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Inside the Machine G3 to G5 / Week 10 / Thursday
4/6
Week 10 · Safe fixes

Thursday

No Wi-Fi and a stuck mouse
// The checklist and the never list
⏱ about 15 min

Thursday: No Wi-Fi and a stuck mouse

Two neighbors arrive at the same time. One holds a laptop with no Wi-Fi. The other holds a mouse that will not move. "Double trouble!" says Rocket, grabbing both.

Raven smiles. "One case at a time. What do you notice about the Wi-Fi symbol?" It is gray, with a tiny line through it.

Nova circles the mouse. "Would you like a hint? Both problems might share one answer. What do a radio and a mouse both need?"

No Wi-Fi: is the radio on?

Wi-Fi is radio. The device has a small radio inside. If the radio is turned off, no network can reach it.

Airplane mode turns radios off. It is easy to tap by accident. On this tablet, the line meant the radio was off.

Next, check if the device is joined to the right network. A home may have more than one. A device can cling to a weak one.

If the radio and network are both right, the router may need a restart. A router has a plug. A grown-up does that step.

  1. Check that airplane mode is off.
  2. Check that Wi-Fi is turned on.
  3. Check which network the device joined.
  4. With a grown-up, forget the network and join it again.
  5. Ask a grown-up to restart the router.

The stuck mouse: power and connection

A mouse needs two things. It needs power, and it needs a connection to the computer.

A wired mouse gets both from its cable. Check that the cable is seated firmly in the port. Look, but do not yank.

A wireless mouse gets power from a battery and a connection from a tiny radio. If the battery is flat, the mouse goes quiet.

Only a grown-up changes a battery. You can check the charge light or the switch on the bottom.

The fastest test is to try a different mouse. If the new mouse works, the old mouse is the problem.

ClueLikely reasonSafe fix
No light under the mouseNo powerCheck the switch; grown-up checks the battery
Light on, pointer stuckConnection lostReseat the cable or turn the mouse off and on
New mouse works fineOld mouse is the problemTell a grown-up
Wi-Fi is a kind of what? One word.
Which mode turns the radios in a device off?
A wireless mouse gets its power from what?
Who restarts the router?
TWO CASES, ONE METHOD
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
The Wi-Fi symbol has a line through it. What do you check first?
The mouse has no light underneath. What is the likely reason?
What is the fastest way to test if a mouse is the problem?
StatementTrue or false?
A kid may check that a mouse cable is seated.?
A kid may change the mouse battery.?
Forgetting and rejoining Wi-Fi is done with a grown-up.?
A kid may unplug the router to restart it.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEThe never list keeps you and the devices safe.
Safety first
Check that a cable is seated by looking and gently pressing. Never tug it.
Batteries, chargers and wall plugs are for grown-ups only.
Never open a mouse, a router or any case.
Try it
With a grown-up, find the Wi-Fi symbol on a device at home.
Say whether the radio is on or off. Do not change any settings.
Look at the bottom of a mouse. Is there a switch or a light?

Two cases closed in one day! You used the same method for both. Tomorrow you will put the whole checklist together and meet the never list.

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