Solved Windows 11 setup doesn't see wifi networks

Hi everyone,

I just did a clean install of Windows 11 on my XPS 15 9520.

After I installed windows and when Windows booted up, I went through the first setup steps where you need to select your region, keyboard layout then select your wifi network.

It never happened to me with other PCs but with this one, Windows can't see wifi networks.

I'm assuming that Windows doesn't have the drivers of my Wifi cards. Here Microsoft explains how to manually install drivers during the setup

• Check and reinstall the Wi-Fi network adapter drivers (advanced). If you don’t see any Wi-Fi networks listed when you’re setting up your PC and see an error message, you might need to reinstall Wi-Fi network adapter drivers. Here’s how:
  1. On a different PC, download the necessary Wi-Fi network adapter drivers from the manufacturer’s website.
  2. Copy the drivers to a USB flash drive. The .inf file must be in the root of the flash drive and not in any subfolders.
  3. On the PC you’re setting up, plug the USB flash drive into a USB port on your PC.
  4. Press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window from setup.
  5. Type diskpart and press Enter. If prompted, select Yes to allow it.
  6. In the new DiskPart window, type list volume and press Enter.
     
     Note the letter of the USB drive, which will be listed in the column under Ltr.
  7. Press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window from setup.
  8. In the command prompt, type pnputil /add-driver <USBDriveLetter>:\ *.inf, and then press Enter. The full command should look like this: pnputil /add-driver d:\ *.inf
     
     Replace <USBDriveLetter> with the drive letter for your USB flash drive, such as d:\.
  9. You might need to scan for devices afterwards. To do this, at the command prompt, type pnputil /scan-devices, and then press Enter.

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So I went and downloaded the wifi card's driver from Dell's website (Intel AX211 and Killer 1690/1650/1675 Wi-Fi Controller Driver)

I extracted the files into my flash drive but the only issue if that I cannot locate the /inf file. In the above instructions, it says that the .inf file must be in the root of the flash drive.



I don't think it's there right? How can I locate it? I couldn't find any file with a .inf file extension in the subdirectories.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

Oh I think I found it, it's referenced to as a "setup information" file by windows and I confirmed it had a .inf file extension by right-clicking the file and checking propriety.

So I copy/pasted it in the root of the flash drive.



Is it the right way to do it? Or do I need to actually copy/paste all the files that were in the same directory with the .inf file and put them at the root?
I found the .inf file in the below directory highlighted in red.
Should I copy all the files in that directory and move them in the root?

It worked, 2nd option was the correct one. You need to move all the files that are in the same directory as the .inf file and put them in the root, run the pnp command and it worked.

If you set your machine to show file extensions you will have an easier time. While you are at it you should also show hidden files. It's done in the same section.
Show or Hide File Name Extensions for Known File Types in Windows 11 Tutorial

Thank you for posting the solution to this, Sephirote, it is very helpful!

A question....I read where with all 11th and 12th generation Intel processors that during a clean install it would not detect your disks without the Intel IRST drivers being inserted at the point where the install process says 'load driver' (like it's always been when on some Raid systems we would have to install the old F6 storage controller driver during install). Did you run into that problem of your disks not being detected?

I know on my Optiplex if I do a clean install I have to insert Intel IRST drivers using that method. I also had to insert these drivers into my Macrium recovery media. I wonder if instead of going through the whole rigamarole of using diskpart if the wifi drivers couldn't be installed the same way?

Another example of why MS should allow us to install Windows 11 without internet access. You could of had Device Manager search for the driver on the USB drive.

BobD said:

If you set your machine to show file extensions you will have an easier time. While you are at it you should also show hidden files. It's done in the same section.
Show or Hide File Name Extensions for Known File Types in Windows 11 Tutorial

Click to expand...

Yeah in the past I used to enable file extension right after a new Windows install but over the past years, I stopped doing it somehow. A good reminder I should get back into the habit of doing it, I do agree with you, saves you a couple of headaches. Thanks for the reminder.

NavyLCDR said:

Thank you for posting the solution to this, Sephirote, it is very helpful!

Click to expand...

Of course, I myself often found answers in older threads when researching something and I always tell myself that other people with a similar issue could one day come across my thread so I always follow up and provide the solution.

glasskuter said:

A question....I read where with all 11th and 12th generation Intel processors that during a clean install it would not detect your disks without the Intel IRST drivers being inserted at the point where the install process says 'load driver' (like it's always been when on some Raid systems we would have to install the old F6 storage controller driver during install). Did you run into that problem of your disks not being detected?

I know on my Optiplex if I do a clean install I have to insert Intel IRST drivers using that method. I also had to insert these drivers into my Macrium recovery media. I wonder if instead of going through the whole rigamarole of using diskpart if the wifi drivers couldn't be installed the same way?

Click to expand...

Guess what, I posted last year for the exact same issue as I tried to install a clean Windows on my XPS 15 (9510) which was my first 11th gen powered laptop, and like you said, I booted up the Windows installer only to realise that I couldn't see any partition. I posted on this very forum and everyone was awesome and helped me figure it out.
For my new laptop (XPS 15 9520) it was the same story but this time I was prepared and downloaded the IRST drivers before attempting to install Windows
If you're curious you can read my follow-up on how I did to load the IRSt drivers About to format Dell partitions to install vanilla W11, can you tell me what each partition is for?

Now I'm I know how to load IRST drivers and I even know how to install Wifi drivers via command during in the Windows installer, slowly becoming a pro :)

Winuser said:

Another example of why MS should allow us to install Windows 11 without internet access. You could of had Device Manager search for the driver on the USB drive.

Click to expand...

Don't get me started with this. It would have been a nonissue if they allowed us to install Windows without internet. I mean not everyone has Internet and what about those situations like mine yesterday where Windows installer doesn't support a Wifi card. Not mentioning the fact that now most computers don't have ethernet port.

Actually, I have a question for you all. I was thinking to use a USB to ethernet adaptor and wire my laptop to get internet but I wasn't sure if Windows installer would have recognised the adaptor. Thoughts? I know that some adaptors require drivers to work (downloaded by Windows update most of the time but for that you need to have Windows up and running) but unsure if those drivers are loaded into Windows installer? (I didn't have a USB to ethernet adaptor to test, unfortunately)

You brought up a good question regarding a usb ethernet. I happened to have one that had never been used on this PC before so I plugged it into a usb port and it was immediately recognized as a Realtek USB FE Family Controller. It is a Cable Matters Plug and Play USB Ethernet Adapter. Since a Windows install nowadays comes with a lot of common device drivers built in, I would bet the usb adapter would also be recognized just as it recognizes my Intel one during the install process. I'll have to remember to try it the next time I install Windows for someone.

I did the complete install of 22H2 on both of my laptops using a USB to ethernet adapter and only connected the wifi when I had Windoze to copy and paste. My wifi PW is a beast to type in and it's long. It's a VOLANS VL-RJ45 and it's USB-3 type A to RJ45 and it has Reaktek hardware in it. The driver was by Microsoft dated in 2015. The other is unknown brand but marked with KY-688. It's USB3 type C to ethernet. It also has a Realtek hardware and the same Microsoft driver. It also comes with three USB3 type A sockets. You can buy this one almost anywhere. Both devices are GbE speed.

Sephirote said:

Actually, I have a question for you all. I was thinking to use a USB to ethernet adaptor and wire my laptop to get internet but I wasn't sure if Windows installer would have recognised the adaptor.

Click to expand...

I'm surprised the Windows installer didn't have the driver for your Wi-Fi card or used a generic driver to get the Wi-Fi card working. The only experience I ever had with the OS not recognizing my Wi-Fi card was back in my Mandrake Linux days. I had to buy a USB Wi-Fi adapter so I could download the driver for my internal Wi-Fi card.

@Sephirote, I found this on Amazon. No driver needed. https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Wire...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583795269219797&psc=1

Sephirote said:

It would have been a nonissue if they allowed us to install Windows without internet.

Click to expand...

I believe you still can. When the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen appears, press Shift + F10 on your keyboard. In the Command Prompt window that appears, type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and hit Enter.
Your PC will restart and begin the OOBE again – enter your region and keyboard layout a second time.
When the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen appears, click the I don’t have internet link. Cick Continue with limited setup.
On the Who’s going to use this device? page, enter the name of the default local account on Windows 11.

BobD said:

I did the complete install of 22H2 on both of my laptops using a USB to ethernet adapter and only connected the wifi when I had Windoze to copy and paste. My wifi PW is a beast to type in and it's long. It's a VOLANS VL-RJ45 and it's USB-3 type A to RJ45 and it has Reaktek hardware in it. The driver was by Microsoft dated in 2015. The other is unknown brand but marked with KY-688. It's USB3 type C to ethernet. It also has a Realtek hardware and the same Microsoft driver. It also comes with three USB3 type A sockets. You can buy this one almost anywhere. Both devices are GbE speed.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. When I google KY-688 I found a couple of product pages on amazon, aliexpress and gearbest but all marked as discontinued.

Then looked up VOLANS VL-RJ45 and came across this in Australia for $25. It's also USB-C to Ethernet.
Chipset is a Realtek too but no specific reference number is referenced but I'm guessing it's safe to assume that it's the same chipset as the one used on the one you have ( USB-A)

I'm gonna probably get one, I think it's a good thing to always have on the side for any unexpected problems with Wifi.

Winuser said:

I'm surprised the Windows installer didn't have the driver for your Wi-Fi card or used a generic driver to get the Wi-Fi card working. The only experience I ever had with the OS not recognizing my Wi-Fi card was back in my Mandrake Linux days. I had to buy a USB Wi-Fi adapter so I could download the driver for my internal Wi-Fi card.

Click to expand...

Same here. Very first time it happened.
On the XPS 15 from last year (9510) Windows installer had no issue finding Wifi network.
On the new 2022 XPS 15 (9520) it seems like they used a new wifi card. Maybe because it's a recent one and Microsoft didn't have time to add its drivers into Windows installer?

Anyway, on the bright side, I learned how to install drivers via a command and hopefully, this thread will help anyone who faces a similar issue in the future.

Thanks everyone as usual.

glasskuter said:

I believe you still can. When the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen appears, press Shift + F10 on your keyboard. In the Command Prompt window that appears, type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and hit Enter.
Your PC will restart and begin the OOBE again – enter your region and keyboard layout a second time.
When the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen appears, click the I don’t have internet link. Cick Continue with limited setup.
On the Who’s going to use this device? page, enter the name of the default local account on Windows 11.

Click to expand...

One shouldn't have to do anything except choose to continue without internet.

I recently installed Win 11 pro onto a new system (i12100+H610), no drivers for ethernet port! , all installed ok. Loaded all drivers after so I could activate.

My "Go Bag" contains all sorts of connectors, and converters from basic USB-C to USB-A and others to an Alphabet soup of alternative connectors. My latest laptop only has USB-C Thunderbolt 3 Ports but I still carry some older USB-A adaptors to ethernet ETC, just in case

As the i12100+H610 was a dual boot with Lubuntu, I had to buy a £10 usb to network adapter... cos the network (i219) port on Lubuntu 22.04 did not work!
I found the fix for i219... enable network stack in bios reboot and disable network stack! now it works in Lubuntu !! I suspect this would have worked for windows 11 as well! but after 5 days plodding around the internet looking for a solution, my poor old brain couldn't cope any more

"Out of the box" MSI H610 the i219 was in an "idle state", so by activating the network stack triggered it to "on state"!

I had the same issue while installing Windows 11 on my Nuc 12 Pro Kit with an i7 processor. So I downloaded the wifi driver and did all the steps but nothing happened, I tried to download another version of the driver but it was the same. Then I discovered I should use param so the whole command will look like and it immediately enabled wifi.