How to fix wireless adapter on laptop windows 7

If you can't connect to the network on any device, continue to the next step. Check to see if there is a problem with the connection to your Wi-Fi router.

Do this by using a ping test. Select Search on the taskbar, type Command prompt. The Command Prompt button will appear. At the command prompt, type ipconfig , and then select Enter. Look for the name of your Wi-Fi network within the results, and then find the IP address listed next to Default gateway for that Wi-Fi network.

Write down that address if you need to. For example: For example, type ping The results should be something like this:. Reply from Ping statistics for If you see results like this and are getting a reply, then you have a connection to your Wi-Fi router, so there might be a problem with your modem or ISP.

Contact your ISP or check online on another device if you can to see if there's a service outage. If the results of the ping test indicate that you are not getting a reply from the router, try connecting your PC directly to your modem by using an Ethernet cable if you can. If you can connect to the internet using an Ethernet cable, it confirms the connection problem is due to the Wi-Fi router.

Make sure you've installed the latest firmware and see the documentation for your router. At the command prompt, run the following commands in the listed order, and then check to see if that fixes your connection problem:. Type netsh winsock reset and select Enter. Type netsh int ip reset and select Enter. Uninstall the network adapter driver and restart.

Windows will automatically install the latest driver. Consider this approach if your network connection stopped working properly after a recent update.

Before uninstalling, make sure you have drivers available as a backup. Select Search on the taskbar, type Device Manager , and then select Device Manager from the list of results. Expand Network adapters , and locate the network adapter for your device. After your PC restarts, Windows will automatically look for and install the network adapter driver. Check to see if that fixes your connection problem. If Windows doesn't automatically install a driver, try to install the backup driver you saved before uninstalling.

Check if your network adapter is compatible with the latest Windows Update. If you lost your network connection immediately after upgrading to or updating Windows 11, it's possible that the current driver for your network adapter was designed for a previous version of Windows. To check, try temporarily uninstalling the recent Windows Update:.

Select the Start button, then enter settings. If uninstalling the most recent update restores your network connection, check to see if an updated driver is available:. To learn how to hide updates, see Hide Windows Updates or driver updates. If you could successfully install updated drivers for your network adapter, then reinstall the latest updates. To do this, select the Start button, then enter settings. Using network reset should be the last step you try. This can help solve connection problems you might have after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows It can also help to fix the problem where you can connect to the internet, but can't connect to shared network drives.

Network reset removes any network adapters you have installed and the settings for them. After your PC restarts, any network adapters are reinstalled, and the settings for them are set to the defaults. Network reset might set each one of your known network connections to a public network profile. In a public network profile, your PC is not discoverable to other PCs and devices on the network, which can help make your PC more secure. Under Network profile type , select Private. Wi-Fi adapter manufacturers might have different advanced settings you can change based on your network environment or connection preferences.

In Device Manager, select Network adapters , and then double-click the network adapter name. Select the Advanced tab and look for a Wireless Mode setting.

Windows uses the Wi-Fi profile to save the settings that are needed to connect to a Wi-Fi network. These settings include the network security type, key, network name SSID , and so on. To fix this, remove or "forget" the network connection, then reconnect to the network. When you forget a network connection, it removes the Wi-Fi network profile from your PC. Select Wi-Fi , then select Manage known networks. Afterwards, select the Wi-Fi icon on the taskbar and try to reconnect to the network to renew the network connection.

For more info, see Wi-Fi problems and your home layout. There may be additional troubleshooting steps you can try, depending on which symptoms you're having. To view these steps, check out Wi-Fi connection icons and what they mean.

Setting up a wireless network. How to find your wireless network password. Analyze the wireless network report. Wi-Fi tools and apps. Make a Wi-Fi network public or private in Windows.

Afterwards, see if a Wi-Fi network you recognize and trust appears in the list of networks. Under Change your network settings , select Network troubleshooter.

In the search box on the taskbar, type Command prompt. In the search box on the taskbar, type Device Manager , and then select Device Manager from the list of results. If you lost your network connection immediately after upgrading or updating Windows 10, it's possible that the current driver for your network adapter was designed for a previous version of Windows.

This can help solve connection problems you might have after upgrading from a previous version of Windows to Windows Under Network profile , select Private. Afterwards, select the Wi-Fi icon on the taskbar and try to reconnect to the desired network to renew the network connection.

Check for additional symptoms for the "No internet connection" icon. Make a Wi-Fi network public or private in Windows Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, select Settings , then select the Network icon.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then select Settings. Select the Network icon, and then select Hidden network. The network will be added to your list of networks and will be available to connect to when your computer is in range of the network. To connect to the network, follow these steps:. Open Connect to a Network by selecting the network icon in the notification area.

Select Unnamed Network , select Connect , and then type the network information. The network will be added to your list of networks and will be available to connect to in the future when your computer is in range of the network..

Let Windows try to help you fix the problem. Try running the Network troubleshooter to see if it can diagnose and fix the problem.

Select the Start button, start typing Network problems , and then select Identify and repair network problems in the list. The Network Troubleshooter mentioned above can help diagnose and fix common connection problems.

After using that, try running the network commands below because the combination of doing these two things can help you get connected. Select the Start button, start typing cmd , right-click Command Prompt in the list, select Run as Administrator , and then select Yes.

At the command prompt, run the following commands in the listed order and then check to see if that fixes your connection problem:. This helps create a new connection to your Internet service provider ISP. So if you unplug the modem and lights stay on, remove the battery from the modem. If it is, contact your ISP. At the command prompt, type ipconfig.

Look for the IP address listed next to Default gateway. For example, The result should be something like this: Reply from Try using the Network Adapter troubleshooter to automatically find and fix some problems. This troubleshooter will disable and re-enable the adapter, and try some other common repairs. Select the Start button, start typing Troubleshooting , and then select Troubleshooting in the list.

Update the network adapter driver. An outdated or incompatible network adapter driver can cause connection problems. Check to see if an updated driver is available. Select the Start button, start typing Device Manager , and then select it in the list. In Device Manager, select Network adapters , right-click your adapter, and then select Properties. Select the Driver tab, and then select Update Driver. Open your web browser and type the IP address for your wireless router.

This setting is often on a Wireless Settings page. Select the Start button. Start typing cmd and right-click Command Prompt in the list. Select Run as Administrator , and then select Yes. Write down the address that appears next to Physical Address for your wireless network adapter. Sign in with your user name and password, then look for a setting that says MAC Address Filter or something similar.

Look in the Wireless Network section. If Wi-Fi is on, the button should say Turn wireless off. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies.

Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed , times. Wireless issues can often be fixed by disabling and re-enabling the adapter, but sometimes you'll need to take things a bit further by reinstalling the driver or resetting all network adapters and settings on the PC.

Right-click the Start menu. Click Network Connections. Click Change adapter options. Right-click the Wi-Fi connection and select Disable. Right-click the Wi-Fi connection and click Enable. Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers.

Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. It's near the middle of the menu. It's under the "Change your network settings" header in the right panel.

A list of your connections will appear. This turns off the wireless adapter. Right-click the Wi-Fi connection and select Enable. The adapter will restart and attempt to connect to your default Wi-Fi network. If you're still having trouble with your connection, try connecting to a different wireless access point.

If that works, the issue may be with your internet provider. If you're still having trouble, you can try resetting all network adapters from the command prompt. Method 2. Scroll down and click Network reset. It's one of the links above the "Have a question? You'll see a message telling you that your network adapters will all be removed and reinstalled and that you'll have to reconnect to the internet afterward.

You may have to reinstall any VPN software you're currently running after the reset is complete. Click Reset now. This begins the full network adapter reset process. When the network adapters are uninstalled, your computer will restart and then re-install the adapters on its own. Method 3. Open the command prompt as an administrator. This method will delete all of your computer's network connections and settings, including the wireless adapter, and then reinstall them.

Here's how to get to the admin-level command prompt: [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Type cmd into the search bar. Right-click Command prompt in the results to bring up the menu.