My Windows OptiPlex 5080 can detect nearby Wi‑Fi networks and my phone's hotspot, but it cannot see my grandparents' home Wi‑Fi at all. The same router works normally with my phone, laptop, and other devices. The PC connected to this network in the past, but it stopped appearing after I moved the computer to this location. I have restarted the PC and router, reset the network adapters, and changed settings on my ASUS USB‑AC53 Nano wireless adapter. The router appears to use 2.4 GHz, although I'm not completely sure. Could the adapter have been damaged during transport, or is there a router setting that would prevent only this PC from seeing the network?
2 Answers
Since your phone and laptop can see and connect to the network, the router is broadcasting normally. Before replacing the adapter, check whether the router is using a 2.4 GHz channel the USB adapter does not handle well, such as channels 12 or 13. Set the 2.4 GHz channel manually to 1, 6, or 11 and try again. Also make sure the adapter’s driver is up to date.
The Wi‑Fi may be using a security mode or channel configuration that this older USB adapter does not support, even though it can see other networks. In the router settings, try WPA2‑Personal/AES instead of WPA3-only or a mixed mode, and temporarily give the 2.4 GHz network a simple separate name. If it still does not appear after changing the channel and security mode, testing with another USB Wi‑Fi adapter is a sensible next step.
That makes sense. The network is visible on my other devices, so I’ll try changing the 2.4 GHz channel and checking the router’s security settings before buying another adapter.