Windows 10: Wireless Antenna Stopped Working as Expected

I'm using Windows 10 in a custom built rig with a TP Link wireless antenna (PCI) for wireless access to our home wireless network.

I've already eliminated a number of things.
The modem-router is fine - all other devices use it without problems.
The Ethernet connection in my PC is working fine.

I have a gut-feeling this is a software issue. So before I rush out and buy a new antenna, I wanted to try and troubleshoot it here.

A bit of history.
All was fine. My wife went away for a couple of weeks, so I connected up an Ethernet cable (which I am not normally allowed to run through the house *Smile ).

When I disconnected the Ethernet cable upon her return, the wireless seemed to be on the Fritz.

It still reports a strong signal.
But, it reports "No Internet, secured" underneath the SSID after connecting to it.

Obviously, the browsers do not load any sites.

I am not even able to load the modem-router's firmware interface via its IP address.
I am not able to ping the IP address of the modem-router.

As I said, the wireless card seems to be working, as it still detects my next-door neighbor's network (in addition to my own) and reports a plausible signal strength for it.

Can anyone suggest how I can determine whether this is hardware or software. I think I've conclusively narrowed it down to either being:

• the wireless antenna; or
• Windows 10.

And remember, all I did was stop using it for a couple of weeks.
Thanks

:)

 

limited connection

I learned something else that will be helpful. On the Win7 machine, there are two wireless adapters, one internal and one an external USB-connected antenna of higher power. The key tidbit is that when you start a hostednetwork, and there are multiple wireless
adapters, Windows picks one AT RANDOM. Could it be that if Windows picks the antenna adapter (which is used to connect to the RV park's wireless network) as the one to be used for the hostednetwork, that is the source of the interference? So, to make this
work, you must

1. not have the external antenna plugged in

2. start the hostednetwork

3. plug in the antenna

4. connect to the Internet

None of the items about using Internet Connection Sharing say anything like this, and there are lots of them. They assume an Ethernet internet connection and one wireless adapter. Mostly they tell you to update the driver, when it is obviously not a driver
problem since it was working just a few hours ago, and will work again tomorrow.

 

Kernel Security Check Failure - Windows 10

I'm already using the latest driver for my wireless adapter. Since I'm using laptop I have laptop's embedded wireless adapter and one external wireless adapter ( TP-link, TL-WN722N) ( in one of the posts I called it antenna). I use external adapter because
of the distance between my laptop and router. That antenna caused crashes as soon as I unplug it. But not anymore. Now I can plug it in or out, crash won't occur. The only problem now is that my usb 3.0 port is not working.

Yes, that driver dates from 2011, it's when I bought my laptop and this tp-link wifi adapter.

I don't know why system stopped crashing, but this problem with usb port persists.

Thank you for your effort

 

Hi onefootswill.

Agree software. Before trying anything below I would create a Restore Point. If you don't have a Image then I would also look at Macrium Reflect. Nothing below is that drastic but Windows does have a mind of its own and having a Plan B is always a good idea. A data backup is always recommended.

Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

You could try a Network Reset. This will cause all Wireless passwords to be forgotten.

Start => Settings => Network and Internet => Scroll to bottom of right hand side => Network Reset

Run the following four bolded commands. Use a Command Prompt(admin)
Do not key in info in brackets, there for your information.


ipconfig /flushdns (Clear the dns cache)
nbtstat -RR (release and refesh NetBIOS names)
netsh int ip reset (reset ip settings)
netsh winsock reset (Reset Winsock Catalog)


Ken

 

Thanks Ken. Will run through those steps when I get home from work this evening. Will post the results back here.

 

That worked. Thanks for the help!

 

Excellent. Glad the forum could help.