How to troubleshoot and fix a network adapter that is not working or showing as disabled in Windows 10/11

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to troubleshoot and fix a network adapter that is not working or showing as disabled in Windows 10/11. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

If your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer cannot connect to the internet, a faulty or disabled network adapter is one of the most common causes. The network adapter is the hardware component (or driver) that allows your PC to communicate over a wired Ethernet connection or Wi-Fi. When it stops working, is disabled, or disappears from Device Manager entirely, you will usually see symptoms such as no available networks, a red cross over the network icon in the system tray, or an error stating "Wi-Fi doesn't have a valid IP configuration."

This guide walks you through diagnosing the issue and restoring your adapter so you can get back online.

Quick Fix Steps

Before diving into detailed troubleshooting, try these common fixes first. They resolve the majority of adapter issues.

1. Restart your computer. A fresh boot clears temporary glitches and reloads the adapter driver.
2. Toggle the adapter off and on. Right-click the Start button, select Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click your adapter, and choose Disable device. Wait ten seconds, then right-click again and choose Enable device.
3. Run the built-in network troubleshooter. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status and click Network troubleshooter.
4. Check that Wi-Fi or Ethernet is turned on. On a laptop, make sure the physical Wi-Fi switch or flight mode key (Fn + the appropriate function key) is not active.

Detailed Instructions

Check that the adapter is enabled

Windows sometimes disables an adapter after a driver crash or a manual change. Confirm it is enabled before doing anything else.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Network adapters section.
3. Look for your Wi-Fi adapter (often labelled Intel Wi-Fi, Realtek, or Qualcomm) and your Ethernet adapter (often labelled Realtek PCIe GbE or Intel Ethernet Connection).
4. If an adapter has a small downward arrow icon, it is disabled. Right-click it and choose Enable device.

If you do not see any network adapters at all, jump to the Reinstall or update the driver section below.

Show hidden adapters

Some adapters are hidden from the default view, particularly older drivers or virtual adapters used by VPNs.

1. In Device Manager, click View from the menu bar.
2. Select Show hidden devices.
3. Expand Network adapters again. Any previously hidden adapters will appear in a faded colour. If you see a faded adapter that should be active, right-click it and choose Enable device.

Reset the network stack

Windows includes a set of commands that reset the core networking components. This often resolves issues where the adapter is working but cannot obtain an IP address or reach the internet.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin). Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
2. Type the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:
   • netsh winsock reset
   • netsh int ip reset
   • ipconfig /release
   • ipconfig /renew
   • ipconfig /flushdns
3. Close the terminal and restart your computer.

Reinstall or update the driver

A corrupted or outdated driver is the most common reason an adapter stops working, especially after a Windows update.

1. Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters.
2. Right-click the affected adapter and choose Update driver.
3. Select Search automatically for drivers. Windows will check for the latest version online.
4. If Windows reports that the best driver is already installed, or the update does not help, right-click the adapter again and choose Uninstall device. Tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device if the option appears, then confirm.
5. Restart your computer. Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver automatically when it boots.

Run the network adapter troubleshooter

Windows includes a dedicated troubleshooter for network adapters that can detect and repair common problems automatically.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
3. Find Network Adapter in the list and click Run.
4. Select the adapter you are having trouble with (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and follow the prompts.

Check for Windows updates

Microsoft regularly releases driver and stability fixes through Windows Update, particularly for known adapter issues.

1. Open Settings and go to Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. Install any available updates, including optional driver updates listed under Advanced options > Optional updates.
4. Restart your computer when prompted.

Troubleshooting

The adapter is missing from Device Manager entirely

If no network adapters appear even after enabling hidden devices, the hardware may be disabled in the BIOS, physically faulty, or the driver may be severely corrupted.

• Restart and enter the BIOS or UEFI by pressing F2, F10, or DEL during startup (the key varies by manufacturer). Look for an Onboard LAN or WLAN setting and make sure it is enabled.
• For laptops, try removing the battery (if removable) and holding the power button for 15 seconds to discharge residual power.
• Boot into Safe Mode with Networking and check Device Manager again. If the adapter appears in Safe Mode, a third-party program is likely causing the issue.

The adapter keeps disabling itself

This usually indicates a power management setting or a conflicting program.

1. In Device Manager, right-click the adapter and choose Properties.
2. Open the Power Management tab.
3. Untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power and click OK.
4. Check your antivirus or VPN software. Some security tools include features that disable adapters when a VPN tunnel drops. Disable these features or uninstall the software to test.

Connection works on Wi-Fi but not Ethernet (or vice versa)

If only one type of connection is affected, the issue is isolated to that specific adapter or cable.

• For Ethernet, try a different network cable and a different port on your router or switch. Test the cable on another device to confirm it is working.
• Check the link light on the Ethernet port. If no light appears, the cable or port may be faulty.
• For Wi-Fi, move closer to the router to rule out range issues, and confirm the router is broadcasting on a supported band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).
• Forget the Wi-Fi network in Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi and reconnect by entering the password again.

Adapter works but internet is slow or drops out

If the adapter connects successfully but performance is poor, the issue may be related to signal strength, driver settings, or network congestion.

• Update the adapter driver to the latest version from the manufacturer's website.
• Change the Wi-Fi channel on your router to a less congested one (channels 1, 6, or 11 for 2.4 GHz).
• Disable any bandwidth-heavy background applications or cloud sync services.
• Run the command ping 8.8.8.8 -t in Terminal to monitor connection stability. Frequent timeouts indicate an unstable connection.

Error: "Windows cannot find a driver for your network adapter"

This error typically appears when Windows does not have a built-in driver for the adapter, often after a clean install or major update.

1. Identify your adapter model in Device Manager (it may show as Unknown device with a yellow exclamation mark).
2. Visit your computer or motherboard manufacturer's support page and search for your model.
3. Download the appropriate network driver for your version of Windows (10 or 11) and architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
4. Install the driver manually by running the downloaded installer or through Device Manager using Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers.

When to seek further help

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, the adapter itself may be faulty and require replacement. For laptops, contact the manufacturer's support service. For desktops, a USB network adapter or PCIe network card can be purchased as a low-cost replacement.

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