SOLVED! Android 10 Connect to Wi-Fi Programmatically

Rather than manually searching for available Wi-Fi connections, you can make your Android connect to Wi-Fi programmatically. Although this has been the setup in most Android devices if you allow automatic connection, this article will give you a much deeper discussion.

Android development brings your experience to the next level, especially when it comes to checking out available networks. You don’t need to manually scan for available networks since you can program your phone to make suggestions for you. You can design your Android mobile to automatically scan for available networks in your area. It’ll return all available networks so you can easily choose. Actually, you can go further by automatically connecting to any network available, but it’ll be risky. This article gives you the option to go with the suggestions or you can take the risk to connect to any network programmatically.

How Android Connects to Wi-Fi?

Android mobile phones, like any electronic gadgets that connect to Wi-Fi, can connect to a network when the user initiates the process. This means the user will turn on the Wi-Fi connection and then, he/she will select from the available networks. If the choice is an open network, it’ll automatically establish a connection. Otherwise, SSID and password will be needed.

If you choose to remember the connection, then, for as long as your Wi-Fi is turned on, it’ll automatically connect to the network when in range. It’ll remember several connections provided that the credentials won’t change. Although it’s not really that hassle, there’s a much easier way to do it. It needs a bit of expertise and you must be a risk-taker if you want to do it.

How to Get Automatic Suggestions for Available Networks?

You need to create an app. This is the only way to do it, otherwise, you need to grant root access to your mobile device and make necessary changes to the ADB.

Again, as mentioned earlier, there are alternative ways to automatically connect to any network without the user knowing. However, the problem is the security of the established connection. It’s always better for the user to initiate the connection so the possible vulnerability can be avoided. Hence, network suggestions are important. Depending on how you program it, you can let your phone detect as much network connections and will allow you to select. It won’t automatically connect to any network unless the user permits it to.

1. You need to create a network suggestion. You can write a similar code in the example below.
2. Use WiFiManager and add the suggestion/s you have.
3. Run your app to see if it works well.

A notification will be shown with the list of available networks. Tapping Allow confirms the user’s permission to connect the chosen Wi-Fi connection. Complete explanations on the internet connectivity can be seen here.

Android Connect to Wi-Fi Programmatically

The most common playground to develop Android apps is through Android Studio. It’s versatile and compatible with various programming languages. And, since it’s from Google, it’s reliable and stable to use. There are several ways to approach this problem, but we’ve found an easier and simpler approach to this.

Assuming that you are using Android Studio, you have to build the app from scratch. To start, go to File>New Project. Then, the following should be done in the res/layout/activity_main.xml.

Now it’s time to use the XML in your MainActivity code. Like in the previous section, you need to use WiFiManager function. In a nutshell, your code will look like this, which also includes disabling and enabling already established/saved connections.

Simply add the following code to make Android connect to Wi-Fi programmatically. Detailed code can be found on this page. The Manifest XML contains all permissions so that you can successfully connect to a network even if you’ll connect it for the first time.

Test your application and see if it’ll work. For most users who are confident to try this workaround, they have successfully run it on their device. You may encounter a few errors if your device has a much recent OS, but it should be fixed quickly.

The Final Say

It’s not that hard to find and connect to a network with your Android mobile. You can simply turn on the Wi-Fi settings and the phone will scan available networks for you. You can select any of the available networks and enter the credentials (if needed) so a reliable connection can be established.

Yet, mobile phones still have room for improvement. One of which is on Android connect to Wi-Fi programmatically. The fact that you can connect to any network automatically is convenient, but at the same time, could pose a risk. So, this article offers an alternative by getting suggestions. It won’t establish a connection until the user selects one. Nonetheless, if you insist on making life easier, even with associated risks, a few ways to connect to Wi-Fi programmatically are also introduced.