Sometimes won't connect to other computers on the network

[mdenbow]

I have a home network with two desktops and a NAS drive on it. My laptop intermittently will and will not connect to certain computers on the network. Sometimes the NAS drive, sometimes the desktops. It's very random and no discernable pattern to it. Sometimes it connects and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it will connect and then 5 minutes later it won't with an error message that says it can't find the network resource. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 reboots before it will connect again and then the next time I use it, it won't. And before you ask, yes, Windows is updated and my NIC driver is the latest version. I'm thinking Microsoft broke it somehow because when the Notebook was new, it never had this problem. And now, after several Windows updates it has this problem. MS has a reputation, as of late, for distributing faulty, buggy code in its updates. Anybody have any ideas?

[sandytechy20]

@mdenbow

Thanks for posting. It is a terrific place to find answers and tips! 

I understand that the wireless connection on the notebook keeps disconnecting and you have tried few troubleshooting steps.

• When did this issue start?
• Did you do any changes to the notebook?

Meanwhile, follow the below steps to fix this issue.

Here's a guided troubleshooter that will help fix this issue: Click here 

If the issue persists, try these steps: 
 

Go to Device manager > select the WIFI drivers under network adapter> Right click go to properties  > Under properties go to Power Management Tab> Uncheck  "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". 

If the issue persists, continue with the below steps: 

• If your computer has a wireless key or button on or near the keyboard and the wireless activity light is off or amber in color, then press the key or button to enable your wireless adapter. This key might be the F10 key, F12 key or labeled with a symbol of an airplane. 

• If wireless activity comes on or the activity light turns blue, you have enabled wireless on your system. Try connecting to the Internet again. If problems persist, continue using these steps. 

Let me know how it goes.

To thank me for my efforts to help you, please mark my post as an accepted solution so that it benefits several others and please give the same post a Kudos.

Cheers.

[mdenbow]

No, the wireless connection is fine. It will always connect to the router and go to the internet. That's not the problem. The problem is it sometimes won't connect to other devices on the network. Let me give you an example. My home network consists of a Verizon FIOS router connected to the internet, a Netgear Router acting as a wireless access point, two Windows 10 Pro desktops and  a Synology NAS drive. Both of the desktops will connect to each other and the NAS drive without issue. My laptop sometimes connects to the desktops and the NAS drive and sometimes it doesn't. There have been times when it connected to my NAS drive and then five minutes later it would not and threw the error message that it could not find the device on the network. I have not done anything major to the configuration of the machine. The only changes have occurred when Windows does its updates. I've found that Windows updates have broken things in the past and I'm fairly certain that this is the case now. The problem is it's such a bazarre, random, intermitent thing.

[sandytechy20]

@mdenbow

Thanks for the reply.

I appreciate your time and effort.

Please provide the notebook model number or the product number for further assistance.

Cheers.

[mdenbow]

Model Number: 17t-ab000

Product ID: V2Z45AV

[sandytechy20]

@mdenbow

Thanks for writing back to us.

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I hope this helps resolve this issue completely,

Cheers.

[mdenbow · Accepted solution]

I think I have resolved this problem. I was using mapped network drives to access the other computers, (a fact I probably should have divulged, apologies). Windows somehow corrupted the mapped drive links. I deleted the links and remapped them and now all is well. Somehow I knew is was a Windows problem and nothing wrong with the laptop hardware or configuration. The funny thing is, the new mapped drives point to the exact same computers and have the same drive letters as the old ones, only now they work. Go figure. Good one MS. Still, only one of the computers show in the Network folder in Explorer, but I think this is a long standing bug in Windows 10 that MS refuses to address.

[KrazyToad]

@mdenbow

I'm glad you were able to get this issue sorted out

Please visit our HP Forums and drop us a message anytime you need help

Thank you