My desktop repeatedly drops its Wi‑Fi connection while I'm watching videos or browsing, then reconnects shortly afterward. Other devices seem fine, so the problem appears limited to this PC. I'm using an MSI B550 Gaming Edge motherboard with an Intel Wi‑Fi 6 AX200 160 MHz adapter. So far I've rebooted the router, disabled power saving for the adapter, reset Windows network settings, updated and reinstalled the network drivers, run SFC and DNS-related commands, tested different 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz settings, and installed the latest MSI drivers. Nothing has fixed it permanently. I suspect a recent Windows update may have changed something, but I'm not sure. What else should I check?
3 Answers
A router reboot is worth trying, but since other devices aren’t affected, focus on the PC and its signal quality first. Watch whether the Wi‑Fi strength keeps changing—for example, dropping from four bars to three—which can point to antenna placement, interference, or the adapter being close to the edge of its usable range.
First check that both external Wi‑Fi antennas are screwed in tightly and positioned well. Rotating them upright can make a surprisingly large difference, especially if the signal is marginal. If that doesn’t solve it, try rolling back the adapter driver if the problem began after a Windows update. Event Viewer may also show whether the disconnects are related to WLAN AutoConfig or wireless security.
Make sure you’re using the current Intel AX200 driver directly from Intel rather than relying only on Windows Update or the motherboard utility. If the issue started after an update, compare the current version with the previous one and roll back if possible. Updating the motherboard BIOS may also help with compatibility problems involving the onboard wireless adapter.
I repositioned both antennas so they point upward, and the connection immediately felt much faster and more stable. Event Viewer showed wireless security and WLAN AutoConfig errors during earlier dropouts, so I’ll keep testing to see whether the antenna position was the main issue.