Windows 11 Wi-Fi Adapter Disappeared

Anonymous
2022-03-04T11:18:57+00:00

Hi, fellow Windows users.

My wifi is problematic and it started happening since I updated to Windows 11. I've seen people with similar problems in the forums here and even on other websites but after trying (almost) all of their suggested solutions, I still can't solve the problem here. I've tried these solutions, but to no avail: winsock reset, network reset, unchecking "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" in the driver properties, turning all the network settings to default, and all the troubleshooting options available. I would try to be as specific as I could in explaining my problems here.

It happens in a few particular situations, but I can't seem to find what these situations have in common. When playing games like Genshin Impact (online games), Hades (offline games), Overcooked (offline mode), or just being AFK long enough from my laptop, my wifi would disconnect, and then when I try to reconnect it, it would say "Can't connect to this network" while the wifi is actually fine on other devices. And if I'm lucky, I could just use the network troubleshoot and the problem is solved but only temporarily, and it would eventually happen again. And if I'm unlucky, my wifi button would disappear completely and in the Device Manager, my wifi adapter would be "hidden". Then I have to restart my laptop, and if I'm lucky, one restart would fix it, sometimes it takes 3 restarts, but other times the wifi adapter would be completely gone and I have to use "Startup Repairs" from my BIOS menu to fix this (which was a very random solution, but it was one of the myriads of solutions I've looked up, and it actually helped). But weirdly enough, this doesn't happen when I'm playing Minecraft (online games) and Overcooked (online mode).

This was never a problem for me when I'm using Windows 10, but according to what I've read in the forums, many people seemed to have had this problem even when they were using Windows 10. So, I don't know if it's a Windows 11 problem, or my wifi adapter. One thing for sure is I know this is not a problem with my connection, but rather it's my network adapter. So if anyone could help me out, I would really appreciate it.

PS. One thing I haven't successfully done is reinstalling the wifi network adapter, since I couldn't find a proper driver for the installation anywhere on the internet. After uninstalling the network adapter, I've actually downloaded a driver for the installation, but it doesn't help at all. My adapter isn't showing in the Device Manager, and I had to use the "Startup Repairs" from my BIOS menu to actually reinstall my wifi network adapter. My laptop is ASUS TUF A15, running on AMD Ryzen 7 4800H. The network adapter is Realtek 8822CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC. Thank you so much.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-02-06T23:20:38+00:00

    I've seen those who had their problem related to a hardware issue but in my case, as many others, the problem does not lie there : I have not moved nor really interacted with the laptop in itself for quite some. I use a keyboard connected by usb and the laptop sits at the back of the desk. Furthermore, I never had any issue with when it was running under Windows 10.

    When the computer goes to deep sleep, the wi-fi card goes out most of the time but not always. ANd it also goes when I am using the computer but I am not even touching it.

    It is was hardware-related, that would be understandable, but it's not...

    (it went out again as I was writing...)

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-02-06T19:10:48+00:00

    You're correct... re-seating all the time would be a major bother. I forgot to mention that the wi-fi card never disappeared again after the first (and only) re-seat! We've had similar issues with USB-C ethernet devices, and had to change the 'power idle' savings to disabled in those to get some usb-c ethernet devices to stop dropping connections.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-02-06T18:59:21+00:00

    Re-seating the wifi chip helped to me, but I "loose" the wifi again if the laptop goes to deep sleep. You may have not got the issue because the laptop didn't go again to deep sleep? In my case I'm 99% sure it's not a hardware problem but rather some kind of a sleep related firmware+OS issue (it should be impossible to cause the wifi to fall off, but apparently as we see that can happen). Since I exercise those sleep prevention measures I describe in my answer not much above I also haven't experienced this. Re-seating the wifi is cumbersome and would wear out the screws of the laptop, bringing back the situation with Dell BIOS diagnostics is lengthy procedure, so I rather exercise no sleep and always power down at the end of the day and boot up next time. Boot is really not too long (compared to the 90's).

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-02-06T15:13:07+00:00

    This post has been around so long I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but the one laptop we were having this issue with SEEMED to be a physical problem. When we took the wi-fi card out and re-seated it, we never had the issue happen again <shrug>.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-02-04T18:39:17+00:00

    I have the same issue. So far, restarting the computer X times (it's random or else it wouldn't be fun) temporarily fixes the problem.

    It always happen when the computer goes into sleep or it can also happen while i'm actively using it.

    This feature is infuriating, using the computer and then having to restart multiple times at random and without any explanation has made its use unbearable.

    How has Microsoft not figured out the origin of the problem yet, after 1 year. It's not as if it was a specific brand of computer or a specific type of wi-fi adapter !! Thousands of people are being affected by this issue and there's not even a single solution in sight ! Just "reinstall the driver"...

    It's not as if I was computer illiterate. I could try to resolve the problem myself, but Windows has become such a humongus heap of a mess that we can't even fathom how to find the solution to this problem. Only Microsoft can but they are turning a blind eye to this. They are the most valued company in the world but they can't seem to have a working OS that is neatly put together. It seems money can't buy you everything... Or at least not a working Windows 11...

    Oh ! My adapter went down just as I was writing this complaint...

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