HP Envy 15 Drops Wireless Connection
I have an odd problem for which I could use some insights:
This is an HP Envy 15 laptop running Windows 8.1.
When I first encountered it, the wireless wasn't turned on.
The wireless software controls to turn on/off the wireless would go from OFF to ON and then within a few seconds revert to OFF all by itself.
The wireless light on the F12 key was always white no matter what was done with Fn-F12.
There appear to be no other switches for WiFi on this computer.
I checked the update status of the Bluetooth driver because I'd read that could be an issue with the WiFi on this computer. It's up to date.
I turned off the Bluetooth.
Finally, a reboot fixed the problem.
Now I understand that the wifi has stopped working again (and it seems this sort of behavior has been happening lately).
I'm not there to see the computer but that's not much of an issue. I can remote into it.
I'm a bit stuck between "software?" and "hardware?" here.
The hardware seems to be working fine but I guess there could be some intermittency.
It "feels" like software to me in view of the reboot fix.
What might be some likely next steps and how to test?
Can anyone confirm the Fn-F12 actions? (I've not checked it since the first reboot). Should the light change? Should the color or on/off state change?
This is an HP Envy 15 laptop running Windows 8.1.
When I first encountered it, the wireless wasn't turned on.
The wireless software controls to turn on/off the wireless would go from OFF to ON and then within a few seconds revert to OFF all by itself.
The wireless light on the F12 key was always white no matter what was done with Fn-F12.
There appear to be no other switches for WiFi on this computer.
I checked the update status of the Bluetooth driver because I'd read that could be an issue with the WiFi on this computer. It's up to date.
I turned off the Bluetooth.
Finally, a reboot fixed the problem.
Now I understand that the wifi has stopped working again (and it seems this sort of behavior has been happening lately).
I'm not there to see the computer but that's not much of an issue. I can remote into it.
I'm a bit stuck between "software?" and "hardware?" here.
The hardware seems to be working fine but I guess there could be some intermittency.
It "feels" like software to me in view of the reboot fix.
What might be some likely next steps and how to test?
Can anyone confirm the Fn-F12 actions? (I've not checked it since the first reboot). Should the light change? Should the color or on/off state change?
Duy Pham
I had the same problem with my HP nx6320 not just one but twice.
The first time I got the issue, it was due to WAN Adapter driver (which I think is the cause of most cases). Try uninstall the hardware (WAN Adapter driver) and then let's your Windows to re-install the driver again. Please remember to connect to internet using LAN cable.
The second time was due to the issue with my mainboard after a month living with very highly humid weather. Try to disassemble your laptop, then cleanup the control panel circuit. If that doesn't help, I think you might need to ask HP Technical support to check your laptop.
ASKER
It has been confirmed that a reboot does fix the problem .. if temporarily.
I doubt it is hardware issue. In my case sometimes reboot does help, but not always. As I remember, my wireless was even dropped after 5 or 10 minutes working after computer started.
At the beginning, I also thought it was driver issue, and I even tried to reinstall the whole computer starting from OS level. But after a while, it just ended up the same as your situation: Wireless light was ON all the time, but Wireless (WAN) Adapter couldn't be seen and turned ON/OFF the Wireless didn't seem to work at all.
How long does it work for you after reboot? Does the problem happen often? If you have quite the same symptoms as mine above, then I would suggest you bring your laptop to HP Support & Maintenance service and ask them to check and fix it for you.
At the beginning, I also thought it was driver issue, and I even tried to reinstall the whole computer starting from OS level. But after a while, it just ended up the same as your situation: Wireless light was ON all the time, but Wireless (WAN) Adapter couldn't be seen and turned ON/OFF the Wireless didn't seem to work at all.
How long does it work for you after reboot? Does the problem happen often? If you have quite the same symptoms as mine above, then I would suggest you bring your laptop to HP Support & Maintenance service and ask them to check and fix it for you.
ASKER
I'm not the "user" so I don't know how long it takes to fail. My impression is that it might fail once a day or once a week and, in at least one case, it was less than an hour from reboot.
The user had not been sophisticated enough to try a reboot. I don't know what was done before I started helping.
This is Windows 8.1. Turning the wireless ON via the OS doesn't work. Well, it "works" only to quickly reset itself to OFF right there in the Windows controls! The keyboard does nothing during this time.
The user had not been sophisticated enough to try a reboot. I don't know what was done before I started helping.
This is Windows 8.1. Turning the wireless ON via the OS doesn't work. Well, it "works" only to quickly reset itself to OFF right there in the Windows controls! The keyboard does nothing during this time.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
What do you mean by "the control panel"?
It is a small circuit right above the keyboard in my HP nx6320, that contains control for Power, Information, Screen Options, Sounds, Wireless. Not sure if you have one in HP Envy 15.
That had some kind of short-circuit problem, and it caused not only wireless but also sound failed to function properly.
By the way, one of my friend suggests that sometimes it could be driver conflicts issue, and the solution is remove/uninstall all network adapters (in Device Manager), and then re-install them using HP Driver Installation Packages.
That had some kind of short-circuit problem, and it caused not only wireless but also sound failed to function properly.
By the way, one of my friend suggests that sometimes it could be driver conflicts issue, and the solution is remove/uninstall all network adapters (in Device Manager), and then re-install them using HP Driver Installation Packages.