My network card is not connected to my motherboard, yet I have Wi-Fi access...how?!!!

MSI Z490-A Pro (MS-7C75) is my motherboard. It has no networking capability (as far as I have been able to determine) without installation of a third-party networking device, which I why I installed an EP-9636GS EDUB LOVE Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.1 3K Mbps card, which, in order to function, besides being plugged into the PCI slot, must have the jumper connected to one of two USB pin-sets on the motherboard (you must be careful not to bend the pins!).

The network card majorly sucks; every now and then, it becomes "invisible" to my system, knocking out my ability to use the ethernet and Wi-Fi connections, as well as Bluetooth, and I have to shut the system down, unplug the jumper, restart the system, shut it down again, plug the jumper into the other USB pin-set on the motherboard, and start it up again, hoping it "takes." Sometimes it takes a few tries to restore the functionality of networking. Day before yesterday, it stopped working. I was very, very angry...then something impossible happened:

I have Wi-Fi access. How? This makes no sense at all. The card is not connected, so how am I able to use networking?

I am faced with a phenomenon that, as far as I've learned with my extensive background in electronic engineering (thank you, US Navy!) and working with computer architecture and software, is physically impossible. I can't explain it, but here's what's happened:
My motherboard is an MSI Z490-A Pro (MS-7C75) w/Intel Z490 chipset, and it has no networking capability, hence my installation of an EP-9636GS EDUB LOVE Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.1 3K Mbps networking card. The PCI card majorly sucks, becomes "invisible" to my system at random intervals, and I have to go through this annoying and time-consuming song and dance of unplugging the card after powering down, plug it into a DIFFERENT port on the motherboard, and powering it back up again. Well, a couple of days ago, this "fix" stopped working. Boy, was I totally pissed! Then the impossible happened:
Despite the PCI card's jumper not being connected to a USB port on the motherboard, I discovered that I had Wi-Fi access. This is still the situation right now. I should not be able to do what I'm doing right now, being physically disconnected from the networking device, but still able to transmit and receive wireless signals. I am a rational person, so I find this more than just a bit unsettling. Can anyone offer a reason as to why or how this apparently impossible situation has arisen?

Check device manager.

Device manager is useless. That's the first place I looked. When the system doesn't register the card, device manager can't see it, either. Duh!

NOTE: I keep the networking card's software updated at all times. I had to edit the original post; some information "evaporated" from it, so I added it back in. See what I have to put up with?

Wow, with that attitude, I am not surprised no one is helping yet.

The MSI Z490-A Pro has built in Realtek RTL8125B-CG 2.5G LAN controller. Ethernet port on motherboard backplane.

BamaInArk said:

The MSI Z490-A Pro has built in Realtek RTL8125B-CG 2.5G LAN controller. Ethernet port on motherboard backplane.

Click to expand...

Indeed.

FYI, connecting the network card to a usb 2 header is for the purpose of Bluetooth not wifi. Most of the PCi-e slot cards have given me the same issue, disconnecting, but mainly only the Bluetooth function. I’m on my 4th, currently a TP-Link Archer TX3000E AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 PCI Express. Same thing. But unplugging it seems extreme, I get mine working again with a quick autofix troubleshot in system settings. Even reinstalling the driver would be faster than what you’re doing. As far as I know, if the only thing that works for you is swapping out the headers, you have bigger problems?
I’d of been ok if ai had of disconnected the wires from my onboard wifi on my Maximus VI formula before yanking out my motherboard

Re no network card but being able to use the internet. Do you have a mobile phone or other data enabled device connected to your PC via a charge cable or something? For instance, a computer can utilise your iPhone data via being plugged in with a charge cable. It’ll show up as an available network when plugged in.