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Windows 10 is unable to connect to a specific WiFi connection only.

A windows 10 laptop is unable to connect to a specific WiFi connection. This connection did work in the past. It is not known if there was an update of other event to cause it to stop working. The connection SSID is not visible in the available networks panel. It is not listed in the known networks page (Manage Wireless Networks) so telling windows to 'forget' this connection is not an option. The WiFi device has been uninstalled and reinstalled in the device manager. The laptop can view and connect to other WiFi networks. The specific network SSID is visible and can be connected to from other devices and other PCs. All components in this puzzle have been restarted/rebooted multiple times. It is not known if there is any MAC filtering set on the WiFi node, but it is unlikely as the user is not savy, and is not even familiar with how to access the router. (it is a TP Link unit that is still in the out-of-the-box configuration)

Somewhere in the bowels of windoze there must be something that knows about this connection that has become corrupted. Any ideas where to look?

Jackie Man

The specific network SSID is visible and can be connected to from other devices and other PCs.

Try to run the setup of the router again and setup a new SSID and wifi password.

https://19216801.one/tp-link-router-setup/

CompProbSolv

I've run into something similar where a PC could only see one standard of WiFi (newer) and not the older ones. Deleting the Wifi adapter and software and installing the latest fixed it. That may or may not help here.

Bill Herde

ASKER

Thanks for the responses so far.
@Jackieman Changing the SSID on the router would be less than desirable since the rest of the house has devices that would need to be reconnected.
@CompProbSolv The adapter and driver were uninstalled and 'rediscovered' by windows with no change of status. I will look again to see if there may be a separate connection manager software in the way. It is a Dell machine, so that is possible. Will update.
Also going in to the registry I have located a section containing network profiles. There may be something in there to look at as well.
Keep the comments coming!

Jackie Man

Changing the SSID is just a test whether it is a problem of Windows OS or your router.

You can change the SSID back to the old one after the test.

CompProbSolv

"separate connection manager software in the way ": can't ever be sure until you've found the culprit, but I wouldn't think that this is the issue if it is seeing other broadcasts.

"'rediscovered' by windows ": while those drivers usually work, I'd be far more trusting of Dell's. Go to https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us , put in your service tag number, and let it tell you what driver updates you may need. If it doesn't say it needs one for WiFi, go ahead and download and install the latest anyway.

CompProbSolv

Jackie Man makes a good point and I made an assumption without evidence. Can ANY devices see the WiFi from your wireless router? I assumed that they could but shouldn't have.

Scott Silva

Is it possible that the laptop doesn't have the proper protocol for the router?
IE the laptop is 802.11G but the router is set to "N" only?

Bill Herde

ASKER

At this point, it looks like ANY other device is able to connect to the router. TV, Alexa, Ring doorbell and another PC. I did verify the PC in question is set to ABGN, and surely one of those should work. The stupid part is that it DID work at one time. The client was then away from the office for oh, let's say about two years, and upon return, it cannot even see it. But it see's all the neighbors, and can connect to them (with passphrase of course). I hope to get back with them in the morning and see if I can find the network profile in the registry and remove the keys to see if it just needs to make a new network profile.

CompProbSolv

Does the problem PC "see" the SSID of the wireless router? If not, then it's highly unlikely that deleting the profile from the registry is going to fix it, but nothing wrong with trying.

Have you updated the drivers with the latest from Dell?

"The stupid part is that it DID work at one time. ": actually... that's not unusual if an update "breaks" the driver.

nobus

try a system restore to a date it worked

Mike Sun

Sometimes it's a case of channel having just moved "out of range" e.g. channel 14 on router but wireless adapter on PC is configured to only go up to channel 13 (country variations).

Bill Herde

ASKER

Well it looks like we can't move forward till after the holiday. Happy Festivus everyone!

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Bill Herde

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