Wifi not found

[Martinkr42]

My laptop has stopped connecting to WI-FI. Troubleshooting indicates that the computer now thinks there is no Wi-Fi card fitted suggesting it has either failed or become disconnected. Before I take it to bits I'd like to know which card to buy. The model fitted is a Realtek RTL8821CE but I don't know the HP part number.

Help! 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I think it is a software problem, but the card part number and description can be found in chapter 3 of your notebook's service manual.

Maintenance and Service Guide HP Pavilion 15 Laptop PC

Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11ac 1 × 1 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Adapter (MU-MIMO supported)    HP part # L17365-005

I do not recommend installing a different model card because a better one will require two antenna wires and your notebook only has one.

In order to install a second antenna would require ordering the dual antenna kit to add the missing second antenna and the disassembly procedure to install it is extensive.

The Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 9461 only requires one antenna wire, but since it is a CNVI card, it will not work in your notebook.  Those only work in the notebooks that originally came with one of those cards.

You may want to try backing up your files and use the HP cloud recovery tool to create a bootable USB recovery drive to factory reset the notebook, before replacing the Wi-Fi card.

Here's an info link for how to use the utility.  You will need a 32 GB USB flash drive for this:

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Customer Support

You can download the software from the Microsoft Store:

HP Cloud Recovery Tool - Microsoft Store Apps

If you have to use the tool on another PC (since you may not be able to connect to the internet), you will need to enter your PC's product number in the tool's search window to create the recovery media.

Your notebook's product number is 4AX35EA#ABU

If you can get the card to show up again, install the latest driver for it:

2024.10.228.3       04/18/2023

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp148001-148500/sp148266.exe 

[Martinkr42]

Well I did as suggested but still does not detect WiFi card so I guess my original conclusion of a hardware fault is correct. I am now in an even deeper mess! A Windows 10 update is failing to install preventing me getting back to Windows 11. So two days of life wasted trying to get back to where I was!