My Wi‑Fi was connecting but had no internet access, so I followed a tutorial that told me to remove my Netgear Wi‑Fi adapter, reset it, and temporarily unplug it from the computer. Now I've reconnected the adapter, but Windows doesn't seem to recognize it, and I'm not sure how to reinstall it. What should I try?
2 Answers
Open Device Manager and select View > Show hidden devices, then choose Action > Scan for hardware changes. Check Other devices for an entry with a yellow warning icon—that’s often the adapter waiting for its driver. If it’s a USB adapter, plug it directly into a rear USB port instead of a hub or front-panel port. You can get temporary internet by connecting your phone with a USB cable and enabling USB tethering, then install the driver through Windows Update or download the correct driver from Netgear using the adapter’s model number.
The exact adapter model and your Windows version would help identify the right driver. Once you’ve reconnected the adapter, restart the computer as well; Windows may detect it during startup and install a basic driver automatically.
It appears in the location you mentioned, so I’m using my phone’s hotspot connection now to try to install the driver.