Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1x1) Wi-Fi® not connecting

[Cool662]

Gave this laptop to my son for Christmas. The WiFi will only appear and work while sitting in the room with the modem. Every other device in other rooms works fine with our WiFi connection. Just not this laptop. HP’s tech support isn’t available to assist and the chat rep stated it’s my network and not the laptop. I received various responses when trying to connect. Wireless capability turned off, problem with wireless adapter or access point, etc. it connected to my hotspot just fine and after a while, it finally connected to the wifi , but only while sitting near the modem. What can I do to fix this? Could it be the laptop? Should I return it?  When in another room, it won’t find the WiFi connection at all. The other room is only 10-15 feet away. 

[savvy2]

you posted to desktops, why? 🤔

what router model is this, some need updates.

some do not like other access points near, a top brand AC modern router is best that beam focus and smarter and more secure.  some have bugs (old router) and need flash update.

laptops are not easy to service, even 35 screws hard, if you get my drift but desktops are cake wake so I do those.

open side see wifi card and see the 2 antenna cables fell off or are on backwards.(oops)

is this LT new? or handme down.? or refurb'd and from whom.>? (asking if wifi card touched by others)

Wi-Fi 5 (1x1) & Bluetooth® 4.2: Stay connected to Wi-Fi and to Bluetooth® accessories withwireless technology

802.11AC it is and 100Mb/s is par.

(reset the router first)   pull router cord  AC  for 30 seconds put back,  no data loss doing this this way. (avoid the reset button)

work now? learn that routers can go funky at times. and do the cord pull.

the short rage can be many things caused.

Even using wrong  wifi channels that are super busy in the home/hood.

OR Jamming,

AC has 2 bands and does 160Mb/s on my AC laptop. 30ft away, faster closer.

Seen may a laptop me upgraded wrong,  antennas connected (not) or wrong. short antenna is for 5Ghz.

Sorry if this happens on new PC, as it should not, jamming aside

but other devices work so  reset the rounter

or try the PC in other domains, like starbucks or friends house to see if

it really is the PC,  easy to do , far more than pack and ship 2 times.

good luck in your  , diagnosis.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @Cool662 

That model wifi adapter only has one antenna and antenna terminal, so if an antenna wire fell off, it most likely wouldn't work at all.

What I know about that model wifi adapter...it is nothing but trouble. 

Many folks have issues with the Realtek 8821CE wifi adapters, and I have no idea why HP continues to use them in their notebooks.

The only suggestion I can offer before retuning the notebook, and not buying another one with that model wifi card (get one with an Intel wifi card), would be to update both the wifi and bluetooth drivers to their latest versions.

Wifi:   2024.0.10.218

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp108501-109000/sp108893.exe

Bluetooth:   1.8.1030.3010

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp110001-110500/sp110200.exe