A Laptop Or Computer Does Not See A WiFi Network: What To Do, How To Solve The Problem With Wi-Fi Connection

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Laptop does not want to see your Wi-Fi network in Windows - several effective ways to solve the problem

The laptop may suddenly stop seeing the Wi-Fi network - both yours and, in principle, all access points nearby. Why does this happen and how to quickly fix the error?

Content

• 1 "Note" does not see your Wi-Fi network - why is this happening

• 2 If all visible access points disappeared from the network panel

  • 2.1 Run diagnostics
  • 2.2 Turn on the Wi-Fi itself on the laptop
  • 2.3 Neutralize the virus on the PC

  • 2.4 Reinstall or update the wireless adapter driver

    2.4.1 Download drivers from the manufacturer's official website

  • 2.5 Checking and "repairing" OS system files

    2.5.1 Video: how to recover files of the Windows system

  • 2.6 Check if the WLAN autoconfiguration service is active
  • 2.7 Video: how to solve the problem "No available connections"

• 3 If the laptop treacherously does not display only your "Wi-Fi"

  • 3.1 Change the communication channel in the router settings
  • 3.2 Put a different access point name (SSID)

  • 3.3 Resetting the network device to factory settings

    3.3.1 Video: how to reset the router to factory settings

The laptop does not see your Wi-Fi network - why is this happening

The error can manifest itself in different ways: when only yours is absent in the list of points, or when the list of networks disappears altogether. In the latter case, a notification “No available connections” appears on the network panel, and a red cross appears on the network icon next to the date in the lower right corner.

If you suddenly have a message "No connections" on the network panel, try restarting your computer first

If there are no connections at all, then the matter is most likely in your PC:

• there was a failure in the operation of the network adapter - restart the PC and the router (turn it off for at least 20 seconds), if necessary, run the built-in diagnostic tool;
• the "Wi-Fi" function has been disabled (by the system, by a virus or by accident by the user);
• the wireless adapter drivers were corrupted (again, a virus could be the cause - be sure to check your PC for malicious codes, and then reinstall the driver using the instructions below);
• the drivers of the same adapter did not receive the update on time - we install the latest version (it is advisable to download the latest version from the official site of the laptop);
• the service for configuring the WLAN has been deactivated.

These reasons should be borne in mind only if you know that nearby (neighbors, for example) have their own routers, which your "laptop" saw. Otherwise, accept the methods with the router setup as well.

If there is only one access point, then something is wrong with the settings of your router.

If the list contains any access points, except for one of yours, feel free to go to the settings of your router. Most likely, this is the problem:

• the wrong communication channel is installed;
• there was a conflict of router names (if there are identical routers within the range);
• malfunction of the network device - here we reset the router settings through the Reset function (reset to factory settings) and, if necessary, configure it again (many routers have a quick setup option, so it will be easy to carry out).

Before following the instructions below, place the "laptop" closer to the router and connect to the Wi-Fi network via another device, for example, a smartphone, to make sure that the router is actually transmitting a signal.

If all visible access points disappeared from the network panel

Let's tell you in order what to do if all the nodes that the computer had seen before disappeared from the panel.

Run diagnostics

Windows fixes many problems on its own using built-in diagnostic tools. To run the tool for checking network modules, do the following:

1. We call the context menu of the network icon from the bottom right using the RMB (right mouse button) - click on the first line "Troubleshooting". Or, click on the "Diagnostics" link on the network panel itself, where a message about the absence of connections is written.

   

   Click on the first line "Troubleshooting" to run the tool

2. We are waiting for the completion of the search for problems on the PC related to Wi-Fi.

   

   We are waiting for the search for problems to be completed

3. If any cause of the problem is identified, the firmware will ask you to confirm the application of the fix. We confirm and wait for the tool to solve the problem.

4. As a result, we get a report on the work done: a green checkmark means that the cause of the error has been eliminated. It remains only to open the network panel and check if access points have appeared there.

   

   When the problem is fixed, a report will appear

5. If the tool doesn't find anything, move on to other solutions.

   

   The tool may not find any issues with the wireless adapter

We turn on the Wi-Fi itself on the laptop

Make sure that the wireless connection is not disabled in the operating system settings:

1. If you use "Windows" 10, click on the network icon at the bottom right at the bottom with the right key - select the opening of the parameters. Now in the second or first section on the left, click on the link "Network and Sharing Center".

   

   Follow the link for the control center

2. In the case of "seven", you can start the center directly from the context menu of the network icon.

   

   Go to the center through the context menu of the network icon on the "Taskbar"

3. You can also get to the center through the "Control Panel". Click on R and Windows - in the "Open" line, write control and click on "Enter" on the "keyboard".

   

   Run the control command in the window

4. We look for and open the link leading to the center.

   

   On the panel, start the "Network and Sharing Center" block

5. Already in the very center, click on the second link on the right.

   

   Follow the link "Change adapter settings"

6. In a new window with connection tiles, we are looking for a wireless connection. If it is gray, it means that the Wi-Fi function is now deactivated on the computer.

   

   Find your wireless network in network connections

7. We press RMB on the tile and select the inclusion.

   

   In the context menu, select "Enable"

8. We are waiting for the activation to occur.

   

   Wait for the network activation to complete

9. The tiles should be brighter. Open the network panel and see if access points have appeared.

   

   The tile should turn blue to indicate that it is active

10. You can turn on "Wi-Fi" through a combination of keys on the "laptop" (Fn and some of the function buttons F1 - F12 - it usually displays a tower with a signal). On Acer, for example, this is the F3 button.

    

    Find the Wi-Fi network icon on one of the function buttons

11. We press on Fn (to the left of "Start") and on the function key - the "Wi-Fi" indicator on the laptop should light up, if there is one.

    

    Hold Fn and one of the function keys

12. In the top ten, the option is activated as follows: hold down Windows and A - in the menu on the right we are looking for the Wi-Fi tile. If it is of a pale shade, click on it.

    

    In the notification area, find the wireless tile

13. The status "Enabled" appears on the tile.

    

    When you click on a tile, it will turn bright blue.

Neutralize the virus on the PC

You can find and remove viruses through the classic Windows Defender program, or using third-party antiviruses or portable scanners, for example, the same Dr. Web CureIt, AVZ and others. Choose an extended scan, rather than a quick one.

Use a portable antivirus such as Dr. Web CureIt

Reinstalling or updating the wireless adapter driver

First, let's try to reinstall (uninstall and reinstall) through the Windows Device Manager tool:

1. A quick method that can be used with any version of "Windows" - hold down R and Windows and drive in the value of devmgmt.msc. If you don't want to write it yourself, just copy and paste.

   

   Run the devmgmt.msc command at the line

2. In version 10, an additional "Start" menu is available (called by right-clicking on the icon or a combination of Windows and X) - in it, click on the line of the dispatcher.

   

   From the Start button menu, click on Device Manager

3. We open the block with network adapters - we are looking for a device with the phrase Wireless LAN (you can also be Wi-Fi).

   

   Find the item with Wireless or Wi-Fi in the network adapters

4. We press the right button - we first click on the first item for the update. To update you will need the Internet - find an opportunity to connect to another network, for example, create an access point on your phone if you have mobile Internet, or visit a cafe with your laptop (most of these establishments have a free Wi-Fi).

   

   Select the update function from the list

5. In the new window, follow the link to start an automatic search for an upgrade on the network.

   

   Click on "Search for updates automatically"

6. We are waiting for it to finish.

   

   Wait for the driver search to complete

7. If the update wizard still does not find anything, click on "Close" and proceed to reinstall the driver.

   

   The system may display a message that the latest drivers are installed on the PC

8. In the context menu, select delete already - we confirm that we want to remove the device.

   

   Confirm device removal

9. Now select the Desktop item at the top with the left button and in the Action menu from above click on the item for updating the configuration - the device will appear in the list again. Reboot and check if any access points have appeared.

   

   Select Update Configuration from the Action Menu

Download drivers from the manufacturer's official website

You will need the exact name of the laptop model to search for “firewood”. In our case, this is a model from Asus:

1. Go to the official Asus page with laptops - choose your series.

   

   Select the laptop series you need

2. We are looking for and open a section of the site with a specific current laptop model.

   

   Find your model and open the section with it

3. Go to the support block at the top right.

   

   Click on the "Support" section

4. Launch the first tab with drivers and utilities.

   

   Go to the block "Drivers and utilities"

5. We choose our "operating system".

   

   Select your OS from the list

6. Scroll down the list to Wireless. Click on "Download".

   

   Click on "Download" in the Wireless menu

7. Open the downloaded archive, run the installation file in it and put the "firewood" on the PC as a regular program - follow the simple instructions of the installation wizard. We reboot the PC and check whether the access points have appeared or not.

   

   In the downloaded archive, open the driver installer

Of course, the interfaces of the sites of different manufacturers differ from each other, so if you do not have Asus, you will have to dig a little in the resource. Many sites already have a separate general section for drivers, in which you usually need to fill out a questionnaire to find the required software for a specific model.

Checking and "repairing" OS system files

It never hurts to check the system files for integrity - especially if it turns out that there are viruses on your "laptop" (they spoil them - the system starts to slow down as a whole). To check if the No Networks error occurs due to corrupted files, follow the steps:

1. On the "Start" panel (if you have a "seven"), open the menu with standard utilities - look for "Command line", right-click on it and click on the option to launch the console with administrator rights.

   

   Run "Command Prompt" as administrator

2. Another launch method is to open the Run window through Windows and R, write a simple cmd code and execute it through the hot combination Shift + Ctrl + Enter.

   

   Execute cmd command via Shift + Ctrl + "Enter"

3. We drive in the sfc / scannow code and click on "Enter" for the subsequent execution.

   

   Paste sfc / scannow and press Enter

4. We are waiting for the completion of the check - it can last about half an hour or more.

   

   Wait for the search and fixing of "unhealthy" files to be completed

5. When 100% appears, the fix is complete, but if you see a message in the editor stating that not all files could be disinfected, run the same scan - just preload your laptop in safe mode.

   

   Check out the Corrupted Files Fix Report

Video: how to recover files of the Windows system

See if the WLAN autoconfiguration service is active

For connection to Wi-Fi access points, the service of the WLAN Autosetting system is responsible. You need to check its activity as follows:

1. Go to the "Control Panel" section called "System and Security". Click on the name "Administration".

   

   Go to the "Administration" section

2. In the opened list of system tools, select "Services".

   

   Open the Services component

3. The Service Manager can be activated in another way. To do this, type Win + R and enter in the displayed area: services.msc. Then apply the code - click on OK.

   

   Run the services.msc code in the "Open" line

4. The Service Manager will open. To quickly find the item "WLAN Autoconfiguration Service", build all the services in alphabetical order by clicking on the name of the "Name" column.

   

   Order the list by the parameter "Name"

5. Find the name of the service you want. If the “Running” status is not set opposite to its name, then in this case it is necessary to activate it. Double-click on its name with the left mouse button.

   

   If the line "Status" does not contain the word "Running", then the service is disabled

6. The service properties window opens. If the Startup Type field is set to Disabled, then in this case, click on it.

   

   Look at the Startup Type menu

7. A drop-down list will open where you need to select "Automatic". Then click on "Apply" and OK.

   

   Select automatic startup type

8. After returning to the main interface of the "Service Manager" select the name "WLAN Autoconfiguration Service", and on the left side of the shell, click "Start".

   

   Click on the "Run" link

9. The service will be activated.

   

   The selected service will be immediately enabled

10. After that, the status "Running" will be displayed opposite its name and the problem with the lack of connections will be solved.

    

    The state should have the value "Running"

Video: how to solve the problem "No available connections"

If the laptop treacherously does not display only your "Wi-Fi"

If any access points appear on the panel, except your home one, go to the settings of the network device.

We change the communication channel in the router settings

First of all, set the automatic detection of the communication channel. Consider the procedure for one of the TP-Link router models:

1. Paste one of the combinations of numbers into the address bar of your browser: 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, 192.168.0.254.

   

   Enter or paste into the line the address to launch the personal account of the router

2. Write your login and security key to enter your router's personal account. Usually there is one word admin for two values, but if you changed it before, enter the data you set. For some routers, other combinations may work - they are indicated on the back of the device on the label.

   

   Enter admin in both fields

3. Go to the second section "Interface settings" and to the block for wireless networks.

   

   In the "Interface Settings" open the third section for the wireless network

4. After the access point there will be an item "Channel". Set the value "Auto" on the drop-down panel.

   

   Put the automatic communication channel in the menu

5. We select the country if the wrong one was specified.

   

   Indicate your country if necessary

6. Scroll down the page and click on the button to save.

   

   Save all settings with the button below

7. We reboot the router and look at the result of the procedure.

We put a different access point name (SSID)

We go to the router's office and in the same “Wireless network” tab we look for a section with WPS settings - in the SSID field we write a new name for the access point. We also save the changes.

In the SSID field, write a new connection name

Resetting the network device settings to factory settings

You can return the previous settings that the router had after purchase through the cabinet interface. In some models of TP-Link routers, you need to go to the "Device Operation" tab at the top and open the "System Reboot" block. Mark "Factory settings" and press the start button.

Choose to restart with factory reset

In other models of the router, go to the Factory Defaults block and click on the Restore button.

Another TP-Link interface may have a Restore button

If you do not want to enter the office, find the Reset button on the back panel of the router - hold it pressed for a few seconds. When the indicators blink, you can release and reconfigure the router.

Press the Reset button on the back of the router

Usually the setting is automatic. As a last resort, you can use the quick setup function.

Run the router quick setup wizard

Video: how to reset the router to factory settings

If your "laptop" does not catch a single network, in principle, carry out diagnostics through the built-in tool "Windows"; check if "Wi-Fi" is enabled on the device and the service for WLAN auto-configuration; remove viruses and restore system files in the "Command Prompt". Reinstalling wireless drivers will also help. If only your point is missing in the list, the problem lies with the router - change the communication channel, access point name, or reset all settings to the initial ones via the Reset button.