Windows 10: Realtek RTL8188CU Wireless LAN Adapter does not start

The adapter works in windows 8.1 but does not start in windows 10. Device manager shows an exclamation mark.
Installing a new driver does not work. The device manager tells me the best drivers are already installed. How do I tackle this problem?

:)

 

Networking Problems Windows 10

I have 2 ways to access wireless networks on my pc as i can't run an ethernet cable to it, the USB adapter that isn't working is the Realtek RTL8188CU Wireless LAN 802.11n USB 2.0 Network Adapter. And the card that does work (but has high latency and lower
speeds) is just labeled as 802.11n Wireless Lan Card. There aren't any exact error messages, it just tells me when trying to connect to my router that it was unable to connect to that network (this is for the Realtek USB adapter).

 

WiFi settings not retained

My WiFi adapter is a Realtek RTL8188CU Wireless LAN 802.1n USB 2.0 Network adapter Version 1027.4.630.2015. Windows 10 Pro does not retain the settings for my Wireless router and password, so I have to put in the settings every time I start up. I have
put the data in the "Add Networks" and ticked the retain password and the connection is made. Connect automatically is also ticked, but every time I start up I have to re-enter the password.

 

Uninstall device and drivers from Device Manger, then install the correct drivers from Realtek's website. The Windows 10 drivers are no different from the Windows 8 drivers.

 

Hello Bro67,
Your advice did not solve the problem. After installing the new windows 10 driver windows 10 crashed twice: blue screen of death.
It does not seem to be the driver.
The device status tells me:
This device does not start (Code 10)
(operation fails)
the requested operation failed.

If I look in the events window it tells me about today's events:
Device removed
Installation of device required
Device configured (oem23.inf)
Device started (RtlWlanu)

The indormation window tells me:
Device USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8176\00e04c000001 requires further installation.

I am still puzzled

 

Try an adapter with the Intel Chipset in it. The Windows 8.1 driver should work, since 8 & 10 are cousins.

 

Hello Bro67,
I would not call your last answer a solution. What you propose is exactly what displeases me about windows.
Terminating the support of relatively new hardware and software with the aim to let you buy new devices and software.
The only thing I want is is a properly configured RTL8188 usb and working wifi network adapter.

 

I have just solved the problem myself haphazardly. When I inserted a usb3 stick in my front usb3 port the system responded with the normal sound, but the stick remained invisible. When I checked the device manager it turned out the asbmedia usb3 driver was not installed. So I installed the latest 3.1 driver, while doing so not only the stick popped up but also my wifi adapter lost its exclamation mark. I obviously had put it in a usb3 port.

 

I have had no problems with the Intel adapters with BSD, Linux or Windows.

The Realtek chipsets have always had issues with Windows, BSD & Linux.

Intel drivers are built into the driver package for Windows. Because of the agreement that Intel and Microsoft have always had.

 

Also no one is terminating any support. It is just that Microsoft refuses to work with Realtek, to include their drivers into the driver package.

 

Before bro67 made a reply, I actually thought the NIC in question was a internal card but didn't realize it was USB. Intel doesn't make wireless NIC's in USB from what I know.... Realtek products have always been crap and just cheap. For wired NICs, Intel is the best. For wireless, I think Qualcomm/Atheros is probably the best out there.

 

Any company can use any chipset that they wish. Realtek & Atheros (Motorola & Ericsson) are considered low power chips. The low power Intel chips used in the i3's and Celerons are always going to be not as great as those that are now the a/b/g/n units.

I have had no problems with the Intel 7260 mini PCIe cards that are in both laptops. One laptop runs Windows 10, the other Linux Mint 17.2.

I actually had to do a Reset on my wife's laptop that has 10586. Upgrading from one version to the next is causing some major issues. As usual, Microsoft is writing Beta software that never is finished. All that Microsoft had to do was keep 7 and give people Gui choices. It is to the point that I am about ready to wipe out my wife's laptop and install Linux Mint on it also.

 

Yes, except the Realtek in this question is actually a USB Wireless NIC, I thought it was internal. Not sure if there are any USB NICs out there. I thought Atheros was basically Stanford University, never knew it was associated with Motorola & Ericsson. I'm using a Intel 7260AC-HWWWB.R Mini-PCIe that was just installed last week with the latest drivers, the .R is the revised September 2014 version. People seem to have problems with the older 7260AC's. I know on FreeBSD and even Windows, Intel makes the best Wired NICs that even 3Com can't touch. Realtek has always been cheap low end stuff from what I remember, the other good wired NIC chipset is the DEC back in the 100Mbps days.

 

Maybe with the 7260 N card. The AC card has not had any issues.

The USB Nic's are a hit or miss on what chipset that they put in them. Those come down to the antenna as the majority of problems.

 

It's actually the 7260N and 7260AC that had issues, you can't tell physically on the 7260AC card if it's the .R revision or not, it's only in the packaging when the resellers buy in bulk. I know the Windows drivers version 17.x used to be buggy from what I read but 18.x fixed those problems.