How To Fix Dell Laptop Wifi Not Working On Windows 8.1

(doylc.com) - How To Fix Dell Laptop Wifi Not Working On Windows 8.1

If you own a Dell laptop and recently updated to Windows 8.1, you may have noticed that your WiFi connection has stopped working. This is a common issue and can be easily fixed with a few simple steps. In this article, we will walk you through the process of troubleshooting and fixing this issue on your Dell laptop. Let's get started!

Step 1: Restart Your Computer

The first step you should take when troubleshooting any issue with your computer is to restart it. This will clear any temporary files or settings that may be causing the issue. To do this, open the start menu, select the power button, then select restart. Once your computer has restarted, check to see if your WiFi connection is working.

Step 2: Update Your Network Drivers

If restarting your computer did not fix the issue, you may need to update your network drivers. Network drivers control how your computer communicates with your network and the internet. Outdated or corrupt network drivers can cause a variety of issues, including connection problems. To update your network drivers on a Dell laptop, open the start menu and search for “Device Manager”. Once you have opened Device Manager, expand the “Network Adapters” section. Right-click on your network adapter and select “Update Driver”. Follow the prompts to install the new driver.

Step 3: Reset Your Network Settings

If updating your network drivers did not fix the issue, you may need to reset your network settings. To do this, open the start menu and type “Network and Sharing Center” into the search bar. Once you have opened the Network and Sharing Center, click on “Change adapter settings”. Right-click on your network adapter and select “Properties”. Next, click on the “Configure” button. Finally, click on the “Reset to default” button. This will reset your network settings and may fix the issue.

Step 4: Disable/Enable Network Adapter

If resetting your network settings did not fix the issue, you may need to disable and then re-enable your network adapter. To do this, open the start menu and type “Device Manager” into the search bar. Once you have opened Device Manager, expand the “Network Adapters” section. Right-click on your network adapter and select “Disable”. Once the adapter has been disabled, right-click on it again and select “Enable”. This will re-enable your network adapter and may fix the issue.

Step 5: Uninstall and Reinstall Network Adapter

If disabling and re-enabling your network adapter did not fix the issue, you may need to uninstall and then reinstall it. To do this, open the start menu and type “Device Manager” into the search bar. Once you have opened Device Manager, expand the “Network Adapters” section. Right-click on your network adapter and select “Uninstall”. Once the adapter has been uninstalled, restart your computer. After your computer has restarted, open Device Manager again and the adapter should be automatically reinstalled. This may fix the issue.

Step 6: Check Your Network Settings

If uninstalling and reinstalling your network adapter did not fix the issue, you may need to check your network settings. To do this, open the start menu and type “Network and Sharing Center” into the search bar. Once you have opened the Network and Sharing Center, click on “Change adapter settings”. Right-click on your network adapter and select “Properties”. Make sure that both the “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” options are enabled. If they are not, click on them to enable them. This may fix the issue.

Step 7: Try a Different Network

If checking your network settings did not fix the issue, you may need to try connecting to a different network. To do this, open the start menu and type “Network and Sharing Center” into the search bar. Once you have opened the Network and Sharing Center, click on “Connect to a network”. Select the network that you want to connect to and enter the password if prompted. This may fix the issue.

Step 8: Check Your Antivirus Software

If connecting to a different network did not fix the issue, you may need to check your antivirus software. Some antivirus programs can block your computer from connecting to the internet. To check your antivirus software, open the start menu and type “Security” into the search bar. Once you have opened the Security window, click on the “Firewall” tab. Make sure that the “Firewall” option is set to “Off”. If it is not, click on the “Off” button to turn it off. This may fix the issue.

Step 9: Try a System Restore

If turning off your firewall did not fix the issue, you may need to try a system restore. A system restore will revert your computer back to an earlier date and may fix the issue. To do a system restore, open the start menu and type “System Restore” into the search bar. Once you have opened the System Restore window, select the date that you want to restore your computer to and click “Next”. Follow the prompts to complete the system restore. This may fix the issue.

Step 10: Contact Dell Support

If none of the above steps have fixed the issue, you may need to contact Dell Support for further assistance. Dell Support can provide you with additional advice and troubleshooting steps to help get your WiFi connection working again. You can contact Dell Support by phone, email, or live chat. They will be able to assist you with any additional steps you may need to take to get your WiFi connection working again.

In this article, we have walked you through the process of troubleshooting and fixing a WiFi connection issue on a Dell laptop running Windows 8.1. We hope that this article has been helpful and that you have been able to get your WiFi connection working again. Good luck!