Detect whether there is an Internet connection available on Android

How to Detect an Internet Connection on Android? 📶💻

So, you want to know if your Android device is connected to the internet? Let's dive in and solve this problem together! 💪

The NetworkInfo Class Dilemma 🕵️‍♀️

You stumbled upon the NetworkInfo class and it seems like the answer to your prayers! It has a method called isAvailable() which sounds perfect for checking internet connectivity. But hold your horses, there's a little hiccup.

The code you tried throws an error 🚫:

NetworkInfo ni = new NetworkInfo();
if (!ni.isAvailable()) {
    // do something
}

And the error says: "The constructor NetworkInfo is not visible." Well, that's not very helpful, is it? But don't worry! 🤔

Finding the Right Class 📚

First things first, we need to find the correct class that will give us the NetworkInfo object. There's a clue in the original question that it might be related to InetAddress and never timeouts.

By searching online, we found a Stack Overflow post that could potentially solve this mystery. It's always good to stand on the shoulders of giants! 🙌

Here's the link to the post: How to check internet access on Android? InetAddress never timeouts.

Solution Time! 🎉

Now that we are armed with the right information, let's tackle the three questions you had:

1️⃣ How to get the above snippet of code to work?

Instead of creating a new instance of NetworkInfo directly, we need to obtain it from the ConnectivityManager class. Here's the updated code:

ConnectivityManager cm = (ConnectivityManager) getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
NetworkInfo ni = cm.getActiveNetworkInfo();

if (ni != null && ni.isConnected()) {
    // Hooray! We have an internet connection 🎉
    // Do something amazing here!
}

2️⃣ How could I have found myself the information I needed in the online documentation?

Well, it's always a good idea to start with the official Android documentation. You can find it at developer.android.com. Search for classes like ConnectivityManager, NetworkInfo, or even related topics like "Internet connection status."

3️⃣ Can you suggest a better way for this type of detection?

Yes, indeed! Starting from Android Lollipop (API level 21) onwards, there's a better way to check internet connectivity using the NetworkCapabilities class. Here's an example:

ConnectivityManager cm = (ConnectivityManager) getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
NetworkCapabilities capabilities = cm.getNetworkCapabilities(cm.getActiveNetwork());

if (capabilities != null && capabilities.hasCapability(NetworkCapabilities.NET_CAPABILITY_INTERNET)) {
    // We're connected to the internet! 🌐
    // Let the magic happen! ✨
}

This approach gives you more flexibility in detecting specific capabilities of the network connection.

Engage with the Community! 💬

Now that you're equipped with the knowledge to detect internet connectivity on Android, it's time to put it into action! Share your thoughts or ask further questions in the comments below. Let's learn and grow together as a tech-savvy community! 🌟

Conclusion 🏆

Detecting internet connectivity on Android may seem like a daunting task initially, but with the right knowledge and resources, we can conquer any challenge. Remember to consult official documentation, leverage the experience of others on platforms like Stack Overflow, and always keep learning. Happy coding! 👩‍💻👨‍💻

This blog post was inspired by the question How to check internet access on Android? asked on Stack Overflow.