Windows 11 24H2 keeps killing Realtek 8821CE adapter

[Jaws650]

Actual product is a 15s-dy2795wm (for some reason, the website won't accept that).

The machine works fine on Windows 11 23H2 (and shipped with Windows 11 installed, despite the various help systems claiming that it's a Windows 10 machine). I have set the "target build" (using Group Policy Editor) to 23H2... but 24H2 keeps getting forced onto the machine. The Realtek 8821CE wireless adapter Does Not Like This -- it won't even restart. I have updated the driver using SP156102 with no joy. Neither did manually checking network discovery (was correct), IPv6 (was always unchecked) or any of the other common "these are ways around Windows 24H2 wireless networking problems" solutions.

Rolling back to 23H2 brings everything back to life. That I'm typing this here, now, on the same machine indicates that it's NOT a pure hardware issue.

Aside: I turn off every possible Bluetooth setting and never use Bluetooth on any device. I'm going to be very annoyed indeed if my choice is "stay with 23H2, and go through an hour-long nightmare every 5 weeks to roll back," or "leave your computer open to [specific attacks inherent to the Bluetooth protocol]."

I'd be fine with either of two solutions:

* A way to ACTUALLY PREVENT the 24H2 feature update that doesn't seem to be being bypassed; or

* A way to get the built-in wifi adapter to actually work with 24H2.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

There is a newer driver available than the one provided in sp156102.

Use the Wi-Fi and  Bluetooth drivers from the ASUS ROG forum.

Wi-Fi:  2024.10.144.0 

Bluetooth: 1.1072.2312.2502

[DRIVERS] Realtek Ethernet/WiFi/Bluetooth - Republic of Gamers Forum - 871130

I looked in the Wi-Fi driver setup information file and I do see driver support for four HP RTL8821CE hardware ID's.

;; HP
%RTL8821ce.DeviceDesc% = RTL8821ce.ndi, PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_C821&SUBSYS_C025103C
%HP8821ce.DeviceDesc% = HP8821ce.ndi, PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_C821&SUBSYS_831A103C
%HP8821ce.DeviceDesc% = HP8821ce.ndi, PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_C821&SUBSYS_884D103C ;;RTL8821CE-VB that enables L1SS
%HP8821ce.DeviceDesc% = HP8821ce.ndi, PCI\VEN_10EC&DEV_C821&SUBSYS_C032103C ;;RTL8821CE-VC that enables L1SS

There are other RTL8821CE's listed by PC manufacturer and some generic ID's with no specific PC manufacturer tied to it.

There is no executable file in the zip files you download, so you will have to manually install the drivers from the devices in the device manager.

Unzip the files to their folders.

Then go to the device manager.

For the Wi-Fi, click to expand the Network adapters device manager category.

Click on the Realtek Wi-Fi adapter listed there.

Click on the driver tab.  Click on Update driver.

Select the 'Browse my computer for drivers' option and browse to the driver folder that you unzipped.

Make sure that the Include subfolders box is checked and the driver should install.

Then do the same thing for the Bluetooth.

Looks like Dell's moved on to these drivers too.  HP's not there yet.

Realtek RTL8821CE/RTL8822CE Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Driver | Driver Details | Dell US

[Jaws650]

(1) Not an acceptable source for the drivers — links to "mega.nz" are simply not appropriate, especially in a message from an unverified user on a third-party forum. It's not that such users are always untrustworthy, it's that enough of them are that unless they're pointing to official sources (like directly at Realtek), it's just not worth it. That Realtek itself is being difficult is a separate problem.

(2) Also, I've just noted a typo in my initial note: It was SP157102, which contains more-recent drivers than the "01/04/2025" driver for the Realtek 8821CE in the ROG forum listing. (Would that people "trying to be helpful" would list not just dates but version numbers — I've seen a lot of this over the years in gamer-oriented forums, seems like a gamer-culture thing.) So I'm highly skeptical that even if this pointed to an acceptable source, it would do anything I haven't already tried.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Try the driver I posted from Dell then.

That's obviously an 'acceptable source.'

...And I totally disagree with you regarding the links from the ASUS ROG forum.

FYI: The driver dates on the site use the international method of stating the date...day, month, year, which would translate to April 1, 2025 regarding the 01/04/2025 you mentioned, not January 4, 2025.

The driver versions and dates were provided in both the ASUS site and the Dell site, so I have no idea what you are referring to 'Would that people "trying to be helpful" would list not just dates but version numbers.'

I have given those drivers out to many forum members over the last two years to try and resolve issues with those lousy Realtek Wi-Fi adapters.

They have only thanked me for my efforts.

You seem to just want to complain about the problem you're having, and then criticize the suggestion I provided without even giving it a try.