Wi-Fi on the Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 comes from an Intel Wi-Fi 6E or 7 card that has good range, and when it drops or will not connect the cause is usually a driver, a power setting or the router, and not the hardware. Start by finding out whether the fault is the laptop or the network: connect another device to the same Wi-Fi, and connect the laptop to a phone's hotspot.
The checks in more detail
If the laptop works on the hotspot and not at home, the router is the issue, and if it fails everywhere, the laptop is. Toggle Airplane mode, restart, and in Settings, Network and internet, Wi-Fi, forget the network and rejoin. Check that the physical or function-key wireless switch has not turned the radio off. Run the Windows network troubleshooter, and reset the network from Settings, Network and internet, Advanced network settings, Network reset, which reinstalls the adapters and clears saved networks. Power management often causes drops on gaming laptops.
Open Device Manager, find the Wi-Fi adapter under Network adapters, open its properties and on the Power Management tab untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. In Windows power options, set the wireless adapter setting to Maximum performance. Update the Wi-Fi driver, preferably from Intel or Lenovo's page, since the driver Windows installs automatically can be old, and update the BIOS. If the router supports it, use the 5 GHz band for speed and the 6 GHz band if the laptop supports Wi-Fi 6E and the router is close;
a wide channel on a crowded band causes drops. Turn off any VPN or security software that filters traffic as a test. Keep the lid's antennas clear of metal, and avoid placing the laptop in a closed cabinet. If a gaming session sees lag spikes, a wired Ethernet connection is more reliable, and the Legion has a port for it. Interference from Bluetooth devices or a USB 3 hub near the laptop can disturb 2.4 GHz, so move them. If the adapter disappears from Device Manager after these steps, it may need replacing under warranty.
Differential
Likely causes of “Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 will not connect to Wi-Fi or keeps disconnecting”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A power setting that turns the adapter off
What separates it Drops after idle
How to confirm Untick the power-saving option and set Maximum performance
- 2
An old Wi-Fi driver
What separates it Frequent drops
How to confirm Update the driver
- 3
A wide or crowded channel
What separates it Drops at busy times
How to confirm Use 5 GHz or 6 GHz and a narrower channel
- 4
A VPN or security software
What separates it Traffic stalls
How to confirm Turn off as a test
- 5
A failing card
What separates it The adapter disappears
How to confirm Warranty service
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether other devices work
- Whether the hotspot works
- The Wi-Fi driver version
- The router band and channel
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedTest with a hotspot
ReversibleTo separate laptop from router.
Forget and rejoin
ReversibleThe network.
Turn off adapter power saving
ReversibleIn Device Manager.
Update the driver and BIOS
ReversibleFrom Intel or Lenovo.
Use 5 GHz or 6 GHz
ReversibleWith a narrower channel.
Reset the network
ReversibleAs a last step.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Power saving
- The commonest cause of drops on laptops.
- Ethernet
- The Legion has a wired port.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the adapter disappears from Device Manager, contact Lenovo
- !If only the home router fails, change its settings
- !Use Ethernet for gaming
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my Legion Wi-Fi drop?+
Power saving, an old driver or a crowded channel.
Which band is best?+
5 GHz or 6 GHz close to the router.
Should I use Ethernet?+
For gaming, yes.
Does a network reset erase passwords?+
It removes saved networks.