My Wi-Fi Adapter keep disappearing

[Ryan_Pies]

My Realtek RTL8188EE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC network adapter keeps disappearing from Device Manager which results in me unable to connect to any wi-fi networks until i restart my computer, but sometimes, even when I restart my computer, it will not turn back on until I move to another room.

I am currently using an ethernet cable.

I have updated all the drivers of all the device under the heading of 'Network Adapters' in Device Manager.

My Wi-Fi was working before on Windows 8, but the problem started to appear when I updated to Windows 10.

Thanks.

[DavidSMP]

@Ryan_Pies,

Good Day. A warm welcome to the HP community. I reviewed the case regarding issues with wireless dropping connection till it is restarted and also the wireless adapter not being found in device manager. Superb description, brilliant troubleshooting and terrific observations made before posting. Kudos to you for that. 🙂 I will be glad to assist you here

To assist you with accurate information I would require more information regarding this:

• Did you completely uninstall and reinstall the wireless card drivers?
• Please let me know the complete model# and product# of the computer to assist you better?
• Do other devices on the same network connect to the router and go online correctly?

• It might be a coincidence that Windows 8 was updated to Windows 10 and the wireless card could have also become faulty at the same time. First, check if the computer connects using a hardwired Ethernet cable on a wired connection

If it does please perform these steps:

Right-Click on start button> click device manager> expand Network adapters>then select the network drivers that are listed and right-click on it and uninstall the drivers.

• Check the box that says delete the software for this device.
• Then restart the computer and update the bios chipset and wireless network drivers from this link: http://hp.care/2syreDe and follow the on-screen instructions through the hardwired ethernet cable connection.
• Please select the country and type the product# of the computer. Then follow the on-screen instructions to update the network drivers.

Now check if the issue gets fixed.

If it continues, then perform these steps:

1) Push the Windows Key and the letter “R” at the same time.

2) In The Run command box type “services.msc” and hit enter or click on OK.

3) In this window, click the Name column header (where it says “Name”) to sort by the service name.

4) Scroll down to find WLAN AutoConfig service. Stop the service first. Then restart it and make sure that it runs automatically.

5) Make sure that dependency services are also stopped and restarted.

This should do the trick for you.

If this does not fix the issue, then perform these steps:

A second option is to try these steps:
Power cycle the network:
1. Shut down your notebook.
2. Unplug the power to your router.
3. Unplug the power to your modem.
4. Wait at least 45 seconds.
5. Plug in the modem, and wait for it to come back online.
6. Plug in the router, and wait for it to come back online.
7. Turn on your notebook, and test your connection.

Disable the Power Off option for the adapter:
1. Open Device Manager. (Win Key+R > type devmgmt.msc > OK)
2. Expand the Network adapters.
3. Right click on the Ethernet/Wireless Adapter and click Properties.
4. Click the Power Management tab.
5. Remove the check mark beside Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
6. Click OK.
7. Test.

Reset the TCP/IP settings on your PC:
1. Go to your start screen/menu and type CMD.
2. Right click on the command prompt icon and chose Run as administrator.
3. In the window that opens type "netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt" without quotes, and press enter.
4. Restart your PC and test.

It may also help to reset the winsock catalogue:
1. Go to your start screen/menu and type CMD.
2. Right click on the command prompt icon and chose Run as administrator.
3. In the window that opens type "netsh winsock reset" without quotes, and press enter.
4. Restart your PC and test.

Now check if the issue gets fixed. If the problem continues, then perform all the prescribed steps from this link: https://hp.care/2ikk02C (HP PCs - Troubleshooting Wireless Network and Internet (Windows 10)

If there are no hardware issues with the wireless card this should fix the issue. If it still continues, then perform a push button reset of Windows 10 from this link: https://hp.care/2toQrBj

after backing up your important data. Now check for issue resolution. If the issue continues, then the wireless card here is the culprit and needs to be replaced.

A great workaround would be is to buy a USB wireless dongle from Best Buy or Staples or from Amazon or e-bay and plug it to one of the USB ports of the computer. Then connect it to the router to go online. It is very economical and cost-effective and can be ordered for a song.  

Please perform all these steps patiently as it is critical to resolving the issue. Good luck to you. I will keep a watch for your response.

Let me know how it goes and you have a great day! I genuinely hope the issue gets resolved without hassles and the unit works great. Please reach out for any issues and I'll be there to assist you.

To simply say thanks, please click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos to appreciate my efforts to help. If this helps, please mark this as “Accepted Solution” as it will help several others with the same issue to get it resolved without hassles.

Take care and have a blessed week ahead. 🙂

[Ryan_Pies]

Hello,

Thank you for such a useful reply. I have not yet carried out the steps, but would like to answer a few of your questions and raise a few points before I start to carry out the steps.

Firstly, yes I have uninstalled the driver for the Realtek RTL8188EE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC, though I don't think I ticked the box of "Delete the driver software for this device". I reinstalled the driver by restarting my computer, I don't know any other way of doing so.

Secondly, my notebook is HP Notebook - 15-r150sa (ENERGY STAR) with a Product Number of "K1X44EA#ABU".

Thirdly, yes, other computers are able to connect to the same network and go online. Some of these computers are located on the second floor of my house, whereas I am unable to gain connection on the ground floor. On two of the computers, they will randomly disconnect from the Wi-fi, but are able to quickly connect back to the router, without needing to restart their computer because they simply disconnected from the network, their network adapter didn't have any faults.

My first point to raise: 

I was previously trying to fix this problem and doing so, updated my BIOS. Unfortunately, after this happened, my keyboard and touchpad stopped working and after a week's work, i had to completely factory reset my computer and reinstall my operating system from an external USB. I did backup my files, but this was a worrying time for me, so I wish to not go through that again.

My second and final point:

Yes, I am able to connect via an ethernet cable, but I believe that is because an ethernet cable uses a different device, the Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller. 

Thanks very much for your help,

I hope you have some useful feedback regarding my reply,

Hope you can help!

Any other information can be given, simply ask!

Ryan.

[DavidSMP]

@Ryan_Pies,

I read this super quick response. I would like to keep you informed about a few things here.

The best route to go would be is to opt for a wireless USB adapter. Please remove the serial number from the public post. the one that starts with "C" as it is confidential information.

No further troubleshooting is required since you have reinstalled  the operating system to isolate the issue further.

The wireless card looks faulty as you have already reinstalled the operating system and the issue persists.

I have reviewed your situation comprehensively. I am being candid about it by keeping your best interest in mind without beating around the bush.

Keep windows updated with its latest updates. Make sure to install the latest updates using HP support assistant.

Three factors determine that the wireless card may be faulty.

• The first one being the reinstallation of windows after which it should have worked straight away.
• The fact that you are able to connect and go online using the ethernet cable suggests that there is nothing wrong with the computer's TCP/IP protocols.
• Besides the fact that other devices connect without hassles.

So the best workaround would be is to connect the USB wireless dongle to go online. 

To further isolate the issue, you could run a test on the wireless card from https://hp.care/2uoegKc as there are communication issues and it drops connection frequently. follow the option under Component tests and select the Wireless module option from there.

Even if diagnostics pass, there is an intermittent connection and the re-installation of windows should have fixed it. The evidence still points to a faulty wireless card. Re-seating the wireless antenna might help. But it is recommended that a technician does that for you. Instead of going through that hassle as i reiterated before the best option would be the USB wireless adapter.

This link: https://hp.care/2urM4pW is the service manual of the computer. Pages 3, 77,78,79-82 give you the information about the compatible wireless card with aprt numbers and how to re-seat the wireless antenna. However again I would suggest that it needs to be done with a lot of care and precision failing which it might damage other components of the computer. I

Now I've done all I can to assist you by keeping your best interest in mind. You've  been a valued HP customer and it has been an absolute privilege to share this platform with you.

if this helps, to simply say thanks, please click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos to appreciate my efforts to help. If this helps, please mark this as “Accepted Solution” as it will help several others with the same issue to get it resolved without hassles.

Take care and have a blessed year ahead stay healthy and smile big. 🙂

Cheers!

[Ryan_Pies]

When I open the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Test program, under Component Tests, Network, there was a Wireless module option, but when i ran it, it would just give me a blank screen. I then unplugged my ethernet cable and the same thing happened.

Then the network adapter disappeared from Device Manager and the Wireless Module option had disappeared.

[DavidSMP · Accepted solution]

@Ryan_Pies,

I have read this response. Thanks for the super quick reply.  Your splendid technical credentials, great resilience and coupled with a never say die spirit is greatly appreciated. Kudos to you for a job well done.

The reinstallation of windows would have corrected every single issue with the wireless card. But that did not happen. it is clear that the wireless card may require a replacement.

Please connect the USB wireless adapter and this will do the trick for you. 

Please keep me posted. if this helps, to simply say thanks, please click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos to appreciate my efforts to help. If this helps, please mark this as “Accepted Solution” as it will help several others with the same issue to get it resolved without hassles.

Take care and have a blessed week ahead. 🙂

Cheers!

[Ryan_Pies]

OK, thanks very much for all the help.

I have accepted the above reply as a solution and will look into buying a USB wireless adapter.

If you have any reccomended ones for a BT Home Hub 5, that would be greatly appreciated, but you have already done enough.

Also, thanks very much for the kind words.

Thanks you

Ryan.

[DavidSMP]

@Ryan_Pies,

It has been a fabulous experience working with you. 🙂 I thank you greatly for accepting this as a solution.  You've been simply amazing with your technical expertise and thanks again for giving me the privilege to share this platform with you. 🙂

I hope the unit works great and stays healthy for a long time.

To simply say thanks, please click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos to appreciate my efforts to help.

Please take care, stay healthy, keep smiling big and do have a blessed year ahead. 🙂

[Ryan_Pies]

Thanks very much. 

I found a network adapter in my house, the Netgear WNA3100 N300, that I had used before on a different computer.

I have now been able to move to a more comfortable area of my house and still able to maintain a good speed.

My speed with a cable was 75Mbps download and 19Mbps upload.

My speed now is 40Mbps download and 19Mbps upload.

Thanks very much, no one that I had talked to had even suggested the idea of a USB wireless adapter. Thanks for such a brilliant idea!

[habrown]

Really? Are you kidding me right now? The accepted solution is to go buy more electronics and you accepted the solution even before you tested the thing!

Sounds like someone needed to make a sales quota and tried to do that every which way possible.

But do you know who it looks really bad for? It diminishes the image of HP in the public's mind.

Why would you make HP look bad?