It is not uncommon for me to be asked questions about a problem when Wi-Fi disappears on a laptop or computer. Not just disconnecting from the network, but completely disappearing the Wi-Fi adapter and the connection itself. Everything related to Wi-Fi disappears in Windows. No wireless adapter on network connections. There is no "Wi-Fi" button, an icon in the notification bar and a section in the settings (if we're talking about Windows 10). There is also no WLAN (Wireless) adapter in the device manager, which is responsible for connecting to wireless networks. Well, and accordingly, the computer does not see the Wi-Fi network, and there is no way to connect to them.
In most cases, the problem appears suddenly. Everything worked, they turned off the laptop, turned on and there was no Wi-Fi on the laptop at all. In some cases, such a nuisance may appear after updating Windows or drivers. Or maybe after installing a program, or changing settings. From my own experience, I can say that it is not uncommon for Wi-Fi to disappear after cleaning a laptop from dust, or repairing it.
To find a solution, you must first understand the reason. Why did it happen that the laptop suddenly stopped seeing Wi-Fi networks and there are no settings related to this at all.
Unfortunately, as I noticed, this problem is most often associated with the breakdown of the Wi-Fi module itself. If the recommendations described below in the article do not help you, then read the article: Wi-Fi adapter for laptop. How to replace the built-in Wi-Fi module.
- You need to think and remember what you did before the problem appeared. Perhaps the solution will come by itself.
- Reboot your laptop. If you have Windows 10, then you need to reboot. Not Off / On.
- If you have a PC with an external Wi-Fi adapter, then check if it is connected. Try plugging into a different USB port. Note if the indicator on the adapter is flashing.
- If Wi-Fi disappeared after cleaning or repairing the laptop, then most likely they simply did not connect (poorly connected, damaged) the Wi-Fi module itself in the laptop. If you did this yourself, then disassemble the laptop and check the connection of the Wi-Fi module and antenna.
Wi-Fi adapter disappeared from device manager
If the network cable is not connected, the icon on the notification bar will be like this:
If you go to the adapter management, then most likely there will be only Ethernet (or "Local Area Connection" in Windows 7). Well, maybe even Bluetooth. And we need an adapter "Wireless network", or "Wireless network connection".
In the device manager, open the "Network adapters" tab. Most likely, you will not find an adapter in the name of which there is "Wireless", "WLAN", "Wi-Fi". And we just need him.
Look for an unknown device in Device Manager. Or devices with a yellow exclamation mark. If so, it is quite possible that this is our wireless adapter, which simply has problems with the drivers.
Pay particular attention to the "Other Devices" section. Is there something like "Network Controller".
If it is, then you just need to install the driver.
How to fix the problem and return the Wi-Fi adapter?
Unfortunately, as I wrote above in the article, in most cases this is a hardware problem. That is, the breakdown of the module itself. And it cannot be solved programmatically (by some settings). You need to change the module itself, or connect an external adapter via USB. If it's a laptop.
All decisions boil down to reinstalling the driver on Wi-Fi. Perhaps if the adapter itself is good it will help. Well, you can also reinstall Windows. There may be something in the system, but it is very unlikely.
And so, back to the driver. You just need to go to the laptop manufacturer's website, search for your model and download the driver for WLAN (Wi-Fi). Then start installing it. If at the beginning of the driver installation an error appears that the device was not detected in the system, or something like that, then I am almost sure that this is a hardware failure.
Detailed instructions for installing drivers:
- Installing the Wireless Adapter Driver in Windows 7
- Installing WLAN driver in Windows 10
- And separate instructions for installing Wi-Fi adapter drivers on ASUS laptops and Acer laptops.
If you have tried everything, and in the device manager there are no adapters associated with wireless networks at all, including unknown devices, then you will have to carry the laptop for repair, or connect a USB Wi-Fi adapter. There are small ones that are great for laptops.
