Wifi disconnecting/disappearing

Hello,
first of all sorry if the structure of my post wouldn't be telling enough and for other mistakes as I am writing there for the first time.

So I am currently sitting on win11 22H2 (22621.2361), but the problem I have was also on previous one (also from september 2023). I am on a lenovo laptop Ideadpad Gaming 3 15IAH7. I have the newest WLAN driver from official lenovo website.

The issue looks like this:
I start my laptop. And when the system loads, there are 2 options:
1. There is no WIFI network detected AT ALL
2. Wifi is detected as usually before having that issue and automatically connected.

If 2 happens then there are another 2 options:
1. All runs as usually, 0 problems (as it should be)
2. After using an application that connects to the internet suddenly there are no Wifi networks detected OR there is Wifi option dissapears entirely (if i remember correctly there is not even troubleshooting option anymore in that case, but I would need to check it one more time).

Sometimes when it stops detecting wifi (after working fine for a while) I use:
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=disabled
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=enabled

And it brings my wifi connections back. Other times it won't help.

I expected that the new windows uptate could fix the issue as it happened recently, but it is still there, and as you may expect it drives me nuts. I sometimes need to restart my laptop like 15 items until it starts working.

Also I don't think it is any issue related to my router as 1 other laptop, a PC, and mobile phones are connected to it with no issues.

Hi, @Ravandel, and welcome to the Windows Eleven Forum (aka 11F).

First and foremost, how long have you had the laptop versus how long this has been occurring? Is this a recent purchase, or did it work for a (relatively) long time before this started occurring only this month?

Also, can you verify that the IP address is set to use DHCP, and is not trying to grab an IP address already assigned by your router to another device?

Also, double check that you're not using a VPN of some type (perhaps automatically enabled by some security software that also recently got an update).

@johnlgalt thanks for the response!

I got that laptop since ~November 2022. There were no issues like the ones I described. Those started recently, like a 1-2 weeks ago (there was also win11 update at that time iirc).

It is set to DHCP (though if the problem happens I would need to check it again as I checked it a few minutes ago and it luckily didn't have issues this time)

I am not using VPN.

To me it sounds like the Wi-Fi card is losing connection. Being it's a laptop it may be a pain to take off the bottom to get to the Wi-Fi card. What I would try first is to remove the card in device manager then restart the laptop and let Windows reinstall it. It may or may not solve the problem but it's worth a try.

Thanks for an idea, will try it. Also I don't expect it to be physical issue as it would happen more often. Currently if it works for like 15 min, it would work for 10 hours with no issues. But I see a connection with running applications that require internet connection with higher chance of the issue to occur.

My guess is that it could be connected to the update described here as the network issues are also mentioned + the time is very close to when it started to happen for me:

Interesting. I checked my machine and of course it has it as well.

Funny thing is that our own thread here on it (with content taken directly from Microsoft) specifically states that Microsoft does not know of any issues with that update lol.

Known issues in this update​

Microsoft is not currently aware of any issues with this update.

Click to expand...

Lol!

But now I am almost tempted to do yet another clean install and skip that security update and install the newest KB5030310 directly and see if I get some performance improvement in Starfield.

So I removed it in device manager, but that didn't fix the issue. Though, once wifi started correctly, then lost connection and an ability to see any wifi network, I tried to use
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=disabled
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=enabled

and it brought it back to life. Not sure if that helps, but it is always a hint.

You're not accidentally turning off the Wi-Fi using a keyboard shortcut, are you?

Haha that is not the case for sure. I am not even sure if my laptop got a shortcut for that.

I hate unusal problems like that. It might be something very easy, but all 'default' fixes failed.

Doing a bit more searching on the Internet, I have found these:



Also - are the drivers for that system for the Wi-Fi made by Killer (intel)? If there is anything on there like Killer connection suite (or whatever they call it now) that could very well be the issue.

So, the basic idea is that, if it is Killer, or if there is Lenovo software on there that is 'managing' the Wi-Fi connection, look to those first.

It does seem interesting that it started after the last Windows Update Patches, but it could be coincidental, as this issue has been reported by more than a few people (the first link is almost like you were the one that reported it, except for the time frame lol).

Thanks a lot! Will try to check it during the weekend, though I see once again the idea that it could be connected to disabling shutting off the device for power saving. Couldn't find that option though on win11 but didn't spend much time for it yesterday. Where exactly should I search for it?

Device Manager, for the Wi-Fi controller.




And yeah, I turn any power mgmt for any network connections and USB off. But I'm on a desktop, with continuous power from the wall, at all times, so...

johnlgalt said:

Funny thing is that our own thread here on it (with content taken directly from Microsoft) specifically states that Microsoft does not know of any issues with that update lol.

Click to expand...

Sometimes Microsoft makes me wonder if they even know the time of day.

I would re-install the drivers from Lenovo and then Network & internet troubleshooter.

I have a new Lenovo which must have rather similar hardware, Wireless Card is an Intel AX211, power saving is on.
No problems at all with that Wireless or Bluetooth(mouse), driver updated by Windows updates, same as listed on the Lenovo website for drivers, some updates mainly firmware using the Lenovo Vantage app.
Lenovo never state exactly what you will get in respect of Wireless Cards, that is what I got.

"But now I am almost tempted to do yet another clean install"

??? That to me is worrying as you should not need to do that at all *, never needed to for around 10 years thru Win 8.1/10/11, never mind merely 10 months.

I never do Cumulative Preview updates but wait for the real one 2 weeks later, so KB5030310 is just sitting there.

* You can download from Lenovo the Recovery Media to bring the laptop back to factory bought condition.

I never read pointless generic whinging on a lot of websites, the updates KB5030219 and KB5031217 in question were installed with no problems here.

1. I don't see Power Management tab on the properties of my wifi adapter at all.

2. Tried uninstalling lenovo vantage.

3. Tried reinstalling the official/newest lenovo drivers for wifi adapter + network troubleshoot

Nothing.

Sometimes if it fails I got there something like 'unable to turn on this device (code 10)'
Might not be exactly that as I translated it myself from the language I use

Code 10 is often seen in Device Manager when the device doesn't start up during boot, IIRC.

But there is no power management tab for this realtek WiFi at all?

That is really, really odd.

Weird. My motherboard has 4 NICs (three wired and 1 Wireless) and all of them have a Power Management tab there.

I suspect this has to do with Lenovo customizing their software.

Also, I just noticed that you tried uninstalling Lenovo Vantage - that is just the software update and maintenance package (though I do remember it being more of an All in One type program), check to see if there are other Lenovo packages also installed, specifically dealing with network / connectivity. If not, go through all of the settings in Vantage dealing with wireless connectivity (if they exist there).

I reinstalled win11, nothing. Downgraded it to win10, nothing. I assume it is probably faulty wifi card after that, but... There could always be some weird BIOS/driver issues. I asked on lenovo forum and I am going to try now drivers and settings reset, including bios. But I will try to get USB wifi card anyway as it is too annoying so far lol

Also check to see if it is easily replaceable (Laptops these days usually use an M.2 slot for a WiFi card, and some of the better OEMs make it simplicity to replace them, either by having a dedicated removable compartment cover specifically for the W-Fi card, or else having a complete single piece removable bottom that gives access to all the important things - RAM, Wi-Fi, HDDs / SSDs, etc.

Even if Lenovo's site doesn't have exact step by step instructions on how to replace the Wi-Fi card, they can easily be found online, and will probably be a better way to go about it.

Which, since we're both supposing that the Wi-Fi card is bad, I'd get in contact with Lenovo itself about a warranty replacement. If it is out of warrant,y see about getting the exact module that seems to have failed, if you can find it new.

Finally - since we're both considering it is the Wi-Fi card itself - uh, when was the last time you did some spring cleaning on your laptop?