Wi-Fi adapter dead on new Win 10 computer?

Wayne Larmon · Oct 18, 2015

I just got a Win 10 Dell Inspiron from Best Buy and the wif-fi adapter seems dead. This is my first Win 10 computer. But Win 10 doesn't seem that much different than what I am used to with Win 7 and 8.1. (And older--I started with Win 1.0)

It seemed to wake up fine and the wi-fi adapter worked for the initial setup. But then wi-fi quickly stopped working and now the wi-fi adapter seems to act like it isn't there. It doesn't show up in Device Manager and doesn't show up as an adapter in "change adapter settings" (All that is in "change adapter settings" is the Bluetooth adapter.)

The quickstart sheet says to press Fn/Prt Scr to turn wireless off and on. This doesn't help.

I rebooted several time. The first reboot took a long time and eventually it said something about a hardware error. But subsequent reboots were faster and I didn't see that error message again.

I also fiddled with "airplane mode" and that didn't help.

I've been through both the regular Control Panel and the Metro (?) version of Control Panel that has a few more options. The Metro version has a wi-fi on/off toggle. Every time I go to that dialog W-fi is "off" I turn it "On", but this doesn't help. When I go back to the dialog wi-fi is set to "Off" again.

Is there something else I can try? Or should I assume that it is DOA and needs to be returned to Best Buy?

TIA

Wayne

malch · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne Larmon said:
Is there something else I can try? Or should I assume that it is DOA and needs to be returned to Best Buy?

Not much. In your situation, I would just quickly try one of the USB WiFi adapters that I have lying around. If that worked, I'd definitely assume the integrated adapter was toast and return.

Good luck!

WIMorrison · Oct 18, 2015

A lot of laptops have a switch on them to disable the wifi adapter and when this is set then you will not see the adapter in the control panel and it won't work.

Don't know if or where your machine has a switch, but it does sound like you have switched it off.

ericN2 · Oct 18, 2015

WIMorrison said:
A lot of laptops have a switch on them to disable the wifi adapter and when this is set then you will not see the adapter in the control panel and it won't work.

Don't know if or where your machine has a switch, but it does sound like you have switched it off.

Wayne Larmon · Oct 18, 2015

ericN2 said:
WIMorrison said:

A lot of laptops have a switch on them to disable the wifi adapter and when this is set then you will not see the adapter in the control panel and it won't work.

Don't know if or where your machine has a switch, but it does sound like you have switched it off.

--
Iain Morrison LRPS CPAGB
wimorrison.co.uk

Click to expand...

On my Dell with 8.1 the Wi-Fi key is on the top keyboard row between the F12 & PrntScn keys. It does work on mine..but it's not exactly "instant" so give it a second or two after hitting the key..but it DOES switch it..so if yours doesn't..I'd be a bit concerned..

As I said in my OP, "The quickstart sheet says to press Fn/Prt Scr to turn wireless off and on. This doesn't help."

So I guess it goes back. Thanks, all.

Wayne

Jim Cockfield · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne, if pressing and holding the function key while pressing down the Prt-Scr key (where you'll see an icon for wireless) doesn't turn it on, try a "real" shutdown of windows for starters.

Basically, "right click" on the start menu button and use the shutdown choice you'll see (not the one you'll see using a left click under power). Then, see if wireless is working when you boot into Windows again.

Windows 8.x and 10 do not "really" perform a full shutdown of Windows in most cases. Instead, they use a "hybrid" shut down that more closely resembles hibernate. As a result, sometimes devices and drivers are not fully initialized, as Windows may try to use the last known state of a device instead (thanks to the way it is not really initializing all devices by using something similar to hibernate to give it faster boot times).

There is a way to disable "fast startup" so that the problems don't occur. I do that with all of my computers running Win 8.x. That way, I have a "real" shut down and make sure all devices are reinitialized again at startup.

See this article on disabling fast start up with Win 8.1. Win 10 should work the same way.

http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-disable-or-enable-fast-startup-in-windows-8-1/

It's hidden in the power button settings, where you have to get to the screen for what the power button does, and then click on the link to change settings that are currently unavailable, uncheck the box for fast startup, and make sure to click the save button at the bottom of that screen.

There are other ways to perform a "real" shutdown. For example, if you "right click" on the Start Menu button and perform a shut down from that menu as I suggested above, it's supposed to perform a complete shutdown. Or, you can hold down the shift key while clicking on shutdown and it should perform a real shutdown that way, too.

In your case, I'd probably try a "right click" on the start menu button and select shut down from that menu.. Then, see if wireless is working again after booting back into windows.

If not, try another shutdown, then remove the battery, wait a minute or two, and reinsert it before starting up Windows.

Sometimes, a device can "hang" in the wrong state in a way that a battery removal is needed to fix it.

I've had to do that on two different occasions in the past year with an HP laptop before Wireless was recognized again, where removing and inserting the laptop battery fixed it.

I also have a Dell Inspiron 15 laptop with a touch screen with Win 8.1 on it (in a dual boot config with lnux).

I haven't had any issues with it's wireless. However I do have fast startup disabled, as that is one of the first things I change with computers running Win 8.x to make sure Windows is performing a "real" shutdown, and that all devices are fully initialized again during each Windows startup.

--
JimC
------

rd52 · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne, I have Win7 and don't know if you can or if it is even possible in 10. Just wondering if in device manager you right clicked computer and tried scan for hardware changes?

guido1953 · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne Larmon said:
ericN2 said:

WIMorrison said:

A lot of laptops have a switch on them to disable the wifi adapter and when this is set then you will not see the adapter in the control panel and it won't work.

Don't know if or where your machine has a switch, but it does sound like you have switched it off.

--
Iain Morrison LRPS CPAGB
wimorrison.co.uk

Click to expand...

On my Dell with 8.1 the Wi-Fi key is on the top keyboard row between the F12 & PrntScn keys. It does work on mine..but it's not exactly "instant" so give it a second or two after hitting the key..but it DOES switch it..so if yours doesn't..I'd be a bit concerned..

Click to expand...

As I said in my OP, "The quickstart sheet says to press Fn/Prt Scr to turn wireless off and on. This doesn't help."

So I guess it goes back. Thanks, all.

Wayne

Hi Wayne:

You have turned WIFI on the notebook.

Now: Go into settings>network & internet and use the slider switch to "turn wifi on" and you will activate WIFI in the OS. Now you connect to your Lan. You should be cookin with gas.

Regards,

Guido

ADMint · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne Larmon said:
Is there something else I can try? Or should I assume that it is DOA and needs to be returned to Best Buy?

In keeping things so very simple without writing a novel...

1) - If the laptop is still under warranty return it and have it looked at, or...

2) - Check for a driver update. With Windows 10 forced updates, it "may" have did some updates and overwritten the driver. Check out Dell's site and find the Wi-Fi driver for your device and install it.

If that doesn't work, I really suggest you send it back to Best Buy and let them look at, especially if it's still under warranty. It'll be a lot quicker, and you should have a definitive answer.

Peace.

GegeNY · Oct 18, 2015

Windows Key on keyboard + A key, then click Wi_Fi in the little windows Action Center that show up at right

tcg550 · Oct 18, 2015

If the laptop is brand new from the store, instead of packing it up and taking a trip to Bestbuy or asking on a PC forum on a photography forum why not just call Dell?

They should be able to tell you pretty quick if it's defective or just disabled.

I recently bought a security camera with a built in micro sd card. It would not recognize any card I put in. I searched the internet and there were lots of forum posts with 20 different solutions. Instead of fiddling with it I called the manufacturer who determined it was defective and sent me a free shipping label for the return.

A lot easier than banging my head against the wall trying to figure out if it was me or the card or the camera.

Good luck and let us know what the solution turns out to be.

Wayne Larmon · Oct 18, 2015

Jim Cockfield said:
If not, try another shutdown, then remove the battery, wait a minute or two, and reinsert it before starting up Windows.

Sometimes, a device can "hang" in the wrong state in a way that a battery removal is needed to fix it.

I've had to do that on two different occasions in the past year with an HP laptop before Wireless was recognized again, where removing and inserting the laptop battery fixed it.

Unfortunately, the battery isn't removable in this model. I did disable the fast start option as you suggested and shut it down, waited a few minutes and powered it up again. But it still has the problem.

I tried all the suggestions that others in this thread said. I toggled FN/PrtScr (which seems to toggle in and out of airplane mode), and went into the Metro (for want of a better term) network settings and toggled airplane mode and wireless off/on. No matter how many times I turned wireless on, it turns right off again.

And in the classic control panel Network Connections window, all I see is the Bluetooth adapter--no Wi-fi adapter at all. Ditto for Device Manager.

It is going back to Best Buy tomorrow.

Thanks all.

Wayne

Mark H · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne Larmon said:
I tried all the suggestions that others in this thread said. I toggled FN/PrtScr (which seems to toggle in and out of airplane mode), and went into the Metro (for want of a better term) network settings and toggled airplane mode and wireless off/on. No matter how many times I turned wireless on, it turns right off again.

And in the classic control panel Network Connections window, all I see is the Bluetooth adapter--no Wi-fi adapter at all. Ditto for Device Manager.

It's certainly a bit odd that there is still the facility to turn 'Wi-Fi' on or off, given that there doesn't appear to be any 'Wi-Fi' hardware registered/listed in the 'Device Manager'.

Wayne Larmon said:
It is going back to Best Buy tomorrow.

I think that is probably the best route.

If I had such an issue myself, I might be tempted to 'take the back/cover' off of the laptop and have a look for/at any 'Mini-PCIe' Wi-Fi card that might be installed - and maybe unplug/re-insert (N.B. Always fully shutting down, and removing the battery, before, in-between, and after any component removal/reinsertion).

BUT - for most people, taking/sending it back, for the seller to fix, is probably the best option.

guido1953 · Oct 18, 2015

tcg550 said:
If the laptop is brand new from the store, instead of packing it up and taking a trip to Bestbuy or asking on a PC forum on a photography forum why not just call Dell?

They should be able to tell you pretty quick if it's defective or just disabled.

I recently bought a security camera with a built in micro sd card. It would not recognize any card I put in. I searched the internet and there were lots of forum posts with 20 different solutions. Instead of fiddling with it I called the manufacturer who determined it was defective and sent me a free shipping label for the return.

A lot easier than banging my head against the wall trying to figure out if it was me or the card or the camera.

Good luck and let us know what the solution turns out to be.

Good idea tcg, provided that the Dell customer service contact is more capable then the OP.

Jim Cockfield · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne Larmon said:
Unfortunately, the battery isn't removable in this model. I did disable the fast start option as you suggested and shut it down, waited a few minutes and powered it up again. But it still has the problem.

I tried all the suggestions that others in this thread said. I toggled FN/PrtScr (which seems to toggle in and out of airplane mode), and went into the Metro (for want of a better term) network settings and toggled airplane mode and wireless off/on. No matter how many times I turned wireless on, it turns right off again.

And in the classic control panel Network Connections window, all I see is the Bluetooth adapter--no Wi-fi adapter at all. Ditto for Device Manager.

It is going back to Best Buy tomorrow.

Thanks all.

Wayne

Yea... I hate it that more manufacturers are starting to do that (batteries that are not user replaceable). My latest mobile phone is like that, too (battery is not user replaceable). But, I guess that's one way to save space, depending on the internal layout.

Wayne..after a bit of google searching, I've found a number of posts indicating issues with Windows 10 power settings, where wireless adapters are being disabled (turned off) after a while. But, some users report that when they leave their laptop shut down over night, the wireless works again for a short time before shutting off.

IOW, it sounds like the features to turn off WiFi to conserve poser may still have some bugs that need working out if it is not coming back on again when needed.

Anything is possible. But, given the large number of complaints I'm seeing in forums about similar wireless issues with Windows 10 (from users of a wide variety of laptop brands/models), I'd suspect that your issue is not bad hardware, and is related to drivers or settings instead.

Windows 10 is new, and it's probably going to take a while before all of the "kinks" are worked out. It looks like your Inspiron 15 (7568 series) model is probably using an Intel "half size" PCIe card internally for Wireless AC and Bluetooth. That's typical for Dell Laptops with Wireless AC. The listing you linked to should be identical to this config:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/i...i157nw10h009&model_id=inspiron-15-7568-laptop

I'd probably make sure the correct wireless driver is installed for starters, trying the one from Dell's support pages first, in case Windows Update overwrote it with a driver that is causing issues. If wireless isn't working to start with, then you may need to use a wired connection temporarily. Here's the Win 10 wireless driver on Dell's support pages for the Intel Wireless AC/Bluetooth card included with the 7568 series Inspiron 15 models.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us...-15-7568-laptop&languageCode=EN&categoryId=NI

If the card is disabled so that you can't change settings for it, then you may find that if you shut it down overnight, the wireless may be visible again for a short time so you can check for the correct driver and change settings.

Getting back to the possible power settings related issues... you say the airplane mode toggle using Function+PrtScr seems to work, but it turns right back off again... That sounds like the chipset is being detected, at least briefly.

If the Dell tested driver for the Wireless doesn't fix it, before you take it back to Best Buy, I'd suggest checking some of the power related settings while it is working (keeping fingers crossed that it will have similar symptoms reported by other users of Windows 10 with Wireless issues, in that it may work for a while again after being shut down overnight before the wireless is turned off again)

See this post from a Dell M3800 user that found power settings that appear to have fixed similar WiFi related issues with Windows 10, basically changing the settings so that WiFi and PCIe links are not being automatically disabled:

http://www.tenforums.com/network-sh...ed-after-windows-10-upgrade-2.html#post351267

Note that if the PCIe links to it are being disabled due to intel chipset related settings, then that could also explain while the wireless chipset is not visible. So, if it were my laptop, I'd try the settings mentioned in that post.

Also see the following post about how someone found that reverting to an older driver solved problems.

So, those are some areas to look at... make sure the Dell tested driver is installed, and then make sure to disable anything in the power related settings for the Intel PCIe chipset and WiFi chipset drivers that may be turning off WiFi (or the PCIe lanes the WiFi chipset is using).

You may also want to give Dell Support a call and let them help out. If you have a wired connection, they should be able to access it remotely, and they may have seen this issue before and know how to solve it.

--
JimC
------

guido1953 · Oct 18, 2015

Jim Cockfield said:
Wayne Larmon said:

Unfortunately, the battery isn't removable in this model. I did disable the fast start option as you suggested and shut it down, waited a few minutes and powered it up again. But it still has the problem.

I tried all the suggestions that others in this thread said. I toggled FN/PrtScr (which seems to toggle in and out of airplane mode), and went into the Metro (for want of a better term) network settings and toggled airplane mode and wireless off/on. No matter how many times I turned wireless on, it turns right off again.

And in the classic control panel Network Connections window, all I see is the Bluetooth adapter--no Wi-fi adapter at all. Ditto for Device Manager.

It is going back to Best Buy tomorrow.

Thanks all.

Wayne

Click to expand...

Yea... I hate it that more manufacturers are starting to do that (batteries that are not user replaceable). My latest mobile phone is like that, too (battery is not user replaceable). But, I guess that's one way to save space, depending on the internal layout.

Wayne..after a bit of google searching, I've found a number of posts indicating issues with Windows 10 power settings, where wireless adapters are being disabled (turned off) after a couple of hours. But, some users report that when they leave their laptop shut down over night, the wireless works again for a couple of hours before shutting off.

IOW, it sounds like the features to turn off WiFi to conserve poser may still have some bugs that need working out if it is not coming back on again when needed.

Anything is possible. But, given the large number of complaints I'm seeing in forums about similar wireless issues with Windows 10 (from users of a wide variety of laptop brands/models), I'd suspect that your issue is not bad hardware, and is related to drivers or settings instead.

Windows 10 is new, and it's probably going to take a while before all of the "kinks" are worked out. It looks like your Inspiron 15 (7568 series) model is probably using an Intel "half size" PCIe card internally for Wireless AC and Bluetooth. That's typical for Dell Laptops with Wireless AC. The listing you linked to should be identical to this config:

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/i...i157nw10h009&model_id=inspiron-15-7568-laptop

I'd probably make sure the correct wireless driver is installed for starters, trying the one from Dell's support pages first, in case Windows Update overwrote it with a driver that is causing issues. If wireless isn't working to start with, then you may need to use a wired connection temporarily. Here's the Win 10 driver on Dell's support pages for the Intel Wireless AC card included with the 7568 series Inspiron 15 models.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us...-15-7568-laptop&languageCode=EN&categoryId=NI

If the card is disabled so that you can't change settings for it, then you may find that if you shut it down overnight, the wireless may be visible again for a short time so you can check for the correct driver and change settings.

Getting back to the possible power settings related issues... you say the airplane mode toggle using Function+PrtScr seems to work, but it turns right back off again... That sounds like the chipset is being detected, at least briefly.

If the Dell tested driver for the Wireless doesn't fix it, before you take it back to Best Buy, I'd suggest checking some of the power related settings while it is working (keeping fingers crossed that it will have similar symptoms reported by other users of Windows 10 with Wireless issues, in that it may work for a while again after being shut down overnight before the wireless is turned off again)

See this post from a Dell M3800 user that found power settings that appear to have fixed similar WiFi related issues with Windows 10, basically changing the settings so that WiFi and PCIe links are not being automatically disabled:

http://www.tenforums.com/network-sh...ed-after-windows-10-upgrade-2.html#post351267

Note that if the PCIe links to it are being disabled due to intel chipset related settings, then that could also explain while the wireless chipset is not visible. So, if it were my laptop, I'd try the settings mentioned in that post.

Also see the following post about how someone found that reverting to an older driver solved problems.

So, those are some areas to look at... make sure the Dell tested driver is installed, and then make sure to disable anything in the power related settings for the Intel PCIe chipset and WiFi chipset drivers that may be turning off WiFi (or the PCIe lanes the WiFi chipset is using).

You may also want to give Dell Support a call and let them help out. If you have a wired connection, they should be able to access it remotely, and they may have seen this issue before and know how to solve it.

gscotten · Oct 18, 2015

In the search box type "Device Manager" (or as much as you need to see it.) Open "Network Adapters" and double-click on your wifi adapter. Select the "Power Management" tab, and un-check the boxes allowing the computer to turn off the device to save power and/or to wake up the computer.

Worked for me.

guido1953 · Oct 18, 2015

gscotten said:
In the search box type "Device Manager" (or as much as you need to see it.) Open "Network Adapters" and double-click on your wifi adapter. Select the "Power Management" tab, and un-check the boxes allowing the computer to turn off the device to save power and/or to wake up the computer.

Worked for me.

--
George

Thanks George:

Hope the OP reads this. Thanks, again.

Best Regards,

Guido

malch · Oct 18, 2015

gscotten said:
In the search box type "Device Manager" (or as much as you need to see it.) Open "Network Adapters" and double-click on your wifi adapter. Select the "Power Management" tab, and un-check the boxes allowing the computer to turn off the device to save power and/or to wake up the computer.

Worked for me.

Ahhhh, good one.

Device power management and ACPI, although desirable features, can be a real PITA these days. I will not be a tiny bit surprised if this fixes the OP's problem.

Jim Cockfield · Oct 18, 2015

Wayne:

Since you already know how to get into Device Manager and more, I suspect you'll have no problems following the instructions in the post I linked to in my previous post to this thread. this post:

http://www.tenforums.com/network-sh...windows-10-upgrade-post351267.html#post351267

I'll go ahead and quote it here, so that others can see what it says about it:

start quote:

Hi There.

I have the similar issues, apart from the Wi-Fi seems to sometimes work and then just disappears!!
Really annoying....

I am running a Dell M3800 with a clean install of Windows 10 Pro x64.

The info below seems to have worked for my issue thus far.......
Steps that I have taken include:
: Disabling "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" from the device settings (Device Manager)
: Edited the Power Plan from control panel and set the 'Wireless adapter- power savings' to "Maximum Performance"
: Edited the Power Plan from control panel and set 'PCI Express Link- State Power Management' to "OFF".

This appears to have resolved the issue so far.
The WiFi was switching itself off after around 20 minutes to an hour, but 2 hours in and seems to be stable.
Will let u know if anything changes.
Good luck....

end quote

But, just in case you have any issues finding all of the settings (under power plan settings and under device manager properties), and so that other readers understand how to find those settings, here are some screen captures that may be helpful.

First, if you "right click" on the Windows 10 Start Menu button, you'll see choice for Control Panel. Click on Control Panel and choose Power Options.

That will bring you to a screen like this one that lets you choose the power plans your laptop uses.

Click on the Change Power Plan link for the plan you're using and that will bring you to screen with plan settings. Then click on the link to "Change advanced power settings", and you'll see a screen like this next one.

Note where I've expanded the Wireless Adapter Settings section (by clicking on +) and drilled down to the "Power Saving Mode" section. I'd suggest setting that to Maximum Performance when on battery and when plugged in if you want to duplicate the settings used by the poster I linked to.

Then, expand the PCI Express section and you can drill down to the :Link State Power Management setting that the poster I linked to changed to Off (and I'd set it to off when on battery and when plugged in to prevent Windows from turning off your PCI Express Links that the Wireless Adapter is probably using).

You'll see those sections and settings on this screen capture:

Then, go into Device Manager (and you can get it by "right clicking" on the Start Menu button and selecting the menu option for Device Manager.

Find your Wireless Adapter in the list of available components, right click on it, select "Properties", and you should find a tab for Power Management.

When you select that tab, uncheck the box you should find labelled "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power"

Here's an example below of that tab for an Intel Pro/1000 MT Desktop adapter (wired). Your Intel Pro 3165 Wireless adapter should have a similar tab for power management you'll find when looking at it's properties from Device Manager.

Again, as discussed in my last post, if the adapter is not visible under device manager, try shutting down the computer overnight and see if it's visible when you first boot into Windows again (as I've seen that symptom reported by Windows 10 users) so you can change it before it's turned off again.

Also, If it's not visible, I'd probably try reinstalling the Dell approved driver for your Intel Wireless AC chipset, too (see link to it in my previous post), as reinstalling it may reset settings and make the chipset visible again. It's also possible it was hanged to a driver that doesn't work by Windows update. You may even want to do that first (reinstall the driver). You can get that driver here:

Loading…

www.dell.com

But, if you do that (reinstall the driver), I'd go through all of the power related settings mentioned again, to make sure they did not revert to where the OS is disabling the adapter to save power.

I'd also make sure to use a "real" shut down by "right clicking" on the start menu button and selecting "shut down or sign out>shut down", and/or make sure fast startup is disabled when you shut it down if you did not leave it that way (see article linked to in my first post).

--
JimC
------

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