Windows 10 Wi-fi Problems- Fixed

Wireless Fidelity popularly known with short name WI-FI is a technology that allows electronic devices such as PCs, mobiles, tablets, Smart TVs wirelessly connects to the internet or LAN within its range. In this article, we are discussing Windows 10 Wi-Fi, its settings, features, and problems related to it and also the solutions to the issues. 

Before jumping into the Windows 10 Wi-Fi problems, let us go through how to add or remove Wifi in Windows 10. Most of the problems that we feel big is just due to the inadequate basic knowledge of Windows 10 Wi-Fi settings. So, by the end of this article, you will be able to fix almost all small problems related to Windows 10 Wi-Fi.

Adding Wi-Fi Adapters/Drivers and fixing no Wi-Fi issue

If you haven’t installed Wireless Networks driver, first you need to install wireless network driver for your computer. These drivers are easily available from the official website of the Computer brand you are using. If you have upgraded to Windows 10 from authorized Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 OS, you should not have problem with Wi-Fi adaptors or drivers. But in some minor cases, users complained that they are not being able to add Wi-Fi connection after upgrading to Windows 10. According to Microsoft Inc., it might be due to having unsupported VPN settings or old VPN software installed in your PCs.

Probable solution

• Step 1: Launch Command Prompt(Admin); Press Windows+X and choose Command Prompt(Admin)
• Step 2: Copy and Paste the following line and press enter.
  • reg delete HKCR\CLSID\{988248f3-a1ad-49bf-9170-676cbbc36ba3} /va /f  
• Step 3: Again, Copy and Paste following command and press enter.
  • netcfg -v -u dni_dne   
• Step 4: Restart your computer, you should be able to view the Wi-Fi networks and connect to them easily.

How to add or remove Wi-Fi in Windows 10

After installing and configuring Wi-Fi drivers/adapters, you will see Wireless Networks icon in the system tray located at the right corner of the taskbar.

To add Wi-Fi networks and connect to it

• Click on wireless networks icon in the system tray
• You will see a list of available wireless networks, choose the wireless network you want to get connected
• If you are using the same network frequently don’t forget to tick on Connect Automatically click on Connect.
• Type Network Security Key and click Next and complete the configuration to be connected with Wi-Fi.

To remove or forget Wi-Fi networks

• Click on the wireless network icon in the system tray
• Then click on Network Setting just below the list of available wireless networks
• Now, click on Manage Known networks
• Finally, click on the Wi-Fi you want to forget or remove and click on Forget button.

WI-FI Sense

Wi-Fi Sense is a technology which enables Windows 10 OS users to share Wi-Fi network access to their Facebook, Outlook and Skype contacts. Originally Wi-Fi sense feature was first used in Windows 8.1 Mobile that made the jump to Windows 10 OS for PCs and tablets. If you have enabled the Wi-Fi sense, it continuously works in the background and automatically connects to the Wi-Fi networks shared by your contacts. And your contacts will also be able to connect to your Wi-Fi network in a similar manner.

Looking at the features that it possess, it seems to be a very useful feature that can make our life easier, saving our cellular data while we are outdoor. But the response it got from the users and expert was not as expected by the Microsoft. Due to its working mechanism, users and expert think that Wi-Fi sense was not secure and could share Wi-Fi password and login information to shared contact and also may cause leakage for private information which Microsoft claims to be completely wrong.

Due to its low usage and low demand, in Windows 10 anniversary update Microsoft eventually removed the Wi-Fi sense features. However, you can still use some of the striped features of Wi-Fi Sense in Windows 10 anniversary update but you can’t use Wi-Fi sense like as before in the latest version of Windows 10.

How to use Wi-Fi Sense feature to automatically connect to open hotspots

Wi-Fi Sense is a nevertheless useful feature of Windows 10 putting its drawbacks aside. While other users will be looking for the open hotspot to be connected with internet, their Wi-Fi Sense feature in Windows 10 will use the previously collected information making the ‘Searching and Connecting’ process a lot quicker.

To be able to use this exciting Windows 10 feature you need to enable Wi-Fi Sense from Windows 10 setting app.

• Start by opening the Windows 10 Settings app, go to Start Menu and click on Setting Icon at the left corner of Start Menu or press Windows+I key to directly access the Setting app.
• Click on Network & Internet icon.
• Choose WiFi option at the left panel of the current window.
• Under Connect to suggested hotspots turn on the button.

Now you will be able to use the stripped feature of Windows 10 WiFi sense and quickly connect to suggested hotspots by WiFi sense.

Common Windows 10 Wi-Fi connection problems and its possible fix

1. Once connected, if the Wi-Fi password is changed, it doesn’t ask new password and it won’t connect either

When the password of Wi-Fi is changed, Windows 10 still tries to authenticate that particular Wi-Fi network with the same old password. Hence Windows fails to connect to that Wi-Fi networks and shows error without showing any notice about the password change. To solve this issue you can manually choose to forget the Wi-Fi network and reconnect it with a new password.

• Open Windows 10 Setting app, press Windows+I key on the keyboard
• Click on Network & Internet icon.
• Then click on the Wi-Fi option. (You can access this setting directly clicking on Network icon at the taskbar tray and choosing Network Setting)
• Click on Manage known networks.
• Choose the Wi-Fi network you want your PC to forget and Click on Forget.

Now, you can enter your new password and connect your PC to the Wi-Fi connection.

2. Windows 10 Wi-Fi connected but no internet

Wi-Fi connected but no internet is another widely reported Windows 10 Wi-Fi issue. Windows 10 requires latest and updated network drivers for the smooth functioning of Wi-Fi and other wireless networks. Using outdated network drivers results in a slow internet connection or no internet connection even if you see the Wi-Fi icon showing a connection. 

Check out these following probable solution to fix this connection problem

• At first, be sure that the problem is not due to the router or ISP.
  • Open Command Prompt(Admin), right click on Start menu and click on Command Prompt(Admin). Alternatively, press Windows+R and then type cmd in the box and press enter.
  • Type ipconfig in command prompt and press Enter.
  • Search for the IP address listed just next to the Default Gateway. E.g., 198.168.100.1

Now type ping <Default Gateway> and press enter.

If the ping is successful, but still you are not able to connect to the internet, than you might need to consult with your Internet Service Provider(ISP).

• Update/install the Network adapter driver

  • Open Device Manager, Type Device Manager in Cortana or Taskbar Search box.
  • From the list of all the available devices choose the Network adapters option and click on the network adapter installed in your PC.
  • Right click on the network adapter and choose Update Driver Software… , Click on Search automatically for updated software or choose to Browse my computer for driver software and locate the path if you have already downloaded the updated driver software.
  • If you choose Search automatically for updated software follow the steps and close the wizard after complete installation.
  • After the installation, Restart your PC and check the status of your Wi-Fi if it is fixed.
  • Choosing to Browse my computer for driver software to install the driver manually,
    • Click on Browse and select the location of the file where it is saved and click Ok.
    • Now after browsing the path of the driver file, click Next.
    • Follow the steps and complete the installation.
    • Restart your PC and check if Wi-Fi issue is fixed.
• Run Network troubleshooter
  • Right click on the Network/Wi-Fi symbol at the taskbar tray, Choose to Troubleshoot problems and click it.
  • The troubleshooting wizard will scan for possible errors in Network components that is causing the connection issues and automatically tries to solve the issue(might ask permission of Admin for sensitive task).

Run these networking commands in Command Prompt(Admin) window

• Right click on the Start button and Choose Command Prompt(Admin), click it and run these following networking commands in order as listed below.

• Type netsh winsock reset in Windows command prompt and press Enter.
• Then, type netsh int ip reset in Windows command prompt and press Enter.
• After that, type ipconfig /release in Windows command prompt and press Enter.
• Now, type ipconfig /renew in Windows command prompt and press Enter.
• Finally, type ipconfig /flushdns in Windows command prompt and press Enter.

• Temporarily turn off Firewall and any other antivirus/antimalware software

3. You are connected but you don’t know the password of any Wi-Fi network:

If you don’t know the password even though you are connected to a wifi network, then you don’t need to worry, we have a solution for you. You can follow the following steps to know the wifi password:

• You should right click on the network icon on your taskbar.
• After that, you should choose Open Network and Sharing center.
• The new window will pop up, you should go to Change adapter settings.
• Now go to your wifi connection and select wireless properties.
• Go to wireless properties.
• Open security tab among two tabs.
• Mark the checkbox of Show Characters.

Finally, you will see the password of the wifi you are connected with.

We hope this helped you in fixing your wifi problems in windows 10.