Network controller driver

[caduamaral00]

Hi,

After re-installing windows from a corrupted OS problem, I can't connect to the internet on my spectre x360.

I can't find the drivers for network controller.

The HP support page for my laptop model doesn't have the necessary drivers. 

OS: Windows 10

Model: 13ae051nr

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

According to the product specs for your notebook, it comes with an Intel wifi adapter, so the Intel wifi driver on the support page should have worked.

HP Spectre x360 - 13-ae051nr Product Specifications | HP® Customer Support

Please post the hardware ID for the Network Controller device, so I can figure out what model it is.

Use this guide for how to find the hardware ID for a device...

How to Find Drivers for Unknown Devices in the Device Manager (howtogeek.com)

[caduamaral00]

Hi Paul, thank you for the reply.

My device is indeed a wi-fi intel adapter, model Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265.

I've tried both the driver on HP support page and at Intel's website  (https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/30279/Windows-10-Wi-Fi-Drivers-for-Intel-Wireless-Adapters)

However, I get the following error message from the driver from intel's webpage: "This installation requires windows 10.0.16299 or newer".  And the WLAN driver from HP support page quickly open a black DOS screen and closes before I can read anything. Then nothgin happens.

I'm running Windows 10 Home, with no updates (since I have no internet) and not yet activated (again, no internet). I've tried to install updates offline with wsus but it doesn't seem to work on my system.

Is there an older driver anywhere, so I get the internet to work -> update windows -> update WLAN driver ? Or is there a more rational way to make it work?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

The error code is telling you that you need to have W10 version 1709 or newer installed for the driver to work.

My assumption is the HP driver is closing out without doing anything because of the same issue.

This is the oldest driver I could find for the Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 wifi adapter...and the one on your notebook's support page is older than this one.

21.60.0.5

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp100501-101000/sp100659.exe

I suggest that you either connect your PC to an ethernet port on your router or purchase/borrow a USB wifi adapter so that you can update to a supported build of W10.

[caduamaral00 · Accepted solution]

Hi.

Following your first suggestion (googling the hardware ID on the network controller), I found the model description on a website that also had a lot of older drivers, for pretty much everything. I downloaded version 20.70.19.1 (on a different PC) and it worked fine on my laptop. From there, I was able to get other drivers, update windows and then update the network controller driver. Apparently the website also offers a "driver seacher and installer app", but I didn't think it was necessary.

Since I don't really know the rules on posting 3rd party websites or other "unofficial" download locations, I won't put the website 's name/URL here, but it should be simple enough to find it, if anyone else is willing to risk it as a last resort.

Thanks for the support. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.