Network adapter disappearing

[Excloggy]

Once a week, I'll start up my laptop and my network adapter isn't working - so no option to get online. Has anyone else had the same issue and, if so, how did they sort it? Hoping someone can help! Is it me, or does it happen after a Windows update?

[Garp_senchau]

@Excloggy, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

Restart the adapter:

Go to Device Manager > Network Adapters > right-click your network adapter > Uninstall. Restart your laptop, and it should reinstall the driver.

Update or Rollback drivers:

In Device Manager, right-click your adapter > Update driver. If the issue started after an update, try Roll Back Driver.

Power settings:

In Device Manager, right-click your adapter > Properties > Power Management > uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device."

Run Network Troubleshooter:

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Internet Connections.

Reset TCP/IP stack:

Open Command Prompt (Admin) and type: netsh int ip reset

I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

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Regards,

[Excloggy1]

Thanks for your reply and help! I'd tried most of the things before - except resetting the stack and not allowing the computer to turn off the device. I did both and the connection is holding up so far - but it's a poor quality! I'm working in a client's portal and I keep having to reload my work because the connection is slow - this is also confirmed when I right click on my wifi icon and run 'Diagnose network problems'.  I'm really hoping you can help me; this is a new laptop and I've been having this problem with it every since I bought it ...

[Hawks_Eye]

@Excloggy 

You are Welcome!

I appreciate all your efforts and patience!!

It’s frustrating to deal with poor Wi-Fi on a new laptop, especially when it disrupts your workflow. Since resetting the stack helped stabilize the connection but didn’t improve speed, here are some additional steps to try:

1. Update Wi-Fi Drivers

• Open Device Manager → Network Adapters.
• Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and select Update Driver.
• If no update is available, visit your laptop manufacturer’s support page and download the latest driver.

2. Change Wi-Fi Channel

• Log into your router settings (guide here).
• Switch to a less congested channel (e.g., 1, 6, or 11 for 2.4GHz).
• If your router supports 5GHz, try switching to that for better speed.

3. Disable Power-Saving Mode for Wi-Fi

• Open Device Manager → Network Adapters.
• Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter → Properties → Power Management.
• Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

4. Run Windows Network Troubleshooter

• Right-click the Wi-Fi icon → Troubleshoot problems.
• Follow the prompts to detect and fix issues.

5. Reset Network Settings

• Open Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced Network Settings.
• Click Network Reset → Reset Now.

Let me know if any of these steps improve your connection! I appreciate your patience while we work through this.

Regards,

Hawks_Eye