Windows 10: Find my Device - Wifi on, feature set up, page says 'Off'

Hi, I set this up, on via settings, a few days ago. This feature was introduced in the Nov. upgrade.

When I go to the site Sign in to your Microsoft account and log in with the same live id I use as my PC logon, I see my Pc listed, but I see 'Find My Device: Off'

There is nothing useful to click on the site I can see.

Whilst I question the value of the feature (thief has to log on, know or cheat the password, not switch the feature off via Settings (it's not password protected), I'm curious as to why it doesn't seem to work.

Prey (which does the same thing but more securely and robustly) has been around some years, and does work - if I'm patient.

Thanks.

:)

 

Crashing behaviour of find my phone setting

The Find My Phone feature needs an internet connection to work, so the phone needs to have access to a WiFi or data connection in order for this feature to work.

If I turn off the data connection & WiFi on my phone, then go to the Settings > Find My Phone and attempt to use it, the Find My Phone screen does not open up.... the phone just flicks back to the same settings menu, but that isn't surprising since the option
can't do anything without an internet connection.

 

Cannot turn ON Wifi in new Alienware laptop (Windows 10)

I recently purchased Alienware 13 R2 from US (Windows 10 is preinstalled, not upgraded).

Wifi was working fine (in India) and 2 days after I came to China it stopped working. Ethernet connect works fine, even with vpn. I have been using astrill dialer in China. (Astrill desktop app is not installed). The wifi can't be turned on even when the
dialer is closed.

The issue is that I cannot turn ON the wifi adapter. In the adapter settings page, it shows the Wifi adpater is disabled. When I try to enable it, a pop up comes up saying the adapter is enabled, but still it actually stays disabled.

In the network settings page, I can move the wifi tap to ON position, but it automatically goes back to OFF position when I go to another setting/page. In the Airplane mode page, when I try to move the wireless tab to ON, it instantly goes back to OFF position.

Hope someone can help.

Further details

1: There is no DNI_DNE

2: I have deselected the option "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" in the device manager settings.

3. Laptop purchased in Dec 2015. with Killer Wifi adapter. (I don't think this could be a driver update issue)

 

Hello Dalchina, *Smile

If this is for a desktop PC, then it won't have a "Find my device" option on the Microsoft site for it. It's only be for mobile PCs and devices.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html

 

Hi Brink, thanks, er.. I've never had a desktop... (System Specs = laptop). "I set this up, on via settings, a few days ago." i.e. the setting to enable it is available and I set it 'on'.

My laptop is correctly shown on the site, but I see 'Find My Device: Off' on the site.
Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

Hmm, just wondering, is there any way the system could be fooled into thinking it's a desktop....

(Also noted the site 'Add more devices' doesn't obviously allow one to add a laptop).

 

Sorry, I had to ask since system specs are not always updated.

In that case, double check to make sure that you have Location for this device is on still turned on.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...a.html#option2

 

Yep, checked. The interesting thing I found was that Location was off after the Nov update (formerly on) and, when it was off, I was able to turn this feature on. (It was only after I'd turned the feature on that I found Location was off).

Thus, if Location being on is a requirement of this feature, then I should not have been able to turn it on without a warning.. I'd have thought..*Rolleyes

Whether it makes a difference having location on when the feature is enabled or not.. well.. I don't know..

 

Interesting. Yeah, the master "Location for this device" setting needs to be turned on to be able to turn on "Find my device".

Find a lost phone or device - Microsoft Help

Are you signed in to Windows with a Microsoft account?

 

You're asking all the right questions..*Wink
- yes, logged in with live id, same as in to site.

 

Stubborn thing. Ok, let's try this.

Make sure that both location settings are turned on like above.

Turn off Find my device, then turn it back to see if toggling it may help.

If the laptop is on and connected to the internet, you should be able to use "Find my device". Even when the laptop isn't, it should still show a last known location.

Find My Device for Windows 10 PCs

 

Hi, guess what, I had just tried that. Put Wifi on (instead of Ethernet- just in case); ensured location was on, disabled 'Find my device' and reenabled it. After 30 mins or so, site still says 'off'.

FWIW I'm using Bitdefender. At one point before I did try disabling the firewall.

Noted compared to yours, under Choose apps that can use your location, I have
App connector
Camera
Cortana
Mail & Calendar
Maps
Messaging+Skype
Microsoft Edge
New
Weather

- a few differences.

(Just checked Prey- still ticking away- updated 20 mins ago).

 

Odd. I don't see any reason why the site is still showing off for the laptop unless the laptop is not making a connection for "Find my device".

 

Ok, a bit of a breakthrough, quite unexpected, and not wildly encouraging initially as far as the feature (service?) is concerned.. but finally accurate with Wifi.

I have both my 32 bit upgrade installation, and a clean install 64 bit version as I'm finally biting the bullet and preparing for when I (eventually) replace this 6 year-old laptop. So far I've been using the 64 bit version since trying Find my device.

When I reverted to my 32 bit version, to my surprise, when I went to the site and clicked on my PC (which was shown- in grey- I think that's misleading as it doesn't invite you to click on it at all.. ) and when I did, Find my Device appeared in blue.

(Previously it was grey, and said 'Off').

So I duly clicked on Find my device.

It's location, however, was shown in Rutland, England's smallest county - which doesn't even include a city. (It's only about 17 miles x 18). No specific town- just a big coloured circle on the map. (I'm in Warwickshire, some distance away).

This morning: "Last seen at 28 November 2015 07:09:24 in Burton upon Trent, Staffs, United Kingdom"

Well, different county, maybe 30 miles away.

Noted the site says (I noted at some point) WiFi must be used.

So I'm waiting for an update using my Wifi connection.. which I've just got:
Last seen at 28 November 2015 07:26:44 in <my home town>, Warks, United Kingdom - and it's fairly accurate.. shown on the pavement about 20 yards from our house.

I've yet to retry on my 64 bit build where I first set this up.

So, why should changing the OS (and hard disk) make a difference?

And note it does need Wifi for accuracy, as I had expected.

 

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted. *Smile

It was most likely the install itself that may have sorted it for you. It works fine on my 64-bit laptop.

 

Er, well, it's the other way round as I said.. it works with the 32 bit upgrade build, I've yet to try it again on the clean install..