Windows 10, wireless adapter missing from network adapters

[kaywailihoo]

Hello everyone!

I’ve had an issue recently with my relatively new (2-3 months old) windows 10 MSI GS65 (stealth thin 8RF) gaming laptop. This computer has been completely flawless for my gaming needs and before now I’ve had no issues with it.

My issue started maybe about three weeks ago. I was playing an online game, and I lost connection. The little ethernet symbol with a red x was replacing the wifi symbol at the bottom right of my screen. I thought the wifi was down so I restarted (or reset, I don’t know many tech related terms) my router. This did not help at all. I don’t keep much personal stuff on my gaming laptop so I decided to reset it. It’s kind of an unhealthy habit of mine. When I encounter an issue and I’m too lazy, I reset it. But anyway, this fixed it perfectly fine, for like 2 weeks. Then, It happened again. I reset it again. Then it happened again. Then again. I reset it each time but the time that I was able to use wifi after each reset on my laptop decreased until it took about 24 hours for it to not work. I was pretty frustrated and I looked up a fix. Many forums, including this one, told the person asking the question that they needed to fiddle around with the wireless adapter in the device manager. To my surprise, It wasn’t even there. I decided to reset it again after I got frustrated with the computer. I have looked up many fixes to my issue but there has been no working one. Under other devices, there is a thing called Network Controller with a yellow question mark triangle and a question mark.

Thanks,
Desperate computer user

Specs:

x64 windows 10 system

processor is Intel Core i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz, 2201 Mhz, 6 core, 12 logical processor

I believe i have a 1070 geforce gtx

RAM is 32.0 GB with 31.8 GB usable

 

[Darkbreeze]

What do you mean by "reset"? Reset Windows?

In device manager are there any devices that are remarked with a question mark or an apostrophe next to them?

 

[kaywailihoo]

What do you mean by "reset"? Reset Windows?

In device manager are there any devices that are remarked with a question mark or an apostrophe next to them?

Reset, as it deletes all personal files, apps and things I downloaded. Not the pre-downloaded things that come with the computer.

As a matter of fact, yes. There is some kind of unnamed device with a question mark and an exclamation point in a yellow triangle. This is in other devices.

 

[Darkbreeze]

THAT device listed under "other devices", IS your wireless adapter.

Do you know if you have the Intel adapter, or the Killer adapter, or both?

 

[kaywailihoo]

THAT device listed under "other devices", IS your wireless adapter.

Do you know if you have the Intel adapter, or the Killer adapter, or both?

I have a Killer Adapter.

 

[Darkbreeze]

And you have tried downloading the driver for the Killer wireless adapter from the manufacturer's product page for your laptop, and installing it, and still had no success? Or you did not download that specific driver and install it?

This one: http://download.msi.com/nb_drivers/wl/WLAN_wl_KillerSuite_1.7.1042_UWD_x64_20.70.0.5_0x7e854129.zip

 

[kaywailihoo]

And you have tried downloading the driver for the Killer wireless adapter from the manufacturer's product page for your laptop, and installing it, and still had no success? Or you did not download that specific driver and install it?

This one: http://download.msi.com/nb_drivers/wl/WLAN_wl_KillerSuite_1.7.1042_UWD_x64_20.70.0.5_0x7e854129.zip

My computer came with it. Also, I have no access to wifi on my computer without an ethernet cable. So, I'm not using my gaming laptop. It's a gaming laptop that came with Killer wifi and MSI related software. It's predownloaded onto my computer.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Your computer might have come with a driver, but it is probably an older driver than what is currently available on the product web page. It's probably worth finding out what the exact model of your Killer adapter is and seeing if there are updated drivers through Killer.

Windows often breaks drivers when it updates in the spring and fall. It's likely that the recent Windows fall update may have broken your Wifi driver and needs to either be reinstalled, or a newer, compatible version installed. I'd contact MSI or Killer and see what they say if installing the driver I linked to does not work. You NEED to try to install it. It's not going to just do it automatically even if it came with a driver preinstalled. At least, not in every case.

 

[kaywailihoo]

Your computer might have come with a driver, but it is probably an older driver than what is currently available on the product web page. It's probably worth finding out what the exact model of your Killer adapter is and seeing if there are updated drivers through Killer.

Windows often breaks drivers when it updates in the spring and fall. It's likely that the recent Windows fall update may have broken your Wifi driver and needs to either be reinstalled, or a newer, compatible version installed. I'd contact MSI or Killer and see what they say if installing the driver I linked to does not work. You NEED to try to install it. It's not going to just do it automatically even if it came with a driver preinstalled. At least, not in every case.

Thanks so much for bearing with my low knowledge of computers. I reset my computer and installed that driver so when it disappears I will be able to use the download. You helped a lot!

 

[Darkbreeze]

Glad it got you sorted out. Good luck to you.