The PlayStation 5 is a large, lovely piece of hardware, but it’s not without its issues...issues like Wi-Fi connections completely disappearing until the system is powered off and on again. It’s a problem many PS5 owners have run into since launch, and while there are workarounds, it would be nice if the new console model with its potentially different Wi-Fi module did away with the problem completely.
One minute the PlayStation 5 is networking like a champ. The next, I can’t connect and when I go to reset my Wi-Fi connection the console fails to find any access points, despite me living in an apartment complex and being surrounded by wireless routers with names like “MoFi” and “realtannggyy.” Everything else in my house that connects to Wi-Fi, from my Xbox Series X to my arguably smart lamp, can see the Wi-Fi network. The only way to get the PS5 to see Wi-Fi networks again is to completely power it down and then power it back on.
That’s the issue I had with my PS5 back in December of 2020, and I was not alone. Numerous Reddit users were having the issue. Browsing through that Reddit thread shows the issue still happening as late as March of last year. Most recently, game critic Janet Garcia asked about the problem on Twitter, getting several responses indicating others were still going through the exact same thing.
The best fix for the issue is, of course, to use a faster, more stable wired connection, but not everyone is in a position to do so. Others have suggested it’s a problem with 2.4GHz versus 5GHz Wi-Fi connections, and forcing your PS5 to connect only via 2.4GHz might clear it up.
What worked for me was the solution detailed in this Reddit thread, which posits the problem lies in support for Internet Protocol version 6, also known as IPv6. I ended up disabling IPv6 on my wireless router, and my PlayStation 5 has been connecting without a problem ever since.
It’s a frustrating issue nonetheless, but maybe there’s hope on the horizon for hopeful PS5 owners when the recently confirmed new model starts rolling out. Along with fixing the pesky stand screw, reports from back in May suggest the new model might also be getting a new wireless adapter. The main difference between the new AW-XM501 model wireless module and the original J20H100 module is antenna gain, which shouldn’t affect speed but could definitely affect connectivity.
We reached out to Sony about the potential for a Wi-Fi fix coming in the new model PS5 hardware, and will update this post should the company respond. In the meantime, if you’re having similar network issues, try those fixes. Or just get a nice, long network cable and a pretty rug to hide it under.