Well if you don't have ALL the drivers installed (not the USB 3.0 is missing) then it isn't going to 'see' anything plugged in.
So let's do the basics here
1) Is this a OEM computer or self built?
2) Did you run ALL Windows Updates, including OPTIONAL, except BING
3) download and run SlimDrivers to install all the drivers necessary. You do NOT need to reboot each time, you can do the reboot AFTER installing ALL the patches
BTW,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704040 shows
"System Requirements Windows 7(32/64bits), Windows Vista(32/64bits), Windows XP(32/64bits), Windows 2000"
So NO - it does not have "Windows 8" drivers so it wouldn't work properly. Your SIMPLER answer would have been to simply BUY a different Wifi that was Win8 compatible (as you mentioned you tried a USB one), but now your going to have to go through ALOT of hurdles to make this computer and its parts 'work' for Windows 7, which is questionable.