How You Can Fix a Wi-Fi Connection Not Showing on Windows 11: 7 Ways To Recover It.
How You Can Fix a Wi-Fi Connection Not Showing on Windows 11: 7 Ways To Recover It.
Whether you're using Windows 11 or 10, a Wi-Fi connection that isn't showing up can be frustrating, especially when you don't know how to fix it!
In this blog post, we'll go over seven different ways that you can try to recover your Wi-Fi connection. No matter what your issue is, we're confident that one of these methods will help get you back online in no time. So please keep reading as we walk you through each of them!
1. Wireless Network Card Driver Corrupted
The first thing you want to check on is your wireless connection status. If you don't see the wireless icon in the system tray, then you can try to re-enable it or replace the network card driver.
Driver corruption is the common cause of network failure. When a driver becomes corrupt, it no longer functions in its intended manner. This could result from a viral infection or simply a faulty installation of software. If a driver becomes corrupt, then it has to be reinstalled. However, if you're unable to access the internet through your Wi-Fi connection, reinstalling the driver can be difficult.
Suppose your PC is connected to the internet via LAN cable, and you have another computer available with Wi-Fi access. In that case, you can use that computer to download and transfer the latest drivers for your network adapter. Here's how:
Install the most recent drivers for your network card from your manufacturer's website (you can usually find this information from the sticker at the bottom of your laptop). If you don't know who manufactured your network adapter (e.g., Realtek), you may have to look up its Hardware ID through Device Manager and manually search for it online.
2. Network Discovery Is Turned Off
Network Discovery is a Windows feature that lets you see other computers and devices on a network. If it's turned off, your PC is invisible to other devices on the network, which can cause connection problems. Follow these steps:
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type in services.msc, and press Enter to open the Services window.
- Double-click Network Discovery in the list of services.
- If the Startup type is Disabled, change it to Automatic (Delayed Start).
- Click Start if it is not running.
- Click OK in the Network Discovery Properties window, then close the Services window.
3. The Wi-Fi Connection is Out of Range
Turn the PC on and connect to the internet by double-clicking the wireless connection icon in the system tray to solve this problem. It's a small icon like a computer screen with radio waves.
In the Wireless Network Properties dialog box, change the Network Authentication from WPA2-Personal to WPA2 Enterprise and set Data Encryption to AES. Enter your network name in the SSID field.
Click OK.
4. You Are Too Far From The Wi-Fi Router
If your Wi-Fi connection is still not showing up, you may be too far away from the router. Even though your device may detect the signal, it may not be strong enough to connect.
You can move closer to the router and see if you can connect to the network. You can also use a Wi-Fi extender to extend the signal and make it accessible for your device.
If you are connected to the router but still cannot connect to the Internet, there might be something wrong with your router. Restart the router and see if this helps solve the problem.
5. Using Windows 11 Troubleshooter
In some instances, the Wi-Fi not showing up on Windows 11 issue may be related to the settings of your computer. Some of your settings may be changed by mistake or by malware.
To fix this problem, you can use the Windows 11 Troubleshooting tool. This tool will look for the causes of your problem and will automatically fix them. To use it, do the following:
Go to Control Panel. >> Click on Troubleshooting. >> Click on View all. >> Select Network Adapter Troubleshooter. >> Follow the instructions on your screen.
6. Resetting Winsock Catalog
If you are still having Wi-Fi connection problems, it might be time to try resetting your Winsock catalog. Winsock is short for Windows socket API, which allows applications on your computer to open network connections across the Internet through ports and protocols.
You might need to reset your Winsock catalog if you have problems connecting to the Internet or TCP/IP applications. This can be done by:
- Open an elevated command prompt window.
- Reset or flush the DNS resolver cache.
- Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.
- Then type in netsh winsock reset catalog and press Enter.
- Reboot your computer to save changes.
7. Restarting PC
This is probably the easiest solution to fix a Wi-Fi connection not showing on Windows 11, as it's something that you can do with just one click.
This is also a simple step to check if the issue is with your router or the computer.
If you are using a laptop, you can restart it using the power button.
If you are using a desktop computer, you can unplug the power cable and leave it unplugged for at least 15 seconds. After that, plug in the cable and start your system.
In the case of a router, you can unplug it from the socket and leave it for more than a minute before plugging it back in.
Once you have restarted your system, check if your Wi-Fi connection is working normally or not.
We hope one of these solutions has helped you get your Wi-Fi connection back up and running. There are several ways you can troubleshoot and fix the problem.
We've outlined seven common solutions for you here, so try them one by one until you find the one that works for you. And if all else fails, remember that you can always call in a professional to help. Thanks for reading, and happy surfing!
