For a long time in the computer sphere, the era of wireless communications has come, when virtually any device connects to the World Wide Web without any auxiliary wires and cables.
However, the situation is not always so cloudless, and sometimes there are connection problems. There are a lot of them, but they all have decisions, which will be discussed in this article.
Key types of wireless connectivity issues
Actually, the reasons why a computer, smartphone or laptop does not see wireless networks are not so many, but they all interfere with the full operation of the gadget, and therefore require a separate consideration and solution.
So:
- In the immediate vicinity there is no network. This is perhaps the most primitive problem. It is logical that if there is no Internet and router anywhere nearby, then there will be no wireless connection.
- There are no installed drivers for the wireless adapter on the device.
- The device responsible for receiving Wi-Fi is malfunctioning.
- Wi-Fi adapter is disabled.
In principle, that’s all, there are no other options. But in order to start fixing the problem, you need to find out why the laptop does not see the wireless network in a particular case. But first things first.
Wireless adapter driver
This is the most common problem with connecting to Wi-Fi, especially relevant when installing a new operating system. When installing Windows, a bare platform is installed, and most of the critical drivers are installed independently, depending on the characteristics of the gadget.
If the network icon is lit on the taskbar, crossed out with a red cross, this means that the laptop does not see the wireless adapter. To fix this, you must do the following:
- Go to the "Start" menu - "Control Panel" - "Device Manager".
- In the list of installed devices, find "Network Adapters". Typically, the name of such devices contains the word Wireless.
There are two further options: if such a device is present, then it is either improperly installed, or the reason that the laptop does not see wireless networks lies elsewhere.
If there is no device, then it must be installed. To do this, you just need to download the necessary drivers and install them. Typically, a reboot of the device is required, the result of which is the appearance of a wireless adapter in the device manager.
technical issues
Another serious problem that will require direct intervention by the wizard is the physical damage to the Wi-Fi module. There can be many reasons for such a malfunction: short circuit, dust ingress (as a result of which the device overheats and burns out), liquid ingress, etc.
Of course, in this situation, the laptop does not see Windows wireless networks, and the indicator does not light up on the keyboard. Moreover, sometimes the computer may periodically display a notification: "The device is not recognized."
By the way, this reason is closing in the chain, when the user himself can try to find out the reason for the lack of Wi-Fi. And if the remaining two reasons can still be eliminated independently, then repairing the device is a very delicate and professional matter.
Banal shutdown of the adapter
Another reason why the laptop does not see wireless networks is to disable the Wi-Fi adapter. In most laptops, especially the new generation, the wireless network turns on and off very easily.
Method 1. On the laptop panel there is a special switch, which is responsible for the operation of the adapter.
Method 2. The keyboard has a key that performs identical functions (in some models, turning on the adapter is performed using a combination of keys, for example, Fn + F5).
Method 3. You need to go to the device manager, right-click on the Wi-Fi adapter and click on the “Enable” command.
The solution is elementary and does not require any special skills. But practice shows that only 5% of users have this problem.
Adapter recovery in Windows XP
Despite the fact that Microsoft has stopped supporting the legendary "Piggy", it is still in demand among many users.
If the laptop does not see the wireless network of Windows XP, then it is not at all the developers, but only the device’s parameters.
Here, the reasons also lie in the Wi-Fi drivers, disconnecting the adapter or its physical malfunction. The difference is that in the device manager it is called somewhat differently - the "Network Cards" section. And the procedures for his resuscitation are no different from those described in the section above.
Adapter recovery in Windows 7
The Windows 7 operating system is perhaps the most popular today. But it is also prone to problems with wireless networks, especially if a “curve” (unlicensed) build is installed or the wrong drivers are installed. And what if the laptop does not see the wireless networks of Windows 7?
The solution is simple: reinstall the Wi-Fi drivers based on the model of the device. It is best to download them from official sites, so much more reliable. Another option is to enable the adapter using the switch or in the "Device Manager" section. And finally, there is one more method that is relevant if a crash unexpectedly occurred during operation and the module stopped responding. You need to right-click on the network icon on the taskbar and select "Diagnose problems." If the adapter is disconnected unauthorized, the system will automatically restart it.
Other causes of Wi-Fi malfunction
By the way, the matter is not always in the device. Often, a laptop does not see wireless networks due to internal conflicts and incorrect router settings.
In this situation, you need to go to the control panel of the router (enter 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in the address bar of the browser). The most popular mistake is to reset the working Wi-Fi channel. In order to fix the problem, you need to find the “Channel Selection” item and set the value to Auto (this is the best solution for those who are not particularly computer savvy). After changing the settings, it is better to reboot the router.
If these events did not help, perhaps you should change the name of the Wi-Fi network in the settings of the router. Although this method is better not to apply without certain knowledge and skills, as the network name has its own requirements (only Latin, character restrictions, etc.).
And finally, the last option is an unstable signal. In order to test it, you need to alternately bring the laptop to the router and move away from it a long distance. Perhaps Wi-Fi is starting to work in a specific range. But, in principle, this should not happen, so we are talking about the hardware problems of the router.
Thus, there are a lot of problems with broken Wi-Fi, but most of them are solved on their own. Therefore, do not despair if the Internet suddenly disappeared - you just need to check the current settings, and in most cases the network will appear in 10-15 minutes.