USB Wi-Fi Adapter Not Working – How to Fix The Issue

Learn how to troubleshoot the USB wireless adapter not working properly on Windows 10.

A stable internet connection is a must for lag-free web surfing, meetings, and more. Due to several reasons, many users face USB Wi-Fi adapters not working correctly. The post explains different ways to troubleshoot the Wi-FI USB adapter issue.

Reasons for Wi-Fi Adapter Not Working

– Wi-Fi is disabled
– Faulty Windows Updates or outdated Windows
– An older version of Network driver
– Corrupt network settings
– The router is placed far from the device
– Windows Firewall is blocking the network access

How To Fix USB Network Adapter Not Working on Windows 10

A USB Wi-Fi adapter helps in a faster internet connection. However, if it is giving issues when connecting to the internet, follow these basic troubleshooting steps:

• Turn off Airplane Mode.
• Restart Wi-Fi Router.
• Turn on Wi-Fi adapter. (try using a switch/key on your keyboard or via control panel)
• Download the latest router firmware. If the above did not help, follow the methods given below:

Method 1 – Make Sure There are no Wireless Network Hindrances

You may be unable to connect to your wireless network for various reasons. If your modem is not correctly positioned, you will not obtain a decent signal, which is something you do not want. Therefore, move your modem to a location near your device and remove the obstacles.

Method 2 – Run Windows Troubleshooter

• Right-click on the Windows logo and select Settings.

• Click Update & Security.
• Click Troubleshooter option > Additional troubleshooters > Network Adapter > Run the troubleshooter.
• Follow the instructions on the screen and complete the process.
• Restart the PC to save changes.

Method 3 – Download The Latest Network Drivers

3.1 Manually Update Network Adapter Driver

• From Windows Quick Menu (Windows + X), select Device Manager.
• Double click the Network Adapter section > right-click wireless network adapter that is giving issues > select Update driver.
• Select Search automatically for driver updates.

If an update is available, it will be downloaded and installed.

However, if this doesn’t sound like fun and you are looking for a more direct approach, we suggest using a driver updater tool. Using it, you can update drivers, take a backup of old drivers, exclude incompatible drivers, and even schedule driver updates. To use it, follow the steps below:

3.2 Update Network Driver Adapter Automatically

• Download and install Advanced Driver Updater.

• Click Start Scan Now to scan the PC for outdated drivers.

• Update the network driver by clicking Update drivers. However, if you are a paid user, you can update all drivers using the Update All button.

• Restart PC to apply changes.

Method 4 – Change Adapter Settings

• Head to Network card properties.
• Find the working wireless card.
• Look for Internet Protocol version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and uncheck IPv6.
• Restart the PC to apply changes.

Method 5 – Unhide Hidden Devices in Device Manager

• Open Device Manager (Windows + X > Device Manager)
• Click the View menu > select Show hidden devices.
• Right-click Network adapters > Scan for hardware changes.

• If you see any new network adapter > double-click on it > Properties > Driver tab and see if it is working fine or not.

Method 6- Reset Wireless Adapter

This is the most straightforward fix. To reset the adapter, press the reset button, or using a thin object, press the reset button. Hold it for 10 seconds and restart the router.

Method 7 – Switch to Full Power Mode

If the PC runs with Power Saving mode, use the below method to switch to full power mode.

• Type Power Plan in the Windows search box.

• Click Change advanced power settings

• Double-click Wireless Adapter Settings > double-click Power Saving Mode > select Maximum Performance.

• Click Apply > Ok to save changes.

Method 8 – Reinstall Network Adapter

• Press Windows + R to open the Run window.
• Type devmgmt.msc< hit the enter key.
• Go to the network adapter, double click to expand it, and find the network adapter.
• Right-click > select Uninstall > restart the PC.
• The default network adapter will now be reinstalled.

Method 9 – Reset TCP /IP

• Run elevated Command Prompt. (Type command prompt in Windows search > right-click Run as administrator.
• Type the following commands:
  netsh int ip reset
  netsh int tcp set heuristics disabled
  netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
  netsh int tcp set global rss=enabled
• Now try to connect.

Method 10 – Reset Winstock Settings |

• Run Command Prompt as administrator
• Enter the following command :

netshwinsock reset

• Wait for the command to run < restart the system to apply changes and see if it helps.

Method 11 – Delete DNI-DNE

• Run Command Prompt as administrator.
• Type netcfg -s n and press Enter.
• You will get a list of network connection-related tools and drivers. Search for DNI_DNE.
• If available copy paste the following commandreg delete HKCRCLSID{988248f3-a1ad-49bf-9170-676cbbc36ba3} /fnetcfg -v -u dni_dne and click ok.
• Restart PC.

Method 12 – Disable and Re-enable Wireless Card

• In the Windows search bar, type network connections.
• Right-click the Wi-Fi connection giving issues > select Disable.

• Wait for a while. Again right-click on it and select Enable.

Wrap Up

After you use the above steps, your Wi-Fi Network Adapter should be working. In case it doesn’t, then try temporarily disabling the firewall. Alongside you can try resetting the PC. To do so, open Windows settings > Update &SEcurity> Recovery > Get Started.

This will set all settings to default, and you will be able to fix the problem. Even after following this, if nothing works, please get the hardware checked. We hope you like the information we’ve shared and were able to fix the issue.

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