I accidentally ejected my TP-Link USB Wi‑Fi adapter in Windows while unplugging it, and now my PC won't connect to the internet. I've tried several Command Prompt troubleshooting steps, but there's no default gateway showing. I also tried switching to Ethernet, but that isn't providing internet access either. Device checks show "media disconnected." What should I try next to get the network adapter working again?
My system is running Windows 11 with an MSI B760M-P DDR4 motherboard, Intel i5-12400F, 32GB DDR4 RAM, RTX 3060, and a 1TB NVMe drive.
3 Answers
Since the TP-Link adapter was ejected, start with the simple fix: unplug it completely, wait a few seconds, and plug it into a different USB port. Windows should detect it again and reload the driver. If it still doesn’t appear, check Device Manager under Network adapters and Universal Serial Bus controllers, enable hidden devices, and look for a disabled or warning-marked TP-Link device.
Run `ipconfig /all` and check the adapter’s status. “Media disconnected” usually means Windows sees the network interface but it isn’t detecting a physical connection—either the USB Wi‑Fi adapter isn’t functioning, or the Ethernet cable/port isn’t connected properly. If the adapter is listed in Device Manager, uninstall its driver, restart the PC, then reinstall the latest TP-Link driver using another device if necessary.
The Ethernet result is a useful clue: your motherboard may not have built-in Wi‑Fi, so Ethernet and the USB adapter are separate network devices. Verify that the Ethernet cable works with another device and that its link lights turn on at the router and PC. In Device Manager, make sure both network adapters are enabled. If neither adapter gets an IP address or default gateway after that, reinstall the network drivers from the motherboard and TP-Link support pages.
I did see “media disconnected,” and the basic network reset and command prompts didn’t change anything.