Forum Discussion
WiFi icon not showing; unable to connect to any wifi network
So in my Dell gaming laptop, the WiFi icon in the taskbar suddenly did not appear.
I tried the following solutions and neither worked:
- Performed a clean reboot
- Uninstalling and reinstalling the WiFi driver
- Searched in if the Wi Fi icon was just disabled
- Installed a new driver from the Intel Website and restarted the computer (which only worked temporarily but later it didn't)
13 Replies
What did you do before this issue happened?
Is the issue fixed by updating the WiFi and WLan device driver?
Yes, somehow I managed to fix it by installing AMD drivers from the motherboard brand website despite having an Intel based system. Im no expert when it comes to programs and drivers but I wished they made it clearer.
I don't know if anyone can help me but I have a similar issue. I think Windows auto-updated when I was shutting down my desktop pc. The next day I had no wifi connections. I have the same orange triangle next to the Intel Wi-Fi 6 under network adapters. I tried uninstalling and getting new drivers but it keeps on giving me Code 10 Device cannot start in its status.
It might be worthwhile trying to uninstall the Windows update and see if this corrects it?
- Some laptops have a physical switch or a keyboard shortcut (like Fn + F2 or a dedicated button) that disables/enables WiFi. Make sure it's turned on.
- You need to update the internet adapter drive immediately!
1. Check Physical WiFi Switch:
Some laptops have a physical switch or keyboard shortcut (usually a function key like F2, F3, or F12) to turn WiFi on and off. Make sure WiFi is enabled.
2.Restart the Computer:
A simple restart can often fix temporary glitches with the WiFi adapter or the operating system.
3.Check Airplane Mode:
Ensure that Airplane mode is turned off. Sometimes, this can disable all wireless communications.- Make sure the WiFi switch on your device is on then restart your computer, phone or router to check if the problem persists. Check Airplane Mode: Make sure Airplane Mode is not enabled on the device.
Try updating the network driver: update the wireless card driver in the device manager.
Reset the network perform a network reset in the device settings to restore the default network settings.
Check network services: Make sure the “WLAN AutoConfig” service is running.
Scan for virusesCheck for malware interfering with the network using antivirus software.
Update the operating system to fix possible network problems.
Test connecting to other WiFi networks to confirm if the problem is related to a specific network. - Go to the Device Manager and uninstall the WiFi driver. After that, download the latest driver and install it.
- If your Wi-Fi icon isn't showing and you're unable to connect to a Wi-Fi network, you can try these steps:
- Restart your router and modem
- Update your network adapter
- Reset your network configuration
- Update your wireless and Bluetooth drivers
- Move closer to the router or wireless base station
- Restart your device
- Try resetting your network settings to their default values. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Change adapter options > Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) > Properties > Reset.
