This Guide Helps You Configure Network Type on Your Android

Many Android users who’ve updated their software or switched to a newer phone have been experiencing difficulty with their Internet connection or data usage. Click here to check the status of your current Wi-Fi connection with Wi-Fi Check:

Although the problem is frustrating — especially when it repeatedly occurs without warning — there are ways to reconfigure your network to avoid these issues without a hitch. For those who simply need to check your Wi-Fi and data usage, this guide works for you, too.

Read More: 5 Do’s and Don’t’s for Installing Apps on Your Android

Android Network Configuration Made Easy

First, check your Wi-Fi connection. On your homescreen, tap on the “Apps” icon.  Next, tap “Settings” > “Data Usage. Then, check the “Show Wi-Fi Usage” box, followed by the “Wi-Fi” tab. You should now have a good sense of which networks you’ve been connected to, whether you’re connected to one now, and which ones have been saved on your device.

For those who use Android Nougat, you may have been forced to reconfigure your network settings more than once in the past few months, weeks, or even days. Regardless of whether you’re using 2G, 3G, or 4G (also commonly known as LTE), the process to troubleshoot and reset these settings is the same. It’s also helpful to know that 3G uses less data. So, although it’s slower, often you can (and perhaps should, depending on the context) switch to a 3G setting in order to conserve some of your data usage.

First, choose “Settings” from your “Apps.” Tap on “More” > “Mobile Networks” > “Preferred Network Type.” Here, you can choose between 4G, 3G, or 2G. Although 4G is recommended, as stated above, it can use more of your data more quickly in a given time frame. Most apps and mobile services operate on both 4G and 3G without problems.

You can also change the DNS settings on your Android. As a general rule, you are probably already using the DNS settings from your Internet provider, but you can choose a third-party server to increase speed, strengthen security settings, or bypass censorship filters. To do so, follow these steps:

Open “Settings,” then click “Wi-Fi.” Hold down on your current network until two options appear, then choose “Modify Network” > “Show Advanced Options.” Then, change “IP Settings” to “Static.” Add the new DNS servers to the DNS 1 and DNS 2 fields. Then, click “Save,” disconnect from the server, and then reconnect to finish off your reconfiguration.

Note that changing your DNS server is best as a short-term option. In the long-term, setting your Wi-Fi connection to “static” will interfere with your phone’s DHCP allocation, which ultimately might create more problems.