Welcome guest. Before posting on our computer help forum, you must register. Click here it's easy and free.

Author Topic: WiFi not working (NIC not showing in device manager)  (Read 2882 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

alexd0100

    Topic Starter


    Rookie

    • Certifications: List
    • Experience: Experienced
    • OS: Linux variant
    WiFi not working (NIC not showing in device manager)
    « on: May 29, 2018, 08:13:26 PM »
    HP Pavilion dv6 with Intel i7 chip and Centrino Wireless-N 1000 network adapter.

    It does have the NIC inside the laptop case (I checked, including connections)

    I checked Device Manager and that adapter is not listed. Btw, other adapters, i.e. Bluetooth, do show up.

    I connected computer using a LAN cable and it worked (it needed to install some controller though) but I need to use WiFi instead.

    I figure it has something to do with the drivers, but maybe it is a different problem altogether.

    Any tips?

    Geek-9pm


      Mastermind
    • Geek After Dark
    • Thanked: 1026
      • Gekk9pm bnlog
    • Certifications: List
    • Computer: Specs
    • Experience: Expert
    • OS: Windows 10
    Re: WiFi not working (NIC not showing in device manager)
    « Reply #1 on: May 29, 2018, 08:31:23 PM »
    Not in device manager? Was it ever?

    Just get an external adapter that goes into a USB slot.
    These are now sold everywhere. Try Walmart.
    You can buy one under $10 that works almost the same as the high price models.

    Mark.



      Adviser
    • Forum Regular
    • Thanked: 67
      • Yes
    • Certifications: List
    • Computer: Specs
    • Experience: Experienced
    • OS: Windows 10
    Re: WiFi not working (NIC not showing in device manager)
    « Reply #2 on: May 29, 2018, 08:33:23 PM »
    what's recently happened to lose the wifi adapter driver?
    Windows upgrade or update?

    2 choices.
     visit the HP website and download the drivers for your laptop make/model, that wifi card and for your Windows version.
    or
     get a USB wifi adapter for about $AUD20 if all else fails.  (been there, done that)

    alexd0100

      Topic Starter


      Rookie

      • Certifications: List
      • Experience: Experienced
      • OS: Linux variant
      Re: WiFi not working (NIC not showing in device manager)
      « Reply #3 on: May 30, 2018, 10:05:52 PM »
      @Mark,

      Now that you mention it, I did a rollback to Windows 7 (the original OS) since I needed to delete everything in the computer AND I do not like Windows 10 (the previous owner had upgraded).

      I used the copy in the recovery partition. I am not sure if the WiFi adapter was working before, but I do know that the previous owner had the computer connected to the Internet with a LAN cable. I do not know whether that affected the drivers or to what extent, but I think it is unlikely. Maybe the computer was already presenting some issues since I got it for free.

      alexd0100

        Topic Starter


        Rookie

        • Certifications: List
        • Experience: Experienced
        • OS: Linux variant
        Re: WiFi not working (NIC not showing in device manager)
        « Reply #4 on: May 30, 2018, 10:08:10 PM »
        @Geek-9pm

        I figure that's the last resort. :)