Hi Peter,
You probably have the best solution. Whilst my issue did seem to be fixed for a while, it has come back again. It seems totally random, sometimes I can't see the network, sometimes I can see it but can't connect to it, sometimes I can both see it and connect to it but, even then, I still don't have internet. Like you, I am investing in an alternative network adaptor and will sling this one in the bin when I take it out. It just hasn't been worth the amount of time I have spent on it.
Best wishes,
Nick