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June 22nd, 2022 17:00

Latitude E7440 seeing other Wi-Fi networks but not seeing my (functioning) Wi-Fi network

A few years ago, my wife got a new laptop from her employer, and she purchased her old Dell Latitude E7440 with Windows 8.1 installed.  We have been using it for years with Windows 8.1 without a problem, but Windows 8.1 will reach end of support in 2023.  So, I decided tp upgrade it to Windows 10.

It wouldn't allow me to upgrade it to Windows 10.  So, today, I formatted the hard drive and successfully performed a clean install of Windows 10.

While connected to my Wi-Fi network, I installed various applications.  Then, I used the Dell support site to update the drivers.  It installed six drivers, and I think two of the drivers were related to the network adapter and one was related to BIOS.  The upgrade forced me to reboot.

After I rebooted the laptop, it could see various other Wi-Fi networks in my apartment building, but it could no longer see my Wi-Fi network even though my phone, various other phones, and another laptop can see my Wi-Fi network.

I rebooted the laptop various times.  Early in the troubleshooting, I noticed the Dell driver update seems to have disabled the Wi-Fi adapter, and so I enabled the Wi-Fi adapter and rebooted.  It still would not see my Wi-Fi network.

I connected the laptop via a cable to my modem/router.  I performed a Windows Update, installed all updates, and rebooted, but it did not help.

Microsoft support asked me to reset the network settings and reboot in order to force it to forget all network settings.  It did not help.

Microsoft asked me to contact the manufacturer to check the driver update and check whether any BIOS settings need to be enabled after the drivers/BIOS upgrade, but it seems I have no support contract for the laptop, and I think I cannot open a case.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

June 23rd, 2022 06:00

It might not be the most desirable option, but I reverted from the new Dell Wi-Fi driver (the driver that was installed when I performed the Dell driver update) back to the original Microsoft version of the Wi-Fi driver that was installed by default with Windows 10.  Now, the laptop sees my Wi-Fi network (in addition to all of the other Wi-Fi networks from my neighbors).

I'll consider this issue solved.

Maybe a future Dell Wi-Fi driver will not cause this same issue.

 

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