WiFi MT7921 disappears / doesn't show in device manager after a few days

[FrankOH]

We have several HP EliteBook 855 G8 Ryzen 7 15.6" 61D39UA model laptops. One has recently starting 'losing' the wi-fi card completely. The card is a MediaTek MT7921 card. The employee can be actively using the computer, and then the network connection just drops, and the entire wi-fi device just goes away. Doesn't even show in Device Manager anymore. Reboots don't bring it back.

I manually downloaded the driver for it ... it worked for a couple seconds, showed in Device Manager, then went away again. Scanning for new hardware doesn't help.

Finally, I updated the BIOS, and it magically showed back up.  Worked for a couple days, then gone again. I had to reinstall the BIOS over the same version BIOS to get it to work again.

Anyone else having issues with this?  I see a LOT of posts about the MediaTek MT7921 card dropping connections a lot, in HP and ASUS computers, but to have it completely disappear in Device Manager is annoying at best, work-stopping at worst!

All Windows 11 updates run.  All HP Image Assistant updates / drivers run / applied.

Comments or suggetsions if you've figured out a fix for this problem?  Or are the MediaTek cards HP used just garbage?

Thanks.

[ub6424]

Hello @FrankOH 

This sounds like technical and/or driver errors...

Contact --->>> HP Support and HP should contact --->>> MediaTek

They should fix "the problem"  ...

Good luck

[ub6424]

Hello @FrankOH 

(1) Install/Update

Mediatek Wireless LAN Driver

3.4.1229.442 Rev.B

7.0 MB

Mar 24, 2022

Download

(2) Reboot and test again 

(3) Please report your results

[FrankOH]

Hi.  Thanks.  We'll try that and report back.

What you posted a link to appears to be newer than the 'newest' one available on HP's driver download page for this computer (3.4.1216.346 Rev.B - 5.4MB - Jan 27, 2022).

Is that a 'safe' driver to use since it's not listed on HP's driver download page for this computer?

Thanks.

[ub6424]

Hello @FrankOH 

Yes, it's safe from HP source. You can use it.

Please report your results

Good luck

[FrankOH]

Odd.  Can't get the computer to update to that driver.  Ran it a couple times (as admin), no change in driver version. Completely removed through Device Manager (including remove driver), run the driver update software, still comes back as the old 3.0.1.1216 software.  Tried to install it manually using the .INF files in the expanded package ... just complains it's not for this computer.

Run the HP Image Assistant program, it doesn't show any available updates for the network / wi-fi components.

[ub6424]

Hello @FrankOH 

So it's time to contact HP Support. They should escalate to HP Technican.

I wish you much success

[FrankOH]

Yeah... seems like it.  Hopefully they will have an answer.

Thanks... and have a good day!