EliteBook 850G2 Intel Wireless AC7265 won't start when ethernet connected

[kef744]

Starting about a week ago, my laptop wifi adapter will no longer turn on if there is an ethernet connection. If I unplug the ethernet cable, then it turns on and finds local networks to connect to. I've tried this at home and work with the same result. I updated from Windows 10 1809 to 1903 yesterday and have the same problem. I'm running the latest Intel driver for the card (18.33.14.3) and have tried with the Windows driver as well but that doesn't correct the problem. Flashing the latest BIOS also didn't correct the problem.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

There is a LAN/WLAN switching setting in the BIOS.

If you want the wifi to be on even when connected by ethernet cable, go into the BIOS and disable that setting.

[kef744]

Thanks for a quick suggestion!

I found an item called LAN/WLAN Switching in my BIOS. It was unchecked so I checked it and it made no difference to the observed behaviour. The Wifi still turns itself off seconds after I turn it on.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

With that setting unchecked, the wifi and ethernet should work at the same time.

Since it isn't, unfortunately, I don't have any other suggestions for you to try.

[kef744]

I did some more fiddling and discovered that the issue may lie with the "WLAN AutoConfig" service. If I manually stop and restart it, then I am able to turn on the wifi even if I am connected via LAN. So I have a short batch file that runs on boot via Task Scheduler to stop and start that service. I have also disabled the “HP LAN/WLAN/WWAN Switching UWP Service” as it doesn't seem to be required for wifi to work.

What I'd like to add to my batch file is a command to turn on the wifi. At present, I have to click the wifi button from the Network tooltray button. Then wifi turns on and stays on. For doing it programmatically, I've tried using "netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" enable" but that doesn't do it and neither does "wmic path win32_networkadapter where index=2 call enable." Those two commands enable the device if it has been disabled. But it isn't disabled, just turned off.