Probably many people are familiar with the situation when it becomes necessary to connect a computer to the Internet using a network cable or via Wi-Fi, and it turns out that the connection does not work because there is no network adapter in the device manager. And here it doesn’t even matter whether you have a laptop or a regular PC. Windows 10, Windows 7, 8, or even Windows XP are installed on it. As a result, we simply will not be able to connect to the Internet. Very often people encounter this problem after relocating Windows. Below in the article I will try to explain why this happens, what network adapters should be in the device manager and what to do if they are not there.

Let's first figure out what network adapters are. Apart from Bluetooth (we are unlikely to connect to the Internet through it), then there are two left:

1. Wireless network adapter – also known as Wi-Fi. It’s easy to guess that it is responsible for connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi. As a rule, it is built into every laptop and is not initially found in desktop computers. But you can buy it in addition.
2. Network card, or Ethernet adapter (LAN) - it is used to connect via a network cable. Available on all PCs ( LAN port on the motherboard, or a separate card). LAN is also available on almost all laptops. Except ultrabooks. USB-LAN adapters are used there.

In the screenshot below you can see what these network adapters look like in Device Manager. Please note that depending on the manufacturer of the laptop, PC, or adapters, they may be called differently. There may also be many other adapters, such as WAN Miniport.

To open the device manager, you can use the search in Windows 10, open it through properties in "My Computer", or press the Win+R key combination and execute the command mmc devmgmt.msc.

As practice shows, the adapter (or both) is mostly missing for three reasons:

1. The adapter is simply not in your device. As I wrote above, PCs usually do not have a built-in Wi-Fi module. And accordingly, it cannot be displayed in the device manager. But you can always buy such an adapter and install it. You can read the article: . Or the same network card may not be in the laptop.
2. The driver for Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter is not installed. This is the most popular reason. In this case, there should be unknown devices in the device manager (if the adapter is physically present). On the "Other devices" tab. This also includes BIOS settings. In some cases, the WLAN or LAN adapter may be disabled in the BIOS settings.
3. The adapter is simply broken. It’s not uncommon for network cards to burn out on desktop computers. And Wi-Fi modules on laptops fail. You can always buy a network card (USB or PCI) and install it in your PC. The wireless module can also be changed. It is possible for both PC and laptop. And here's another article on the topic: .

Let's look at each adapter in more detail.

What to do if there is no Wi-Fi adapter in Device Manager?

Almost always, the name of a wireless adapter contains the following words: Wireless, WLAN, Wireless Network Adapter, 802.11. They look something like this:

As you can see, I have two of them. One is built into the laptop, and the second is connected via USB. The one next to which there is an arrow icon is disabled.

If you don’t have such adapters, but you know for sure that your laptop (or PC) has a Wi-Fi module, then check the “Other devices” section (in the same device manager).

Basically, network adapters appear there as . And then you need to install the driver on them. Or immediately download the WLAN drivers for your laptop model and start the installation. I have already written more than one article on this topic:

• And separate instructions for laptops and .

But do not forget that the module may simply fail. It is clear that it will not be identified in the system.

If there is no network card (LAN)

There are much fewer problems with network cards. If only because Windows almost always automatically installs a driver for Ethernet adapters. Unless in Windows XP you have to install the driver manually. But this is no longer very relevant now.

As for the drivers for these adapters, I wrote about them in the article: .

This is what the network card looks like in Device Manager (of course, your name may be different):

If it is not there, but physically it is on your computer, then most likely it is broken. By tradition, we check the “Other devices” tab. If there are no unknown devices there, the card will probably have to be replaced. Or buy a USB Ethernet adapter.

To briefly summarize this article, it goes like this:

1. Check to see if you have the required network adapter on your computer.
2. Let's make sure that the problem is not in the drivers.
3. If all else fails, we take the computer to be repaired, or change the necessary adapter ourselves. It should be noted that at home it is very problematic to determine the reason for the lack of an adapter and find a breakdown.

It turned out to be a complex article, and a little confusing. This is because this problem is very controversial. There are many different things that vary greatly depending on the device, manufacturer, settings, etc.

As always, I look forward to your messages in the comments. Just one request, please write on the topic of the article.

Wireless connection is gaining momentum every day and becoming more and more popular. Due to its mobility and openness, wifi will soon completely displace its “wired brother”.

But, as with any device, malfunctions, problems and other “misunderstandings” are possible in wireless networks. In this article, we will look at how to fix the wireless network adapter or access point problem that occurs on both Windows 7/8 and Windows 10.

Windows 7 wireless adapter or access point problem

One of the most common problems is “No connection”, i.e. the router is turned on, the network is configured, but there is no connection.

In this case, the wireless adapter problem may occur due to the following reasons:

1. 1. If all the indicators on the router are on, but there is no connection, check whether the network is available on different devices, for example, a phone. If, for example, the problem lies not in the “wifi adapter” itself - the router, but in the laptop (especially if the list of networks available for connection is empty). To resolve the issue, do the following:

• - if they are outdated, then update accordingly;

• - if the update does not help, remove the wifi module in Device Manager, restart the computer and install the driver again;
• - use the “NetAdapter Repair” utility: this program is designed to find and correct errors in the network, is easy to manage and indispensable in solving such problems;
• 
  
• - if the above measures did not help, there may be problems at the physical level in the network adapter: try and check the functionality of the network adapter.

1. 2. The network is available, the password has been entered, but there is no connection. This situation is possible when the password is entered incorrectly, but the system does not generate an error and saves the network. In this case, to fix the problem with the wireless network adapter or access point, delete the connection and reconnect by entering the correct security key.
2. 3. One of the most common problems is this. Check your router settings:

In the browser, enter 192.168.1.1: login and password “admin”;

If it is enabled, but the problem remains, write down “Statistical IP address”;

Also, resetting the router settings to factory settings can be a solution to the adapter problem.

1. 4. The network is connected, but the error “No Internet access” appears:

1. 5. Check whether wifi distribution is activated on the router. For example, this is the “Enable wireless connection” item.

The router interface may also indicate “Enable wireless broadcasting,” “Enable router wireless broadcasting,” or “Enable SSID broadcasting.”

How do I fix my wireless adapter or access point problem?

Now let's look at what to do if the network is unavailable and the indicators on the router do not light up.

1. 1. Only one power indicator (“Power”) is lit.

This is the most difficult case. Since this situation clearly indicates physical problems with the router. The only thing you can try is to reset the settings to factory settings or use a different power adapter. If it doesn’t help, then only a service center or return, or repair under warranty will help.

1. 2. The “WiFi” indicator does not light up.

First, check if there is a “WiFi” button on the back panel of the router - it can be recessed into the case (for example, on the “Tp-link TL-MR3220” router). If there is no such button and the indicator is not lit, try updating the router firmware. Download the latest firmware version from the manufacturer’s official website, save a backup copy of the configurations in the router interface (to be on the safe side) and update the firmware according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Otherwise, the problem with your wireless adapter or access point is most likely caused by a physical problem with your router.

1. 3. The “WAN” indicator does not light up.

In the “WAN” connector, the so-called “provider cable” is connected, which provides Internet access. If the indicator does not light up, the following possible causes of the problem:

• - the problem is in the cable: the network cable may be broken, the connectors are crimped incorrectly, or there is another physical malfunction;
• - a problem on the provider’s side or lack of payment for Internet access. The issue is resolved accordingly at the level of technical support of the Internet provider.

When the operating system is reinstalled, the user may encounter the problem of missing network driver. Without this driver, it is impossible to start either a wireless or wired network. If you have the disk, there are no problems, just install the program. And if it is missing, you need to find, for example, a mobile phone/tablet with a connected network in order to download the driver. To avoid such problems, when reinstalling the operating system, you must follow the correct algorithm of actions.

The driver is the link between the operating system and the internal components of the computer, that is, this program connects the OS with the motherboard, video and network cards, and office equipment. These programs are developed by the same companies that produce PC equipment and electronic office equipment, which is what a personal computer interacts with. When buying a computer, the user does not think about various drivers, since they are already preinstalled in the system. But, for example, after the first reinstallation of the OS or the purchase of a new computer, the user will be faced with their absence.

If there is no driver for the network on the computer, there is no way to go online and download from official sites, which will automatically scan the operating system and install all missing drivers. When might you encounter a problem installing a network device driver? In these three cases:

1. Even a new computer, just from a store, may lack an operating system, and as a result, a driver.
2. When the operating system is installed/reinstalled.
3. When a system crash occurs and the driver stops working.

The first case is the easiest. The box with your purchase should contain driver discs. The network device driver is located on the software disk for the motherboard.

Since recently users are increasingly assembling computers themselves (choosing internal components), a DVD drive may be missing, and as a result, it is not possible to install any driver from the disk.

In this regard, it is advisable to keep the full set of drivers in a separate folder on your PC or download them to a flash card. In this case, you don’t have to look for a mobile device to go to the official pages of the manufacturers’ websites and from there download a program that will automatically install the missing drivers.

Installing the network driver

Before installing the driver, you must identify your computer. All brands and models of computer internal equipment are encoded with special “ciphers”. This is done so that during installation the driver can identify the computer model and its manufacturer. The network device driver code looks like this: PCI/TECH_xxxx&DEV_xxxx&SUBSYS_xxxxxx. TECH means that the computer hardware was manufactured by A4Tech, and DEV is the device ID.

Step 1. Equipment identification

In order to find out the code, click Start and enter device manager in the search field. Next, a menu will open with which you can identify the equipment. Press " Network adapters» and select the name of the controller.

Once you do this, the Details section will open. Find their "Properties" and select "Model ID". The first line contains complete information about the device model.

Step 2. Install/update the network adapter driver

This will be the identifier of your equipment. Now you need to find it on the Internet by entering the name in any search engine, for example.
The search engine will return the official driver page, and you need to download it to your PC. And then follows the installation procedure itself. If you need to update a network device driver, you do exactly the same thing: find the ID, enter it into the search, download and install.

To install a missing or recent version of the driver, use Device Manager. Perform the same actions in the last step " Update drivers».

Go to the folder where you saved the necessary drivers downloaded from the manufacturer’s official website, and install them using the “Next” button.

Many users, before installing new driver versions, remove old ones to avoid conflicts and inoperability, because even if you did everything correctly, the Internet may not appear on the computer. In this case, you still need to take the advice of users and remove old versions.

How to do it! In Device Manager, you can uninstall the old version of the network driver. Agree with the choice, and the system will remove the network device driver that was previously installed on your computer.

There are two steps left and your computer will work fully. Step one is to reboot and open Device Manager. In place of the removed driver, “ Network controller" In chapter " Other devices».

At the final stage, follow the steps from (updating/installing network device drivers).

Just yesterday everything was fine, you were enjoying high-speed Internet, but this morning you turn it on, but the computer does not see the network card. However, here you will think about it. The first thing that comes to mind is that it is out of order, you need to urgently run to the tech market for a new spare part.

That’s why it’s a good idea to always buy two completely identical system units at once. So that in case of problems, you can look for a fault by replacing suspicious modules with known good ones.

This is the path for advanced users and computer geeks. A mere mortal user most often cannot afford such excesses. In this case, one should remember the folk wisdom: “The strong and brave walk quickly and easily, but the weak and timid walk long and hard.”

Decoding - if there is nothing to check the equipment with, you will have to check all problem areas sequentially and methodically.

The computer does not see the network card - the main reasons

1. The board itself is faulty.
2. Operating system malfunctions.
3. Network drivers are corrupted.
4. Network connection settings have been changed.
5. Antivirus or Windows Firewall interference.

In fact, Chinese electronics do not spoil as often as Chinese shoes. Therefore, if you did not drop the system unit on the floor, did not climb inside and did not switch anything, the probability of failure of the network card itself is extremely small. Most likely the settings have changed.

Go to Control PanelAll Control Panel Items Network and Sharing Center and change settings

But the Windows operating system is not only smart and quick-witted, but also a rather fragile organization. A sudden power outage can easily cause serious damage to system files and connection settings.

Recovery options

1. Restore Windows to an earlier restore point. It is quite possible that after carrying out such an operation and rebooting the computer, everything will work for you. And not only will the network card appear, but also something else good will restore its functionality. Sometimes restoration needs to be done several times. All the same, it’s better and safer than starting to rearrange blocks and buses in the system unit. Moreover, you don’t need to buy anything yet.
2. A more radical remedy is a complete reshuffle of the Windows operating system. This path may turn out to be the most rational, provided that your system has been installed for quite some time and recently you have begun to notice a general deterioration in the performance of your computer. Regular cleanings do not provide tangible improvements? It's time to update Windows. New RAM, Seven and Eight are reinstalled within half an hour, so no problem.

Why is it useful to reinstall Windows? Because the distribution includes all the drivers necessary for operation. When installing the system in automatic mode, all the necessary settings are made for all devices, and the user does not need to do anything other than press the Enter button from time to time. Updating drivers separately is not an easy task. More suitable for advanced users.

In addition, to reinstall drivers you will need an Internet connection, which you don’t have. If there are backup Internet connections, you are sure that you are able to find exactly the driver for the network card that you need - then try this path.

You can download a whole package of drivers from the manufacturer’s official website and then let the computer itself determine the most suitable option automatically, using the Driver Installation Wizard.

If the problem really was with the driver, after the update the computer should work normally.

The network card was not found by the computer and is not installed as a device

When you connect some new element to your computer, the operating system detects the connection and then tries to configure it as expected. Sometimes automatic connection does not occur and then you need to perform manual installation and configuration.

Go to the Control Panel and select the menu item Install New Hardware. The New Hardware Connection Wizard interface will open. There are two options to choose from:

1. The device is already connected to the computer.
2. The device is not yet connected.

Try the “connected” option and look for your lost device in the list that opens. If it is not in the list, it means that the computer has not yet detected it. Then click “not connected yet” and reboot the system. You can do this - turn off the computer, then open the system unit, disconnect and reconnect the network card, perhaps the contact has deteriorated.

After starting the system, repeat the procedures with the Found New Hardware Wizard. If the device appears in the list of connected ones, continue setting up all points in the Wizard.

Incompatible driver update

Sometimes the reason for the card not working can be a failed Windows update. Or, during the process of downloading an automatic update, there were interruptions in the Internet connection, some of the files were downloaded incorrectly. Then you need to reinstall the old driver.

If you have a Windows OS distribution, it is best to take the file directly from the disk. Did everything work before? Or search for the previous version of the driver on the Internet.

Viral infection

Sometimes the reason a network card disappears from sight is a viral infection. Scan your computer with an antivirus. Try to disinfect the system using the Dr. utility. Web CureIt. If it's a virus thing, everything will work out.

One of the problems that a user may encounter after reinstalling Windows is the lack of a driver for the network adapter (network driver) for a wired or wireless network.

And if you don’t have a driver disk at hand, you will have to look for the driver and download it using another device that has Internet access.

In this article we will look at an algorithm that will allow you to avoid troubles that may arise after installing the OS.

What is a driver? This is a program with which the computer operating system interacts with the device hardware (motherboard, video card, network card, printer, scanner, MFP, etc.).

Drivers are developed by companies that produce computer components and peripherals that interact with PCs (for example, office equipment).

Often, modern operating systems (including Windows 7) already have a certain set of drivers that allow you to work with the main components of your computer; we will consider the case when such programs are missing.

The peculiarity of the situation when the network driver is not installed is that it is not possible to use programs to automatically install drivers, since they all use an Internet connection for their work, and since the network driver is not installed, there is no access to the Internet.

The user usually encounters installing network adapter drivers in the following cases:

1. After purchasing a new computer and not having an OS installed on it.

2. After installing the operating system.

3. After a network adapter driver failure.

To solve the problems that arise in the first case, you need to look for the disks that come with your computer. The driver disk for the motherboard contains what we need.

Over the past few years, a trend has clearly emerged that involves the abandonment of the use of optical disc drives not only among manufacturers of laptops, but also desktop PCs.

Users who independently choose the components from which their computer will be assembled also refuse to install a DVD drive.

Advice! We recommend downloading all the necessary drivers (not just the network one) to a separate directory on your hard drive and/or flash drive. This will avoid situations where, after installing the operating system, you will need to look for a drive or PC (tablet, phone) to download drivers from disk or the Internet.

Installing the network driver

The driver installation procedure can be divided into 2 stages: hardware identification and driver installation.

In order to identify manufacturers and specific models of equipment, a coding system for models and brands of computer components was developed.

Typically, the code for a network adapter has the following form: PCI/VEN_xxxx&DEV_xxxx&SUBSYS_xxxxxx, where VEN_xxxx is the equipment manufacturer identifier (Vendor ID), DEV_xxxx is the equipment model code (Device ID).

Step 1. Equipment identification

In order to find out the code, click Start, enter “Device Manager” in the search field and go to the corresponding menu.

Next, you need to find the “Network adapters” or “Other devices” submenu and right-click on one of the submenu items, for example, in our case it will be “Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller”.

Step 2. Install/update the network adapter driver

After we have found out the equipment identifier, we should copy its name (right-click - copy) and enter it in the browser search field. After downloading the necessary program, you can begin installing it.

Similar actions will occur if you update the network driver.

To install/update the network adapter driver, you need to go to “Device Manager” as described earlier. Select the required item and in the context menu, which is accessible by right-clicking, select “Update drivers...”.

Select “Search for drivers on this computer.”

We go to the directory into which we recently downloaded everything we need, using the “Browse” button, click “Next” and wait for the driver installation process to complete.

There is also an opinion that if you update (reinstall) a network driver, you must first remove the old one, after which you should install a new one.

Important! To remove an already installed driver, you need to go to “Device Manager”, select the network adapter, right-click and select “Delete” in the context menu. After this, the system will warn you that the device driver will be removed, we agree by clicking “OK”.

Driver Updater from Carambis

If you have a need to search for universal programs that can function on different operating systems: I mean utilities for creating group policies, programs for cleaning the system from viruses and, of course, software for working with OS drivers - the best solution would be to use the Carambis program Driver Updater.

Thanks to Driver Updater, you can not only get the software you need, but also save big. After all, one subscription purchase allows you to connect two computers at once.

As for the work process, the utility copes well with the assigned tasks. Now you no longer need to fix errors in connected hardware components on each computer.

Setting up automatic search and installation of updates now automatically updates all devices.

An Ethernet network adapter with invalid IP parameters is one of the common problems when connecting a computer, desktop or laptop, to the Internet and local network. This error occurs in the seventh, eighth, and updated tenth version of Windows. And it is determined after launching third-party network utilities or a diagnostic tool preinstalled on the system. The main reason for this failure is incorrectly configured network adapter parameters. But there are a number of other points. So, let's look at them in more detail.

Windows Network Settings

Each network card is assigned its own IP address. And the first thing we will do is check it. Open the “Network and Access Center” by clicking on the “monitor” icon. Select "Change adapter settings" to go to "Local Area Connection". Click on the icon and open “Status” and then “Details”.

The new window that opens contains all the data about your network connection. We need "IPv4 Protocol". It must contain a value and not include addresses like this: 169.252.X.X. If the field is empty or such addresses are specified, you will not be able to connect to the Internet. Also, if you are connecting to the WAN via a router, the fields for “Default Gateway” and “DNS Server” cannot be empty. The values ​​must be specified in them.

Empty fields indicate a failure in the DHCP server. Let's try to fix everything manually. Click on the “Network connections” icon and select “Properties”. In this tab we need “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)”. It is in this field that we will set the value of the IP address:

What are we writing? If you are using a router, look at the bottom panel for its IP address. The netmask value will be 255.255.255.0. This is the case if you are connecting via a router. If the cable is connected directly, call your service provider - only they can fix an error with invalid network adapter parameters.

Routing, DNS cache and WInsock

So, first we will delete the routes of network information, that is, we will clear the table.

In Start, select Command Prompt and launch the console as Administrator by clicking on the corresponding menu item. We write the following commands in the text interface one by one and press Enter to execute:

The routing table is cleared like this:
route –f

The DNS client service cache is cleared like this::
ipconfig /flushdns

TCP/IP protocol settings are reset as follows::
netsh int ip reset
netsh int ipv4 reset
netsh int tcp reset

Windows Sockets settings are reset like this::
netsh winsock reset

Close the command console, click restart on your laptop/computer, and check the status of your Internet connection.

Network adapter driver

The new edition of Windows brought with it a whole bunch of problems with connecting both via Ethernet and over the air. And the main reason for these problems is incompatible or unstable drivers for network cards. If the utility diagnoses the error “invalid IP parameters in the network adapter,” the first thing you should do is make sure the driver is available. However, if you updated the software, the driver was not installed manually, but by the system itself. But it doesn't work, so delete this one and install a new one.

Where to look? Only on the manufacturer's website and only by adapter or laptop model. Do a search and download the installation file or archive to your computer. Run the .EXE file and wait for the driver to complete installation. If the manufacturer has not yet released a driver for the “ten”, download it for Windows 8.

PC security system - antivirus, firewall

If you installed a different antivirus program or configured your firewall differently, this may be the cause of the Internet connection error. You can also use free antivirus software that conflicts with your network card, or a firewall that zealously protects your computer from network threats. In any case, disable antiviruses, firewalls, including the pre-installed firewall. It is advisable to suspend the work of the latter first. To do this, press the Win+R key set and in the window that opens in the left corner write firewall.cpl. Another window will open with two links. Select the appropriate link to disable:

Disable private and public networks. Close the window and start the Internet.

Clean Boot Windows

And finally, let's try the OS clean boot option to eliminate conflicts between the network card and third-party programs, applications, and services. Type Win+R and copy the command in the window that opens: msconfig

If you click OK, a “System Configuration” window will open. Open the “General” tab and select “Selective launch” by checking it with a checkbox, as in the picture:

Just below there is another item marked with a flag. To perform a clean boot of MS software, we need to uncheck the “load startup items” option. Then go to the “Services” tab:

To prevent only Microsoft services from being displayed, select the appropriate checkbox and click “Disable all.” Save the new settings and be sure to restart your laptop/computer. Check your Internet connection. Most likely, the problem with the IP settings for the network card should be resolved. Well, if all else fails, you need to connect the adapter to another device. It is possible that the problem is with the laptop and not with the network card.

28.10.2017

The wireless network adapter is disabled, what should I do? Wi-Fi does not work on a laptop - TOP reasons.

When a user purchases a laptop, of course he wants to use all the features it provides. I chose the topic of today’s article, how to enable WiFi on a laptop in Windows 7 or 8, for a reason. It would seem that there is nothing complicated here, but if you do not know some of the nuances, then this procedure will not seem so trivial.

Problems can arise and, fortunately, they can be solved quickly and easily, you just need to know exactly how. In this article we’ll talk about some of the pitfalls that may arise when turning on Wi-Fi.

Is there wifi at all

The first thing we need to do is find out if your computer or laptop has Wi-Fi. Modern laptops, laptops, netbooks, phones and other devices have Wi-Fi. You can check whether your device has one on Google, but I can assure you right away that if you purchased it a long time ago, then the built-in receiver simply may not be there.

Go to the Start menu, right-click on Computer and select Properties.

In the window that opens, click on “Device Manager” on the left.

From here you can see which components in the laptop can be controlled - activate or disable the necessary device. We find something that has the word in its name Wireless. Right-click on it and select “Engage”.

By the way, if there is a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark next to the service icon, this means that the driver for this device is not installed on the laptop. In this situation, use another device (computer, laptop, netbook, tablet, etc.) through which you download Wi-Fi drivers, transfer them to the laptop and install them.

Other nuances of turning on Wi-Fi

Above, I described in detail how to enable WiFi on a laptop. But so that you can see the full picture of how to turn it on and how to connect to Wi-Fi, please follow the link further, since in this article I talk about other nuances that may arise in your case. The article “” was written using a “live” example, so it will be extremely useful for you.

If you are not familiar with installing drivers, then read: “”. To find the driver, go to the official website of your laptop manufacturer and enter the model in the site search. Then look for the Wireless driver in the list.

I do not rule out that users who read this article do not know the Wi-Fi password. If you don’t know it, then you won’t be able to log into the secure network. To find out how to view the Wi-Fi password, I recommend reading: “”. I also assume that some will ask about hacking, yes, it is possible to hack, but I won’t write about it.

Situations are different and there is no need to exclude the possibility that none of the above tips will help you. What to do then? Luckily for you, there is third-party software that you can safely use. Its meaning is that after installation, this program will automatically turn on every time you start Windows and, when you press a certain key combination, perform certain actions. For example, turn on Bluetooth or WiFi.

There are a huge number of such utilities; I can give SoftSwitch as an example. In addition to the above functions, it can also turn on the camera and TouchScreen. For each of these functions there is a specific combination of keyboard buttons, which you can familiarize yourself with if you decide to download this creation of programmers. Finding this program on Google will not be difficult for you, since it has a Free Soft license (free license). Download it, install it and enjoy!

And that’s probably all I have on this issue. Thanks for reading and I sincerely hope I helped you.

For clarity, watch the video:

WiFi broadband technology has become an integral part of people's lives. It allows you to solve routine tasks extremely quickly. That is why the question of why WiFi does not work on a laptop is very important. I would like to immediately note that there are many reasons why WiFi may not work on a laptop, and this article is not a panacea. However, in it you will find solutions to the most common problems, without calling a specialist.

Before blaming the laptop, you should check the access point itself, since the router may be the cause of the wireless network not working.

First of all, you need to make sure that it is turned on and other devices, for example, a smartphone, tablet or other laptop, can connect to it. If everything is fine with the router, then move on.

Why WiFi doesn't work: Video

Checking and installing the network adapter driver

If the router is turned on, the network is working, but WiFi still does not turn on on the laptop. You need to check the driver for the wireless adapter and network card. You can do this in Device Manager. You can open it as follows. Find the “My Computer” shortcut (on the desktop, in the Start menu, or in the file manager) and right-click on it. Select “Properties”. Next, in the left panel you need to find “Device Manager” and open it.

The menu that appears displays all the devices on the laptop, even if they do not have a driver installed. In this case, they will be indicated with an exclamation mark. We are interested in the “Network adapters” section. Open it by double-clicking and see if there is a device with an exclamation mark.

If there is one, then right-click on it and select “Delete”. We confirm the action. After that, if you have a disk with drivers, then insert it into the drive and install the necessary software. If there is no such disk, then you will need to go to the official website of the laptop manufacturer and download the necessary software for your model.

It is quite possible that the driver for the network equipment was previously installed, but at some point stopped working. Why might this happen? The most common cause is a virus attack. This may also be the result of turning off the device incorrectly, for example, by long pressing the power button. Sometimes such consequences occur after freezes or hardware errors.

After installing the drivers, we again check the ability to connect to the wireless network. It is worth noting that the above steps are performed regardless of the operating system version.

Reinstalling the WiFi driver in Windows: Video

Keyboard drivers

The network module drivers are ok, but the Wi-Fi adapter does not turn on, what should I do? Here you need to understand what is done using the keyboard. As a rule, this is a combination of the Fn keys + the WiFi enable button (marked with the corresponding icon). If the adapter does not turn on when you press these keys, you should install the driver on the keyboard.

There are cases when the driver is installed, most of the additional keys work, but you still cannot turn on the wireless adapter. In this case, it is recommended to install a special utility to manage the WiFi module. You can download it from the same source as the software.

Checking the wireless connection status

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If everything is fine with the drivers, but WiFi still does not work, then you should check the status of the network connection. To do this, you need to open the network and sharing control panel by right-clicking on the network icon in the tray and go to “Change adapter settings.” Here we find the wireless network shortcut (the name may differ depending on the version of Windows).

If the label is gray, it indicates that the connection is disconnected. You can enable it by right-clicking on the connection and selecting “Enable”. After this, the computer will automatically start searching for available networks.

You can also click "Diagnostics". This way, the system will automatically begin troubleshooting and troubleshooting problems related to the network adapters. It is worth noting that this procedure can be performed several times in a row, as it can help the second or even third time.

What to do if Wi-Fi on your laptop doesn’t work: Video

A few more reasons why the WiFi adapter may not work

Above were the main reasons why a wireless adapter may malfunction. Now you know what to do first if WiFi on your laptop does not work. However, it is worth noting that all these are software reasons, which can be eliminated by simply installing new drivers, utilities, and also performing certain operations in Windows.

Sometimes there are hardware errors. What does this mean. Hardware failures occur directly with the board itself. In other words, this is physical damage to the network card. To fix such problems, you will have to disassemble the laptop. It is worth noting that some models are extremely easy to disassemble, however, there are also those that are quite difficult to disassemble on your own. It is necessary to warn that without certain knowledge in this area, it is not recommended to disassemble the laptop.

But still, in this article we will look at what physical damage can be. For example, if the device was under repair or you disassembled it yourself to clean the cooling system, it is quite possible that the antenna wires on the WiFi adapter are not connected. You can simply forget about them. In this case, the adapter works, but does not receive a signal, even if it is close to the source. The problem is resolved by simply connecting an antenna.

Also, the answer to the question why the Wi-Fi module does not work is simply overheating of the card and its failure. This can happen if the laptop is used in bed or placed on soft surfaces. The fact is that there are special holes on the bottom cover of the device through which cold air enters the system, cooling the boards.

It is not difficult to guess what will happen if these holes are blocked for a long time. Another reason for overheating can be banal dust, which is drawn in by the fan and settles inside the laptop on absolutely all modules and elements of the laptop. It is for this reason that it is recommended to clean the device from dust at least once a year. Such cleaning will cost several times less than repairs.

If the WiFi adapter burns out, it cannot be repaired. All that remains is to replace it. You can check this in the device manager, since when it burns out, one or another element stops being displayed. In addition, if the module is displayed, but does not work, here you will be able to see an error indicating that it does not function. This, in turn, will allow you to find a solution to the problem.

Above we discussed the most common reasons why the Wi-Fi adapter does not work. They can be solved independently, without the help of specialists. However, if, after trying all these methods, you still cannot eliminate the cause of the problem, then it is recommended to contact a service center.

The router does not distribute wifi: Video

WiFi is a unique wireless communication technology that is incredibly popular all over the world. Nowadays there are very few people who prefer regular wired Internet. Connecting and setting up Wi-Fi is not difficult. But even in such a perfect system, sometimes errors occur due to which Wi-Fi stops working. The most common is a problem with connecting to the Wi-Fi router.

Some people are faced with a situation where the router is connected to the network and works, but does not distribute data: the computer cannot “see” the available network. Why does this happen? There may be several reasons for this:

lack of installed network drivers;

hardware type errors;

random shutdown of the connection to the computer - it is obvious why in this case the device does not work as it should;

Wi-Fi module malfunction;

Wi-Fi router malfunction.

There are other problems, but the ones listed above are the most common reasons why the device does not work. Therefore, we will focus on them.

Problem with drivers for network devices

Testing the WiFi module driver is carried out in the “Device Manager”. This section is located in the Start menu. You can also get to the section through the “My Computer” shortcut by right-clicking.

In the "Manager" you can see all the devices connected to the computer. We will be interested in network equipment. You need to switch to the branch from . If the branch is missing, this means that the drivers for the wifi adapter were not installed on the computer.

If there is a branch, the “!” sign may light up on one of the network devices. This means either the absence or malfunction of one of the drivers. Each of the problems is easily solved by simply reinstalling the software. Typically the software is located on the disk that came with your computer. The wifi adapter for device manager may be called Wireless Network Adapter. Also, everything you need can be downloaded from the Internet using a mobile connection (if another is not available at the moment).

How to check your wireless connection status

If everything is fine with the drivers, then the next step is to check the wireless connection. It can simply be turned off. Testing is carried out differently on different operating systems. But it all comes down to one thing: you need to get into the “Network Control Center”.

There is a universal method. You need to press Win+R, after which a window with a line will appear. In the line you need to type the command control panel and press Enter. This will open the "Control Panel". Here we go to “Network and Internet”, then to “Network and Sharing Center”. In the “Center” we will be interested in the “Change adapter settings” section located on the left. Clicking there will allow you to see the status of all connections that are available on the computer.

“Wireless connection” is what will be important to us. If the label is not colored but gray, it means there is no signal. You can start the connection by double-clicking the left mouse button. After startup, the computer begins to search for all available connections.

If they do not appear, then you can try to perform system diagnostics. It is carried out through the “Network Center” and the “Change adapter settings” item. You must right-click on the “Wireless Connection” shortcut. In the window that opens, click the “Diagnostics” field. The computer runs the test on its own. Based on the result of the check, the user receives advice on further actions.

What to do if a hardware error occurs

A hardware error would indicate a problem directly within the network card. In a word, if the computer does not see the adapter for connecting to Wi-Fi, it means that this Wi-Fi device is not functioning. There are two main reasons:

the device is broken;

There was a problem with the wifi drivers.

The second option has already been described by us. However, if Wi-Fi drivers are available, but the computer continues not to see the adapter, this means a breakdown. One of the most common causes of failure is the device burning out.

The cause of combustion may be overheating if the computer operates at its maximum capacity for a long time. If we are dealing with a laptop, then this happens even more often, since many users forget the device on a soft surface that blocks access to the hole through which air flows for cooling. This problem can be solved by simply replacing components with similar ones.

It is worth keeping in mind that a lack of experience in independently manipulating computers can lead to even more detrimental consequences. This is especially true for laptops that have a more complex design. The best way out of the situation is to contact a service center, where they will accurately determine the reason why the device does not work.
Hardware connection errors also include a disconnected antenna. Most often, this problem occurs in laptops or desktop computers that have been cleaned or repaired in some way. The specialist performing the procedure could simply have forgotten to connect the device, or he connected it incorrectly. This makes it impossible for the adapter to function normally, as it does not work normally and cannot normally catch the signal distributed by the router, even if it is close to the source.

A rather rare case is the antenna terminals becoming clogged with dust. This breaks internal contact. The solution to the problem is cleaning.

Why does the Wi-Fi router not distribute the Internet?

The connection problems described above relate to malfunctions in the computers themselves. But often there are problems that are related to the way the router works (or, more precisely, rather does not work) and does not distribute the Internet.

There are two main problems:

inability to establish a wireless connection;

lack of access when connected.

The listed failures can be easily resolved independently, without resorting to the services of specialists.

How to solve wireless connection problem

Testing how the router works begins by checking the status of the indicators that are located on the external panel of the router. During normal operation, the LED near the antenna pattern will remain lit or flashing. If there is no light at all, this means that the wireless module is not running on the router. On certain models there is a separate button that can be accidentally turned off by one of the family members.

The lack of a button makes solving the problem a little more difficult. You need to go to the “Wireless Network” section located in the router’s web interface. In the English menu this section is called “Wireless”. There is a checkmark next to the “Enable” box (in English – “Enable”). A click of the mouse can solve the problem.

It is possible that when the device does not distribute the Internet, the malfunction is related to the radio channel used. Most router models have an automatic configuration feature. If it is missing, you can try installing channel 1 or 6. They are the ones that should be suitable for our country.

It happens that it becomes impossible to connect to a wireless network, because the network displays a message about the incorrect password. It's worth checking the security settings in the web interface. The encryption type set must be AES. The general security standard is WPA2-PSK.

How to solve the problem if there is no access when there is a connection

Quite often it happens that the connection begins to take place, but the process itself takes a long time. The status shows the message “Receiving IP”. After some time the connection is lost.

This means that network clients cannot obtain an address because the DHCP server is disabled. You can check this through the settings on the local network. You will need the LAN section, where there should be a checkmark next to the DCHP parameter.

Access problems may arise due to incorrect operation of DNS servers. Incorrect assignment of them for network clients or complete lack of assignment, as well as unstable operation of servers are the three main reasons.

The solution to the elimination problem is as follows. You need to use public DNS. They are provided by Yandex and Google. In the first case, you need to enter 77.88.8.8 in the settings, and for Google this value is 8.8.8.8. The data is entered on the computer in the Internet Protocol properties of any version of TCP/IP.

Conclusion

All of the above are troubles that you can get rid of yourself. In any other situations, it would be better to contact the provider’s technical support or professional technicians.

What to do if Wifi does not work on a laptop? If you encounter such a problem, do not despair. It is solvable. But first you need to find out why wifi does not work in your laptop. These can be either software problems or hardware failures. If there are software problems, the situation can be resolved quickly and free of charge. If the Wi-Fi module burns out, only replacing it will help. Now a little more about ways to solve the problem.

What to do if Wifi does not work on a laptop?

Troubleshooting using built-in Windows tools

Any laptop has specially designated key combinations to enable or disable the Wi-Fi module. Typically this is CTRL+F2, but different laptop models use different combinations, for example Fn+F2. Check if wifi is turned off using these combinations. If for some reason this method does not work, check the adapter status through the control panel:

1. Go to your control panel.
2. Open the Network and Internet section -> Network and Sharing Center -> change adapter settings.
3. In the window that opens, find “Wireless Network”. If it is inactive (gray icon), then double-clicking on it will activate it and Wi-Fi on the laptop will work.

If this did not help and wifi on your laptop still does not work, then you should go to the device manager and check the relevance of the drivers and the status of the module. To do this you need:

1. Go to the control panel again.
2. Open the System and Security section -> System -> Device Manager. A list of equipment installed on the laptop will open.
3. Find the “network adapters” section in the list. By opening it, you can see all the installed communication modules of the laptop.

If wi-fi is not working correctly, then to the left of its name you can see an icon with a yellow exclamation mark. This is a sure sign that you need to reinstall the drivers. If you did not find your wi-fi module in this list, but the manager identified an “unknown device”, in this case, driver installation is also necessary. They can be found on the laptop manufacturer's website in the "downloads" or "support" sections. After downloading, just run the installation and follow the instructions of the installation wizard. You may need to restart your laptop.

Troubleshooting hardware problems in a laptop

Some laptop models have hardware buttons or toggle switches to enable/disable wireless modules. Before tampering with your laptop, check to see if they are in the off position.

If wifi does not work on the laptop due to a hardware fault, then a visit to the service center will help. Of course, the Wi-Fi module can be replaced at home, but if you do not have experience in the field of laptop repairs, it is better not to mess with it. If the craftsmen have asked for a very large sum for repairs, you can use external Wi-Fi network cards.

For a long time now, manufacturers such as Asus and TP-Link have been producing miniature “USB whistles” with nano-receivers. For example, TP-LINK TL-WN725N and ASUS USB-N10 Nano operate in the N150 standard and are similar in size and shape to a wireless mouse receiver. They are completely invisible and very easy to use. Their price does not exceed 15 dollars. Yes, one USB port will be constantly busy, but this is the easiest and most inexpensive way to solve the problem. Otherwise, you will have to fork out for an expensive replacement of the original module and be patient.

An interesting incident happened the other day, which prompted me to write this article. I got my hands on a brand new, just purchased Hewlett Packard HP 15-AC052UR laptop with G8 already pre-installed. The owner is a modern man and really wanted to try the new Windows 10 operating system, so he asked me to update. No sooner said than done. The update procedure went without a hitch, but then the troubles began. The first thing that caught my eye after logging in was that the laptop did not see the WiFi network. In the list of connections, there was a red cross on the adapter icon. There was no reaction to any attempts to somehow turn on the adapter. Well, let's fix it. Looking ahead, I will say that I solved the problem and it was very specific. But using this case as an example, I want to make a small guide on what to do if Wi-Fi does not work on a laptop.

Step 1: Is the WiFi adapter turned on?

As practice shows, the cause of more than half of the problems with the wireless network on laptops, netbooks and ultrabooks is that the network card is turned off. How can I check this? Let's start with the Wi-Fi power button - almost every laptop has one. It can be in the form of a separate button or slider, like this:

Or combined with one of the F1-F12 keys:

In the latter case, to turn it on, you need to press this button in tandem with the function key Fn. If the adapter turned on successfully, the indicator on the case should light up. It can be made separately and marked with an antenna-shaped icon, or located on the power button:

If the laptop does not react at all to pressing this button, then most likely you do not have the driver for the function keys installed. In order to download it, go to the manufacturer’s official website, open the “Support” or “Downloads” section and enter the laptop model in the search bar. In the results found, we look for software for the function keys, download and install.
Let's check.

Note: If you have a modern laptop, then it may have a button like this “On the plane”:

It was made by analogy with smartphones and tablets to disable the radio module. When it is turned on, an icon in the form of an airplane appears in the system tray instead of the network icon:

It must be disabled, otherwise the laptop will not see the wireless network and will not be able to connect to it.

OK, the hardware network card is enabled, but Wi-Fi does not work! Did you enable it programmatically? Let's check.
We look at the tray icon. If it shows an asterisk:

Then skip step 1 and step 2 and go straight to step 3. When there is a red X on it:

This means that the network is turned off. To enable it in Windows 10, there is a separate switch located in the “Settings” -> “Network and Internet” section:

By the way, for me it did not move, or rather, when I tried to move it to the “On” position, it returned to the “Off” position. and I clicked on the “Configure adapter settings” link.
There is no such thing in Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, and therefore you will have to go to Windows connections. Press the Win+R key combination and enter the command ncpa.cpl:

Find the “Wireless Network” icon in the list of connections. It's gray? Then right-click on it and select “Enable”.

If the WiFi adapter icon is not there at all, the driver is most likely not installed.
For me, everything was much sadder - the WiFi adapter was active, but there was a red cross on it.
Let's move on to the next step.

Step 2. Is the Wi-Fi driver installed?

Very often, after reinstalling Windows, users forget to install some drivers or install them but the wrong ones. Of course, the network card will not work in this situation. Let's fix it.
We go to Device Manager, find the “Network adapters” section and look at what’s there. There must be at least two points. The first is a regular Ethernet network card, the second is a wireless one.
If there is only a regular network, then look - Above in the Manager there should be an unknown device with an exclamation mark. This is your adapter, for which you now need to download the laptop WiFi adapter driver from the manufacturer’s website and install it.
I had the driver installed, so I decided to look at its status: I right-clicked and selected the “Properties” menu item:

If everything is in order, then on the “General” tab in the “Device Status” field there should be a line “The device is working normally.”
If some error is displayed there, then you should first try to reinstall the driver. To do this, right-click on the adapter again and select “Delete”. After this, you need to restart the computer, go to Device Manager again and see if the driver is installed.
This did not help me and I decided to update it. I downloaded the latest version from the Hewlett Packard website, in Device Manager, right-click on the device and select “Update drivers”:

The version has been updated, the device works fine, but WiFi on the laptop still does not work. What to do?
In the end, this is what helped me. On the official website, in the list of available downloads, I saw that for my laptop model there is a BIOS update that fixes compatibility issues with Windows 10. Download the utility, run it and wait until it works and reboots the system:

After this, the laptop's wireless network started working.
Note: You can install updates either manually or through a special utility. Each manufacturer has its own application for this. For example, for Hewlett Packard it is HP Support Assistant. The application will connect to the server and check for driver updates. If there are any, you will be prompted to install them.

Step 3: Can the laptop see the WiFi network?

The hardware has been tested - let's move on to the software. Very often, users complain that the laptop does not see the WiFi network. The cause of such a malfunction may be in the laptop or in the router that distributes Wi-Fi. There is no third option. How to determine the culprit? It’s very simple, left-click on the network icon in the tray and look at what’s in the drop-down menu.

If the laptop sees other people's networks, but does not see its own, you need to check the router.
If it doesn’t see any network at all, go back to Steps 1 and 2, since the problem is most likely a hardware one.
For the purity of the experiment, you can use any mobile gadget - a tablet or smartphone - and see if it connects normally. It will immediately be clear where to “Dig”.

As a special case, you can consider the option when a computer cannot connect to a wireless network due to an authorization error. If you have connected to it before, then in this case you should try to remove it from the list of known ones and connect again:

In Windows 10, this is done in “Manage Settings”; in Windows 8, you need to right-click on your network in the list of networks and select the “Forget” menu item. If you connect to this WiFi network for the first time, enter a 100% correct password and still reject it due to an authorization error, then the problem is in the router and you should first try to make a purely digital key. If this doesn't help, try reflashing it. In 90% of cases, this allows you to successfully solve the problem.

Step 4. There is Wi-Fi, but no Internet.

A very common problem for novice users. It is usually caused by incorrect Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) parameters. You can check this as follows. In Windows, right-click on “Wireless Network” and select the “Status” menu item:

In the “Connection Status” window, click the “Details” button. Another window will open, in which we first look at the line “Default Gateway” - there should be the IP address of the router. It is also usually indicated as the primary DNS server.
Now look above, in the line “IPv4 Address”. The IP from the router's subnet must be registered there (you can see an example in the screenshot). But if there is nothing at all in these lines, or an IP from the 169.254.X.X subnet is registered, then this means it was not automatically assigned by the router and was not registered manually.
Click on the “Properties” button and open the “IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” item:

Here you need to enter the router address in the “Default gateway” and “Preferred DNS server” fields. You can see it on a sticker on the bottom of the device case (unless, of course, it has been replaced). The mask is usually 255.255.255.0, and in the “IP address” field we indicate any address from the router’s subnet. Click on OK and reconnect.
If after this a message appears that “network without Internet access,” then in this case we go here.