My Windows 11 PC no longer shows any Wi-Fi option, so I can't view or connect to wireless networks. I checked the BIOS and Wi-Fi is enabled. I bought an Ethernet cable to get online and troubleshoot, but the computer completely froze the first time I plugged it in. It no longer freezes when I connect the cable, though. Wi-Fi worked normally before I tried setting up a Linux dual boot and eventually had to reset the BIOS to its default settings. What should I check to restore the network connections?
3 Answers
Open Device Manager by pressing Win+R, entering devmgmt.msc, and checking Network adapters. Look for the wireless and Ethernet devices, along with any entries marked with a yellow warning icon or listed as unknown devices. If the adapters are missing or their drivers are broken, download the exact Wi-Fi and LAN drivers for your motherboard or laptop model from the manufacturer’s website using another device, then transfer and install them. The freeze when connecting Ethernet could have been caused by a damaged network driver. System Restore to a point before the dual-boot attempt may also undo the problem.
Because this started after resetting the BIOS during the Linux setup, check whether the reset changed any onboard-device settings besides Wi-Fi. In Windows, install both the chipset drivers and the network drivers for your exact system model, then reboot. If the adapters still do not appear, restore Windows to an earlier point or perform a clean Windows installation after backing up your files. The fact that Ethernet no longer causes a freeze is encouraging and makes a driver or Windows configuration problem more likely than an immediate hardware failure.
Try booting Hiren’s BootCD or a Linux live USB without installing anything. Start the computer from the USB, then check whether the live environment detects the Wi-Fi adapter and whether Ethernet works. If networking works there, the hardware is probably fine and the Windows installation or its drivers are the likely problem. If the adapters are also unavailable in the live environment, check BIOS settings again and consider a hardware or firmware issue.
Since you already have a Hiren’s USB, restart the PC and use the boot-menu key shown during startup—often F12, F11, Esc, or a similar key—to select the USB. Once Hiren’s loads, open its network or browser tools and see whether an adapter is detected. You can also try a current Linux live USB, which may provide a clearer test for Wi-Fi.