Wifi connectivity

[cmtaylor]

Just today, my desktop will does not show an option to connect to internet by wifi.  The only option it shows is ethernet.  We have a wireless router and all other devices - laptop, iPad, phones, tv - are working fine on the wireless network.  And our desktop has been working on it until today.  How can I restore access to wifi connection?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The parts list for your PC indicates that it comes with the Ralink RT5390 wifi adapter.

HP PartSurfer

Unfortunately, you won't be able to use the Internal Ralink RT5390 wifi card to connect to the internet anymore.

On the newer builds of W10, the wifi adapter completely disappears from the device manager, and the only fix would be to go back to W7.

I recommend you take this opportunity to upgrade to a dual band USB wifi adapter that also comes with Bluetooth, rather than to go back to W7.

Something like this...

Amazon.com: USB WiFi Bluetooth Adapter, 600Mbps Dual Band 2.4/5Ghz Wireless Network External Receive...

[cmtaylor]

Paul, thanks for the help.  But why would this stop working all of a sudden?  We've been connecting to the wireless network on this desktop for quite a while with W10 installed.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

That is exactly what happens.

For years everything is fine, and then one day, poof.  No more wireless.

If you are running the latest version of W10 (21H1), you got a whole lot further than most folks did.

Most of the Ralink wifi cards quit working around the time version 1803 came out.

There is no explanation that I could find as to the cause.  Outdated drivers perhaps.

The Ralink drivers were the original ones released for W10 in June of 2015 and were never updated.