How do I Install missing wireless DRIVERS?

by Vladimir Popescu

Being an artist his entire life while also playing handball at a professional level, Vladimir has also developed a passion for all things computer-related. With an innate fascination... read more

Updated on April 8, 2021

• If the wireless drivers are missing, you won't be able to use the Wi-Fi connection and connect to the Internet.
• The missing Wi-Fi driver can be replaced manually or by using dedicated third-party software.
• Troubleshooting your wireless connection can easily help you solve this problem so try that.
• You should also try using a command-line tool to reset the Winsock settings. Learn how to do that from our guide below.

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Users have reported that their wireless drivers are missing and that they can’t even see the network adapter being activated in the Taskbar.

This issue can be extremely frustrating, as it can deny you access to the Internet, even if it’s working properly.

Here is what one user had to say about this issue on Microsoft Answers:

The Wireless adapter is missing from device manager, much less the network and connections area.  In troubleshoot, the computer simply says a network cable needs to be plugged in. 

There is no wireless choice under network connections.  There is no wireless adapter tab upon right click of Network Adapter in Device Manager. Any help is appreciated. 

In this article, we will explore some of the best troubleshooting methods for dealing with Wi-Fi drivers issue. Scroll down to find out more.

What can I do if the network adapter driver has disappeared?

1. Scan for hardware changes

1. Press Win+X keys on your keyboard and select Device Manager.
2. Click on the View tab and select Show hidden devices.
3. Click on Network Adapters, right-click on the wireless adapter and choose Scan for hardware changes.
4. Close the Device Manager and try to see if this solves your issue.

Scanning for hardware changes on your wireless adapter can solve this problem quickly because the system will find any possible issues and fix them.

2. Update your wireless network driver

1. Press Windows + X keys on your keyboard and select Device Manager.
2. Right-click the wireless adapter and select Update driver.
3. Choose the option Search automatically for updated driver software.
4. Wait for Windows to search and download the driver.

Updating the drivers manually can be a tedious and time-consuming task and the default driver that the system installs may not be the best solution for your network adapter.

Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to corrupted repositories or missing Windows files. If you are having troubles fixing an error, your system may be partially broken.
We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that will scan your machine and identify what the fault is.
Click here to download and start repairing.

Alternatively, you can use third-party tools such as the one recommended below to update all drivers on your PC automatically with just a few clicks.

Some of the most common Windows errors and bugs are a result of old or incompatible drivers. The lack of an up-to-date system can lead to lag, system errors or even BSoDs.
To avoid these types of problems, you can use an automatic tool that will find, download, and install the right driver version on your Windows PC in just a couple of clicks, and we strongly recommend DriverFix. Here’s how to do it:

1. Download and install DriverFix.
2. Launch the application.
3. Wait for DriverFix to detect all your faulty drivers.
4. The software will now show you all the drivers that have issues, and you just need to select the ones you’d liked fixed.
5. Wait for DriverFix to download and install the newest drivers.
6. Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

DriverFix

Drivers will no longer create any problems if you download and use this powerful software today.

Disclaimer: this program needs to be upgraded from the free version in order to perform some specific actions.

3. Troubleshoot your network connection

1. Click on search button inside your taskbar, type troubleshooter, and click on Troubleshoot settings from the results.
2. From the right pane, click on Additional troubleshooters.
3. Click on Internet connections and then click on the Run the troubleshooter button.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete this action.

Although it may seem a little bit too simple, running the Internet Connections troubleshooter fixed the problem for many users so make sure you try it.

4. Reset the Winsock settings using PowerShell

1. Press Windows+X keys and select PowerShell (Admin).
2. Type or copy this command in PowerShell and press Enter: netsh winsock reset
3. Wait for the process to complete and restart your PC.
4. Check if the adapter can now be found in Device Manager and retry the first three solutions.

The PowerShell command may help restore the driver for the network adapter and solve the problem so you should try it, nevertheless.

5. Change your PC’s power management settings

1. Press Win+X keys on your keyboard and open Device Manager.
2. Expand the Network adapters section and double-click the Wi-Fi network adapter.
3. Inside the newly opened window, select the Power Management tab.
4. Deselect the option Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
5. Click the Driver tab and select Enable device, then press OK.

By changing the PCs power management settings, you can fix the problem if the Wi-Fi adapter disappeared so try it out by following the steps above.

In this article, we explored some of the best troubleshooting methods for dealing with the issue caused by the no wireless network adapter issue.

Let us know if this guide helped you, by using the comment section below.

Still having issues? Fix them with this tool:

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If the advices above haven't solved your issue, your PC may experience deeper Windows problems. We recommend downloading this PC Repair tool (rated Great on TrustPilot.com) to easily address them. After installation, simply click the Start Scan button and then press on Repair All.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why did my network driver disappear?

  This is a common problem and the component can’t run without a driver. Check out our list with the best driver updater software for your PC.

• Why is my wireless adapter not showing up?

• How do I reinstall my wireless adapter driver?

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