifiers, do not stay far from the router.
Video: how the provider's speed is "cut" by a Wi-Fi router
Other Wi-Fi Errors and Solutions
The full list of Wi-Fi errors is not limited to failures of the Wi-Fi repeater alone or problems on the provider's side.
Network cable not connected
The provider's network cable connected to the WAN socket may not be connected both to the router itself and to the entrance terminal. The reasons are as follows:
- damaged cable wires;
- a broken RJ-45 connector retainer holding the cable in the LAN jack;
- disconnected electricity (the terminal does not have an autonomous power supply);
- malfunction of the LAN interface in the terminal and / or in the router (burnout of network equipment over the entire area due to interference from the mains, accidentally thrown network wire, static discharge when touching materials or lightning strikes into external cables);
- a faulty LAN network card in a PC or laptop (it happens that the adapter in Windows is defined as a working device, but the connection cannot be recognized);
- viruses on a PC that overloaded Windows performance (displaying an incorrect connection status or connecting with a delay of minutes and hours).
Connection already in use or not configured
Error 651 reports that the modem or dedicated one is already in use or has not been configured.
If the router is not configured or is already in use by other processes, error 651 is returned.
Removing and reconfiguring your connection is required. The instruction is suitable for Windows 7/8/10 - working with the network connection setup wizard in latest versions nothing special enriched.
After clicking the "Connect" button, the Internet connection will be established. If the problem persists, contact your provider's support. In the worst case, reinstalling Windows helps.
Infinitely getting an IP address from the router
Without receiving at least a temporary IP address from the router's DHCP IP numbering range, the gadget or PC will not be able to access the network. And this is not only typical of Wi-Fi connections - assigning an IP to a computer or mobile device laid down during the creation of TCP / IP.
If the device freezes at the stage of obtaining an IP address, you need to check the router settings
You need to check the IP settings of the router.
Checking Wi-Fi Settings
Do the following.
You may need to restart your router.
Check Services and Connections in Windows
Make sure that all services, addresses and protocols that are important for the operation of the network are enabled correctly. The following services are responsible for Windows networking:
- DHCP client;
- DNS client;
- WLAN autoconfiguration service;
- web client;
- IP helper service;
- routing and remote access;
- server.
Do the following.
The connection of the router or cable modem to the network is broken
ADSL modems, popular in the 2000s, are being actively replaced by ONT modems (network optical terminal) - these devices support Internet speeds up to 1 Gb / s (using GPON technology), which differs from the bandwidth of an ADSL modem by 10 times. Already, Rostelecom and local providers provide Internet speeds of about 35–100 Mbps.
The reason for the decrease in Wi-Fi speed can be not only an underestimated external speed at the cheapest available tariff, but also damage to optical cables in the section ONT-modem - home rack-terminal - the nearest provider node. The LAN cable in the router - ONT modem section may also be damaged.
Router in access point mode acts as a LAN / Wi-Fi distributor
The user can carry out diagnostics of the entire subnet of the router (the router itself and its external cable). In case of damage to cables and equipment, including an ONT modem, telephone, IPTV set-top box and cables in the entrance, you should use the help of technical specialists from the same Rostelecom. This is also due to the fact that if twisted pair can be repaired/replaced on their own, then the subscriber simply may not have the tools for splicing damaged FOCLs.
Video: the tablet does not connect to Wi-Fi - an overview lecture
Solving problems with WiFi at home and at work does not cause much difficulty. In many cases, the user will figure it out on his own. The help of a specialist is required only in cases where problems arise on the side of the provider.
Hello dear readers.
Over the past few years, mobile computers have become increasingly popular. Not to mention their size, they have mass additional benefits. And one of them is the presence of a module for wireless communication with the network. But, like any other elements, they can fail. What to do when WiFi does not work on Windows laptop 10? In the article below, I will try to describe the most common causes of the onset of the disease, as well as solutions.
Not all devices turn on the wireless network module by itself. Some need to do it manually.
It's just that you can often come across a situation where problems appear precisely after reinstalling the system. This is usually driver related. But everything is in order.
So, in some mobile computers, the Wi-Fi module is turned on using a special lever. It is in the sidebar and may look different. Mostly next to desired element the pattern of the antenna with waves is usually located.
But in most cases, you can achieve what you want using a key combination, one of which will be " fn". But the second already directly depends on the manufacturer. It is located on a row of buttons " F…”, and it has a Wi-Fi logo, an antenna or an airplane on it.
As mentioned earlier, this is only possible if you use the original OS. If up to this point Win has been reinstalled, there is a good chance that there are simply no drivers to ensure the operation of the above keys. Which means they won't work.
To verify the above, try using other buttons in the same row. Just keep in mind that the screen brightness and volume can work independently - usually Windows has enough necessary software for this, regardless of the bit depth - x64 or 32.
For a solution, you should contact the official website of the manufacturer, where you can find the necessary drivers. Often it can even be special utilities that allow you to use the panel. If you don’t know what exactly you need for a laptop, you can safely search on the Internet - everything has been described in detail on numerous forums for a long time.
Enabling in the operating system( )
In addition to the fact that the adapter is turned on using the keys, it often requires additional activation in the system.
So, in Windows 10, select the icon network connection at the bottom of the desktop. The main thing is that the mode " in airplane” and the module itself was turned on.
You can also refer to " Start" And " Options". Then in "", where the desired switch will be located.
In addition, on the network connection icon in the tray, right-click and select " Control center…". A new window will open, on the left side of which we find " Change adapter settings” (you can also press the combination “ Win+R" and then enter " ncpa.cpl"). We are looking for the wireless network icon, call the context menu on it and select "".
Often, laptops provide special software from the manufacturer, which just allows you to control some device parameters, including Wi-Fi. If you do not find the corresponding shortcut on the desktop, try contacting " Start" And " All programs».
Well, the most common reason is the lack of the necessary drivers. What to do and how to fix the situation? It should be noted right away that in the case of reinstalling the operating system, it could independently pull up the software. However, it doesn't always fit. It is best to go to the official website of the manufacturer and download from there.
How to find out the driver and manufacturer?( )
To do this, we perform several movements:
If you couldn’t find what you need on the developer’s website, we go to the page for creating the module itself. But how to recognize it? We take several steps:
Additional Reasons for Not Working Wi-Fi( )
In addition to those described above, there are other options why the wireless network does not work on a laptop. Usually the culprit of the situation is a change in settings. But sometimes the reason is the inability to use a dedicated channel.
Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the wireless device itself, which is used to distribute the Internet. There are a few basic settings worth checking:
Channel. Try changing it from " automatic» to a certain one. Which one - you can look on the Internet on the forums or even on the official website of the service provider.
Signal type and frequency. Rarely, but still sometimes this is the problem. Change and check.
Login and password. It is worth making sure that Cyrillic characters are not used to connect to the Internet.
Change region. Let's say from the Russian Federation to the USA or vice versa.
Well, as you can see, there are many reasons why the wireless module on the computer may not connect to the access point. Try different ways.
You can see more details in the YouTube video:
I hope this article helps you solve the problem.
Today, we can say with confidence that Wi-Fi has become quite firmly established in our lives. For a long time, wires have become irrelevant, always getting tangled underfoot. Wi-Fi technologies have greatly facilitated our existence, and also allowed us to use the Internet not only at home, but also in cafes, taxis, at the station and others. in public places. However, it can be difficult for inexperienced users to turn on such an Internet.
How to quickly and easily turn on Wi-Fi on an Acer laptop and get excellent speed, we will tell you how to connect WiFi on your Acer laptop!
Drivers
For the smooth operation of Wi-Fi, you need to make sure that the necessary drivers are installed. If not, then you should just go to the Acer website, where you can find drivers for any model range Aser.
However, you should remember that you must select drivers specifically for your PC, as Acer notebook manufacturers may use a variety of adapter solutions in their respective models. After the necessary driver has been downloaded and installed, you must try to turn on the Internet. If suddenly at startup, you see an error, then the problem may be in the wrong drivers.
In case of failure, you can use one of two methods to set up Wi-Fi. If suddenly after you have set everything up, but, do not panic, most problems can be fixed on your own!
First way
Consider the first way to turn on Wi-Fi on an ACER laptop. First of all, you need to make sure that . To do this, you need to start the device manager. Also, this information can be obtained by paying attention to the icon on the taskbar, which is located in the lower right corner. 
If there is a need to search for a Wi-Fi access point, then it is best to use the desired button located on the laptop case in close proximity to the keyboard. Pressing it will enable Wi-Fi.
Sometimes, in order to turn on the network in the absence of a special button in a certain model, you can configure it yourself using hot keys. However, optimal way Checking the operation of the wireless Internet adapter will use the network control center.
In this case, you will need to sequentially perform the following steps:
Second way
Let's also consider the second option, how to connect Wi-Fi on an ACER laptop.
You must first log in "Device Manager" - you can use the keyboard shortcut Win + R and in the window we set the command devmgmt.msc. Find in paragraph "Network adapters" your device (it should have the word Wireless or WiFi in its name, right click on it and activate it. 
Sometimes, for quick recovery Wi-Fi settings, you can use the tips:
- disconnect the router from the network for 10-15 minutes;
- restart laptop.
So, we looked at how to set up Wi-Fi on an ACER laptop. Which way do you fit better to connect wireless Internet, you will find out by trying to use the tips in practice.
