Solved! One device picks up very low WiFi signal

[kreaven]

My notebook (running Windows 10) is picking up very low signal from home network. It usually connects for a few seconds, then breaks. It works just fine on another notebook (running Windows 7), an Android smartphone and iPhone.

I can easily connect it to a hot-spot from my cell phone (when sharing its mobile data) and it runs smooth on WiFi at my partner's parents' home. Today I tried to connect to a public network in a library, to no avail.

Is it possible that my network adapter has reception problems? I thought that it might be the router at home that's configured wrong, but in such case, why do other devices have no problem with connecting to it?

I followed countless "solutions" on the web:
- unticked "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" for my wireless network adapter,
- updated the driver to the newest stable and compatible version,
- "forgot" all known networks, and connected to them again,
- verified some Windows 10 services,
- verified some registry keys.

Nothing works. The computer is brand new, came with Windows 10 Enterprise (64-bit). I have access to router's settings, but I can't tinker with them as it's a network shared between a few apartments.

Let me know if you need further information.

 

[webworkings]

Did you make sure to reboot the computer between the removing of networks and readding them? If not, do the following to get it correct.

Try this....

First, make sure your laptop is 'not' connected to the modem/router via an Ethernet cable and follow the steps:

1. Go to "Control Panel".

2. Next go to "Network and Internet" and then "Network and Sharing".

3. Now click on "Manage Wireless Networks".

4. On this screen, remove all wireless connections by "right clicking" on it and select "Remove network" from the drop down menu.

5. After doing this, close the open windows and reboot the computer.

6. Once the computer is fully reloaded, scan for the "Wi-Fi networks".

7. Click on the available network that you want to access and select "connect".

8. It takes a moment, but then you will be asked to give a password for your Wi-Fi connection. Type in the password and click the "connect" button.

It should now be connected.

NOTE: If this doesn't work, you may want to reset your modem/router, and then once it is fully loaded again, repeat the above steps.

If this doesn't work, test seeing if your laptop will connect via Ethernet. If so, then your WiFi card may be going. You can either look to replace it/have it replaced, or get an external (plugs in via USB) WiFi card.

 

[kreaven]

Did you make sure to reboot the computer between the removing of networks and readding them? If not, do the following to get it correct.

Try this....

First, make sure your laptop is 'not' connected to the modem/router via an Ethernet cable and follow the steps:

1. Go to "Control Panel".

2. Next go to "Network and Internet" and then "Network and Sharing".

3. Now click on "Manage Wireless Networks".

4. On this screen, remove all wireless connections by "right clicking" on it and select "Remove network" from the drop down menu.

5. After doing this, close the open windows and reboot the computer.

6. Once the computer is fully reloaded, scan for the "Wi-Fi networks".

7. Click on the available network that you want to access and select "connect".

8. It takes a moment, but then you will be asked to give a password for your Wi-Fi connection. Type in the password and click the "connect" button.

It should now be connected.

NOTE: If this doesn't work, you may want to reset your modem/router, and then once it is fully loaded again, repeat the above steps.

If this doesn't work, test seeing if your laptop will connect via Ethernet. If so, then your WiFi card may be going. You can either look to replace it/have it replaced, or get an external (plugs in via USB) WiFi card.

 

[kreaven]

Thanks for a quick reply. I reinstalled the system yesterday. I connected to the network instantly.

Just after installing the system, during final configuration, Windows prompted me to download the newest updates of about 4 GB. I complied.

I was browsing the web while the download was ongoing. Everything seemed right. I checked Wi-Fi adapter's driver, which was outdated, but didn't do anything about it at that time.

After the download finished, the system was updated (and so was the driver.) Problems with Wi-Fi started again. Could it be that the newest Windows update or adapter's driver is causing the issue?

 

[webworkings]

It is completely possible that the update caused it. Just because they tell you an update is needed doesn't always mean it works correctly. Sad but true.