Windows 11 fresh installation "Let's connect you to a network" stuck

Anonymous
2021-12-19T04:04:06+00:00

Hi,

I am trying to install Win11 on my new Lenovo Air14. It was delivered with a Chinese version if the OS, so I formatted everything. I created a USB-drive with a second PC using the Media Creation Tool, but now I am stuck at the "Let's connect you to a network" screen.

No Networks are shown (my other Notebook right next to it shows 29)

Next doesn't work (greyed out)

Shift + F10 doesn't work

ALT+F4, doesn't work

I can't open any of the three options on the bottom right (greyed out)

The only FN keys working are brightness, volume and "project screen" (Win+P)

Anything I can do? I thought about trying to install Win10 first and then update.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Install and upgrade

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

121 answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2023-12-23T11:49:04+00:00

    Fantastic tip - worked 100%.

    New PC build with MSI motherboard,. Got stuck at the Windows 11 install screen 'waiting for network' - with 'no network found' (even though I had both hard wired ethernet cable + built in Wi-Fi - but clearly Windows had found no working driver for either. (and MSI had shipped motherboard drivers on a CD - in 2023! - that's just cheap and silly, as almost no one had CD drives now)

    Anyway, Connected Samsung S21 phone to the PC via USB cable and put it in hotspot mode - found the USB hotspot mode switch (typically I hotspot via Wi-Fi - so had to look for the USB setting) but once selected - bingo - :-) hotspot network showed up on the 'stuck - waiting for network Windows install screen, and after than was able to complete install successfully.

    Really don't understand why Microsoft do not have a 'no network found' option on that screen - there must be some many occasions with new motherboard or other hardware, where the right Wi-Fi or Ethernet driver has not bene installed and people to stuck at that screen!

    (and I used to work for Microsoft, so usually I cut them some slack - but this current Windows 11 install process is just daft)

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2023-12-24T03:16:40+00:00

    Connect your computer to a USB to ethernet adapter and plug it in to your computer, connect a network cable from the adapter to your router, reboot and start again. it will find the ethernet connection and allow you to continue.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-25T21:20:03+00:00

    none of thoes steps are working

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2024-01-23T03:14:28+00:00

    This worked for me as well! Thanks for the suggestion, I did not know this was an option. I used my Samsung Galaxy S8 to tether to my new PC build to connect to a network.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2024-01-24T20:19:26+00:00

    Hi All,

    I had this issue as well and turned on my phone's Hotspot.

    This did not work either, so I read some more posts below and this gave me the idea.

    I went onto the mobile hotspot settings in my phone and turned on Bluetooth Sharing (didn't seem to work)

    but then turned on USB sharing and plugged (for my setup) a USB-C male to a USB-C male cable (from my NVME external drive) into my phone and then into the laptop (Dell 7430).

    Bang....There it was connected.

    It then proceeded to use my mobile data to finish off the install.

    Then when it went to the main windows page, I was able to log into all my networks.

    Job done.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments