- \n
- The WiFi icon has completely vanished from your taskbar or settings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Category B: The Non-Starter<\/strong><\/h3>\n
- \n
- WiFi is there, but it\u2019s not working at all.<\/li>\n
- The laptop can\u2019t find a single network nearby.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Category C: The Stubborn Connection<\/strong><\/h3>\n
- \n
- You can see the network, but it fails to connect every time.<\/li>\n
- You\u2019re connected, but it says “No Internet,” even though your phone and other gear that connected with the same network are working fine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To save you some time, here\u2019s the best way to use this tutorial: If you’re in Category A: Start with the Category A<\/strong> steps, then move to B<\/strong>, and finally C<\/strong> if the problem is still being a pest.<\/p>\n
If you’re in Category B: Skip straight to Category B<\/strong>, and move to C<\/strong> if it\u2019s still not fixed. If you’re in Category C: You can jump straight to the Category C<\/strong> steps. Alright, let\u2019s get stuck into it! Make sure you follow these steps carefully.<\/p>\n
How to Fix a Missing WiFi Icon (Category A)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
When we say the WiFi is “missing,” we mean the icon has completely ghosted you\u2014it\u2019s nowhere to be seen in your taskbar, like in the picture below. This usually happens right after you\u2019ve made the jump from Windows 10 to Windows 11.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To get that icon back where it belongs, give these steps a burl:<\/p>\n
First up, let\u2019s make sure the icon isn’t just playing hide-and-seek. It might not be an error; it could just be that the shortcut is hidden. Click the pencil icon (Edit quick settings) at the bottom of your screen. Click “Add”<\/em><\/strong> and select “Wi-Fi”<\/strong><\/em> from the list to pin it back to your menu. (Check the image below to see what I mean).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Once you see it pop up, hit “Done.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
If that didn’t do the trick and the WiFi option isn’t even in the “Add” list, it\u2019s time for Plan B:<\/p>\n
1.<\/strong> Go to your taskbar, click the search icon, and type in “Internet Options.”<\/em><\/strong> Give that a click to open it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
2.<\/strong> A little pop-up menu will appear. Look for the “Advanced”<\/strong><\/em> tab at the top and head over there. Down the bottom, you\u2019ll see a button that says “Restore advanced settings.”<\/em><\/strong> Go ahead and click that.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
3.<\/strong> Hit “Apply,”<\/strong><\/em> then click “OK”<\/em><\/strong> to seal the deal.<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve done that, close any apps you don’t need (you can keep this browser window open, though!) and let\u2019s move straight into Category B.<\/p>\n
How to Fix WiFi Networks Not Showing Up (Category B)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
If your WiFi icon is there but the laptop acts like there isn’t a single network in the world, give these steps a go:<\/p>\n
1.<\/strong> Click on your taskbar search, type “Control Panel”<\/em><\/strong>, and open it up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
2.<\/strong> Head into “Network and Internet”<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
3.<\/strong> Select “Network and Sharing Center”<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4<\/strong>. Over on the top-left, click the link that says “Change adapter settings”<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5.<\/strong> Find the icon labelled “Wi-Fi”<\/em><\/strong>. Right-click it and hit “Enable”<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0If it\u2019s already enabled, try the old “off and on again”<\/em> trick. Right-click, hit “Disable”<\/em><\/strong>, wait a few seconds, then right-click and “Enable”<\/em><\/strong> it again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6.<\/strong> Close everything and restart your laptop.<\/p>\n
If Category A and B still haven’t sorted you out, don’t throw your laptop out the window just yet\u2014we\u2019re moving on to the heavy lifting in Category C.<\/p>\n
WiFi Won\u2019t Connect or “No Internet”? (Category C)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
This tier is for the stubborn problems. If you’ve tried the Windows troubleshooter and it spat out an error like “experiencing driver- or hardware-related problems,”<\/em> then this is the fix for you. We\u2019re going to tackle this from the software side by reinstalling your drivers.<\/p>\n
Now, here\u2019s the catch-22<\/em>: You need to download a driver, but your WiFi isn’t working. No worries! You’ve got a few options to get around this:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Borrow a mate\u2019s laptop: Download the driver there and move it to your laptop using a USB stick or Bluetooth.<\/li>\n
- Use your phone: Download the file on your smartphone and send it to your laptop via Bluetooth or a cable.<\/li>\n
- USB Tethering: Plug your phone into your laptop via USB and use your phone’s data as a temporary “modem” to get the laptop online.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now, let’s find the right driver. You need to head to the official website of whoever made your laptop. Don’t go to some dodgy third-party site! You can find what you need on Google by searching:<\/p>\n
Driver [Laptop Brand<\/span>] [Laptop Model Number<\/span>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
For example, I\u2019m using an ASUS Zenbook UX434FLC. So, I\u2019d head to asus.com, hit the search icon, type in “UX434FLC”, and find the support page for that specific model.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019re on the manufacturer’s product support page, look for a tab that says “Drivers & Tools”<\/em><\/strong> (or something similar).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pick your OS: Make sure you select Windows 11 so you get the right software for your gear.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Find the WiFi Driver: You’ll usually find this under a “Networking”<\/em> or “Wireless”<\/em> category. Look for names like “WLAN”<\/em> or “Wireless LAN.”<\/em><\/p>\n
Grab the most recent version based on the release date. Sometimes you might need to click “See All Downloads”<\/em> if the WLAN driver is buried under other networking stuff. Hit “Download”<\/em> and you\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Now, let\u2019s get it installed:<\/p>\n
1.<\/strong> Double-click the file you just grabbed. When the setup wizard pops up, just hit “Next.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
2.<\/strong> On the License Agreement<\/em> page, tick “I accept the agreement”<\/strong><\/em> and click “Next.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
3.<\/strong> Tick “Install”<\/em><\/strong> and click “Next”<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4.<\/strong> On the “Information”<\/em> page, click “Next”<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5.<\/strong> Once you’re ready, click “Install”<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6.<\/strong> The install should only take a few seconds. Once it\u2019s done, the most important step is to restart your laptop. Choose “Restart the computer now”<\/em><\/strong> and click “Finish.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After your laptop boots back up, try connecting to your WiFi. With any luck, you should be back online and sorted!<\/p>\n
Still Having Trouble? (The Advanced Fix)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
If all those steps doesn’t fix the WiFi issue, we need to try a “clean” install. This means deleting the old driver before we install the new one.<\/p>\n
1.<\/strong> Type “Device Manager”<\/em> into your search bar and open it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
2.<\/strong> Look for “Network adapters”<\/em> and double-click it. Find your WiFi driver\u2014it\u2019ll usually have “WLAN,”<\/em> “802.11,”<\/em> or “Wireless AC”<\/em> in the name. Right-click it and hit “Properties.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
3.<\/strong> Go to the “Driver”<\/em><\/strong> tab and click “Uninstall Device.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4.<\/strong> Once that\u2019s done, go back and follow the installation steps in Category C<\/strong> from step 1 again.<\/p>\n
What If Nothing Works?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
If you\u2019ve tried everything and your WiFi is still cactus, you might be looking at the “Nuclear Option”: a full factory reset. This is a massive pain because it will wiping all your data and takes heaps of time, but it\u2019s the final software step you can take.<\/p>\n
If a factory reset doesn’t do the trick, then it\u2019s likely a hardware gremlin. If you\u2019re a bit tech-savvy, you could try opening up the laptop, popping out the WiFi module, and giving the gold connectors a gentle wipe with a pencil eraser (rubber) to clean off any grit. Or, you can simply swapping out the WiFi module with the new one. And hey, this step is doable without factory reset.<\/p>\n
But if you’re not comfortable poking around inside, don’t risk it. Take it to a local repair shop or, if it\u2019s still under warranty, give the manufacturer a buzz and lodge a claim. Hope this gets you back on the web! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In this post, we\u2019re tackling one of the most frustrating tech headaches out there: WiFi issues on Windows 11. If your laptop is acting up and refusing to get you on the web, you\u2019ve come to the right place. This guide is designed to work for pretty much any laptop running Windows 11. Whether you\u2019ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":61,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,47],"tags":[48,50,49],"class_list":["post-57","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-tutorials","tag-how-to","tag-how-to-fix","tag-wifi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64,"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57\/revisions\/64"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techijau.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}