Unable to install driver update for wifi adapter in W11

[Steve596]

Hi, I recently bought this laptop and initially it was fine but suddenly I started loosing wifi connectivity. When this happened the wifi setting would also vanish.

I have downloaded SP135844 which seems to be the latest updated version but while it appears to install the detail in the setting information still shows the previous adapter version.

I loose wifi connectivity every few minutes now...HELP please

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

sp135844 (1.0.0.184 Rev.S) appears to be for the Realtek Wi-Fi adapter.

There is a newer version which appears above the sp135844 softpaq file on the support page:

1.0.0.212 Rev.S

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp142501-143000/sp142614.exe 

The only suggestion I can offer, would be to install the latest version of the Realtek Wi-Fi driver and restart the PC.

[Steve596]

Hi Paul, thank you and I have downloaded that driver and tried to install. System appears to install but it doesnt. When I look in the wifi setting and hardware details area the adapter is still the original version on this laptop.

My laptop continues to disconnect regularly. Why would this driver not install?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Sometimes when you run the driver, it does not automatically install.

See if this works...

Go to the device manager.

Click to expand the Network Adapter device manager category.

Click on the Realtek Wi-Fi adapter listed there.

Click on the driver tab.

Click on Update driver.

Select the 'Browse my computer for drivers' option and browse to the driver folder that was created when you ran the file.

The folder will be located in C:\SWSetup\sp142614

Make sure that the Include subfolders box is checked and the driver should install.

[Steve596]

Hi Paul

Thank you again...I had just been trying that as an option.....fumbling my way, but every time I try to update the driver it fails. There are 4 options that come up when I search the entire drive. I just picked one, but they all fail.

I also tried the previous version to the update suggested, it too failed.

I just tried those instructions you provided and I get the response "Windows has determined that the best driver is already installed. Try windows update...."

Windows update does not provide any update.

I also note that a previous version in the driver list for my laptop on HP is listed as "Critical" but that too will not install. I recall when I first started this laptop and it went through many updates that the adapter update failed. I didn't think anything of it at the time as I wasn't initially having connectivity issues.

Fortunately it has stayed connected long enough for me to type and send this

Doing my head in. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

What is the exact model number of the Wi-Fi adapter listed under the Network adapters device manager category?

[Steve596]

Realtek RTL8822CE 802.11ac pcIe - version 204.10.227.2

[Paul_Tikkanen]

The driver I gave you should have worked.

The only other suggestion I can offer is this...

Download the version of the driver that Realtek uploaded on the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

It is a bit older than the one that you can't get to install but it is newer than the one you currently have installed.

Microsoft Update Catalog

The first file listed will be fine.

Because it is a cabinet file, and there is no executable inside the file, you will need to use a free file utility to extract the cabinet file into its folder.

I use the free 7-zip file utility for purposes like this.

The first file at the top of the page is for 64 bit.

7-Zip

After you install 7-Zip, right click on the cabinet file you saved.

Select 7-Zip from the list of items on the menu.

Have 7-Zip Extract to: and let it extract the file into that long folder name.

You will see some error generated but that's OK.

The file is now extracted to a driver folder that you can browse to.

Repeat the same process as before...

Go to the device manager.

Click to expand the Network Adapter device manager category.

Click on the Realtek Wi-Fi adapter listed there.

Click on the driver tab.

Click on Update driver.

Select the 'Browse my computer for drivers' option and browse to the driver folder that 7-Zip created with that long file name.

Make sure that the Include subfolders box is checked and the driver should install.

Now if that doesn't work either, the last thing you can try before calling it quits is this:

Go to the device manager.

Click to expand the Network Adapter device manager category.

Click on the Realtek Wi-Fi adapter listed there.

Click on the driver tab.

Click on Update driver.

Select the 'Browse my computer for drivers' option, but this time at the bottom of that Window, select the 'Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer' option.

Click on Have Disk and browse to the unzipped driver folder that 7-Zip created>netrtwlane (setup information file), click Next and see if the driver installs that way.

If it does, then you can try the same approach with the newer driver in the sp142614 folder so you can have the very latest version of the driver.

I can't guarantee that will solve the Wi-Fi disconnection problems and if it doesn't, then I recommend you contact HP customer service and submit a support case under the warranty.

Contact HP | HP® New Zealand

[Steve596]

Hi Paul

Much appreciated, I've tried all that and the second to last request using the cabinet file worked, or at least changed the version to 2024.10.228.0.

Request to restart laptop was done and noted this new version listed in the device manager for the driver.

I then tried the same with SP142614 and while it worked the version reverted to the original I have 2024.10.227.2

I rebooted again.

I have now repeated the first step to revert to .228.0 and that worked. 

Connectivity ok currently.

Unless you think I should try the SP142614 again ( I browsed to the netrtwlane set up info file) I'll leave this version active and monitor connectivity. If the issues happen again I'll get hold of HP support.

Appreciate all the help. 

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

I can't believe I sent you down a rabbit hole with that HP driver I gave you the other day.

That driver does install  2024.10.227.2

This driver will install 2024.10.228.1,  01/31/2023

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp144501-145000/sp144871.exe 

You should just be able to run the driver and it will automatically update to the new version.

I'm very sorry about that.