Windows 10: When I disconnect the Ethernet cable my desktop now can't see any WiFi

Hi, all. I'm a newbie here, though I was using IBM-PCs when MS-DOS was king. (a LONG time ago).

I have a Win10 desktop system, wyhen we first set it up, we commected it to the WiFi signal coming from our ATT cable modem, and it worked fine. We could access the internet and all was well.

After a few years, I ran an Ethernet cable from the cable modem directly to this computer, in hopes the Ethernet to this computer would run a little faster. It did seem to go little faster, and I could still access the Internet just fine.

We finally got a newer Win10 desktop system, installed it where the old one had been, and plugged the Ethernet cable into the new one instead. Moved the old one to an upstairs room (which had no ethernet cables), set it up there, and tried to log on to the cable modem's WiFi signal.

And found that the old computer now couldn't see any WiFi signals at all. It didn't seem to know what WiFi was. Troubleshooting, just provided the "answer" that the ethernet cable was disconnected, and I should plug the cable back in.

But years ago, this computer ran just fine on the modem's WiFi, with no ethernet cable plugged in at all. Now it doesn't seem to know WiFi exists. Everything else works fine (Microsoft Word, Excel, Command Prompts etc.)

It's as it there was a magic switch somewhere, where it can choose between "Log On To An Existing WiFi Network" and "Operate only off the Ethernet cable and don't even look for a WiFi signal". And that magic switch somehow got switched to Position B at some point.

I looked at the keyboard at the function keys across the top, hoping to find one with a litt e "connection" symbol on it next to the F3 label or whatever. None of them had any such symbol. Tried to press a few, none ever seemed to have any effect on recognition of WiFi.

What did I accidentally trip or switch or unplug, during the last few years while the Ethernet cable was plugged in? Now when I unplug the Ethernet cable, suddenly I have no Internet and no apparent way to connect to it, or even find it.

Help?

Thanks all!

:)

 

laptop can't find wifi but connects with ethernet cable

Please try these troubleshooting steps that may help.

1. Make sure the router SSID broadcast is on.
   
2. Change the wifi channel to see if it resolves the problem.
   
3. Enter the SSID and WPA2 password manually and see if the laptop connects.
   
4. Temporarily turn off the encryption.
   
5. We go into device manager & check updates for wifi drivers, we may need to simply update the driver.
   
6. We go to Settings - Network & Internet - Status - Change Adapter Options, then right-clicked 'Ethernet' and disabled it. We do the same with wifi. Then we (with Ethernet still disabled) enabled wifi. It should re-connect to your wifi after a while.
   
7. We have to disconnect our Ethernet cable from our laptop and follow the steps:
   Start>Control Panel>Network and Sharing Center>Manage Wireless Networks and remove all wireless connections by right click on it and select Remove network from the drop down menu. After doing this, close the windows and scan for the wifi networks.
   Click on the available network and select connect. After a while, we will be asked to give a password for our wifi connection. Type the password and click on connect button. And now will be connected to our wifi network via wireless.
   
8. First is to disconnect the internet cable from the laptop then uninstall/reinstall the wifi adapter.
   Go to Device Manager and uninstall the wifi adapter.
   Once uninstalled, reboot the laptop and it should reinstall the driver automatically.
   After the reboot do try connecting to your wireless network again.
   If all these will not work, do also make sure that the wireless adapter is enabled. Depending the model of your laptop there should be key combinations on how to enable/disable it.
   

 

WIFI Works, Ethernet won't

OK but why?

NOT YELLING, JUST EMPHASIZING

Please note, I installed the new Lynksis, it worked just fine for 3-4 days on both my MACBOOK PRO when in ethernet connect and the Dell, then the ethernet just quit working for both my MacBook Pro and Dell desktop. It did work, then just quit for no apparent reason. WIFi for iPhone, iPad, Andriod Phone, and when I set to wifi for my MacBook pro all work fine.

Detailed history: I first noticed that on my Desktop dell that is CAT5 ethernet connected to the WIFI ROuter, that it stopped, no internet access. I began to trouble shoot, and turned off my WIFI on my MAcbook and it wouldnt work either, plugged into same router but different cat5 cable. At that time, all WIFI devices still worked. I figured that it must be the ethernet side of the WIFI router, so I replaced the router with brand new one. the Lynksys N900 listed in original thread. Ethernet and everything worked just fine for 3-4 days. But then ethernet quit, but wifi still works.

Whatever the problem, it affects both my MacBook Pro and Dell with WIN 7. I'm guessing it is NOT a computer problem, if it is it is affecting both my Mac and Dell, separate cat 5 cables to same wifi router

To remixedcat, I don't know for sure how to check IP settings, see above post, no damage apparent to anything.

 

Computer not recognizing Ethernet cable

Hi Vijay, I appreciate your help.

I will try each step even if I've already done it, just to make sure, and post my results.

A. When I troubleshoot internet connections, it tells me “Plug an ethernet cable into this computer” and says my cable might be broken or disconnected. However of course i have tried a different working cable with no luck.

when I troubleshoot network adapter, it says “plug an Ethernet cable into the network adapter ‘Ethernet’” which of course has already been done so it is not recognizing it.

B. I tried every suggestion/step listed (except for the wifi troubleshooting since my computer doesn't have wifi) and none of them worked.

C. When I run the windows update troubleshooter, it tells me “download and install pending updates” (Maybe it is not up to date because I tried reinstalling windows 10 to see if that would fix the internet, but it did not. I updated it like last week or
something like that) but of course I can't download the updates without internet. If I click “apply this fix” it tells me to plug in an Ethernet cable. But i believe windows 10 was up to date before this issue even began because I updated it just a week ago.

D. I do not understand this step. The guide is confusing to me. It also appears that I have to download tools in order to do this repair. I cannot download anything because my computer cannot connect to the internet. I don't have a USB flashdrive. I did
try reinstalling Windows 10 though and it did not help.