It's gotta be the Atheros adapter. I've uninstalled it and now the computer runs fine. But now my internet is spotty. I think it has to do with the USB adapter I'm using (TRENDnet TEW-808UBM AC 1200) and how it works with IP addresses (maybe it needs specific settings or not to be dynamic/static - I'm trying to figure out what it wants). Every fix I use seems to work for a little while and then stops. I can always kick it back into gear but it seems like there should be something that settles it once and for all.
I even tried giving it a specific DNS but that only worked for a little while which makes me think it didn't work at all. I just keep getting errors saying that things like "Wi-Fi doesn't have valid IP configuration". Sometimes Windows can fix it by resetting the adapter and other times it can't
In IPv4, I set the Preferred DNS to 1.1.1.1 with the Alternate to 1.0.0.1 but that's didn't improve anything.
UPDATE: Somehow, there are no drivers installed for the device which makes no sense since it was working and it's been working on and off. Can an adapter work without drivers? And I'm 99% sure I installed them when I was hardwired in another area of the house. Ugh.
UPDATE: Okay, now I'm thinking ports? I inserted a USB flash drive with the drivers into the troubled computer but the computer wouldn't recognize it. So I removed the mouse's USB dongle and tried the flash drive in that port but it didn't work. NOW the dongle won't work either. Wouldn't that align with the fact that sometimes Windows can fix the "valid IP config" thing by resetting the adapter and other times it can't? Maybe when the port is acting up, Windows can't communicate with the USB dongle for the adapter? Therefore, it can't reset it?
And for frigs sake, I'm restarting the computer to see if the USB will work again. In doing so, I got the BSoD. Uuuuuuuuuuuuuugh! Why God?! Why????!!!! It did eventually restart on it's own. :/
And the ports are working again. Yeah.