Many PC users and the majority of laptop users access the internet through wireless adapters. It gives you a faster and more reliable internet connection. But a very annoying thing happens when the network adapter starts to cause problems.
Whenever you encounter a connectivity problem, the first thing to do is to run a Windows troubleshooter. If the problem is due to your network adapter, you may see a ‘problem with wireless adapter or access point error’ message. So, how to solve it?
You don’t need to have high technical knowledge to fix this. Wireless adapter problems are quite common and can be fixed within a few simple steps. In this article, we tried to provide solutions to those problems.

What Causes Wireless Adapter Problems?
First, you have to find out the specific reason behind the problem and then look for a solution to fix it. The most common causes are–
- Problem with your devices i.e. computer or router or modem
- Problem with network drivers
- Disabled wireless adapter
- Wi-Fi configuration error
- Access point malfunctioning
- Even some laptop brands are more prone to wireless adapter problems
A few Things to Check Before Applying the Solutions
- Check if your internet connection is good
- Make sure to enter the correct password
If you have checked all of these and are still getting the error message, then you should follow the methods that are mentioned below.
How to Fix Wireless Adapter Problems
1. Try restarting your devices or reconnecting to the network
This solution may seem very common but a lot of the time it really works. It solves a number of network problems as well as device problems. Switch off your router and computer and then wait for a few minutes. Power on your device. Try to connect to the internet. If it doesn’t work, we have some other solutions for you to check out.
2. Reset the network
Check if other devices show the same message. If yes, then maybe the problem is with your network connection or router. If your network connection is causing the error, the best thing to do is to reset the network. The easiest method to reset the network is by using command prompts. Several standard commands can be run to reset Your network.
Step 1: search cmd in the search bar
Step 2: right-click on it
Step 3: click run as administrator
Step 4: run these 5 commands one by one
- Netsh Winsock reset
- Int IP reset
- Ipconfig /release
- IP config /renew
- Ipconfig /flushdns
Step 5: Restart your computer
3. Update network drivers
Outdated network drivers can be the reason behind your wireless adapter issues. This can also result in other connectivity problems. So it is recommended to update your network driver regularly.
There are 2 ways to update your network driver. Either you can install a program that automatically updates your network driver. Or you can update it manually.
- Automatically update driver
It is the easiest process to update your network driver. In this way, you only have to install software and then run it on your device. The software will allow a free scan to check if any of your drivers are outdated. Then it will automatically update them. You can easily find driver updater software online which is free and also safe.
- Manually update driver
If you prefer to update your network manually, these are the steps you can follow-
Step 1: search for device manager
Step 2: right-click to open the device manager window
Step 3: select update driver
Step 4: search automatically for updated drivers
4. Enable the wireless adapter
Your wireless adapter can be disabled for various reasons. Enabling it may solve the wireless adapter issues. To enable-
Step 1: search device manager
Step 2: click on it to open it
Step 3: expand the network adapter under which you can find a wireless adapter driver. Make sure it is not disabled.
Step 4: if disabled, right-click and choose enable
5. Disable IP helper
The easiest way to disable IP helper is through the services window.
Step 1: search services
Step 2: click on services to open the manager window
Step 3: search for an IP helper service and stop it.
Step 4: choose starter type as disabled
Step 5: click apply
6. Remove antivirus software
Antivirus software is necessary for the safety of your device. But some of them interfere with the network adapter and cause access point errors. McAfee is one of them. To solve this you need to temporarily remove your antivirus software. It is recommended to switch on to better antivirus software.
7. Reset the router
If you reset your router, you will lose all your current network settings. It will go back to its connection work state. So before resetting, you must keep a backup of your configuration to restore it later. Press the reset button and wait for 10-30 seconds. You can use a paperclip to long-press the button. It takes a few minutes to fully reset your device. Check your router’s manual for further information.
8. Switch into a wired connection
Not everyone is comfortable working with a wired connection. But when you are badly in need of the internet and the other solutions are not working, you must try to connect via a wired network. For this, you only need to connect your PC or laptop with your router through the LAN cable. This can temporarily fix the problem.
Conclusion
Try out all the fixes one by one until the network adapter problem solves. If all of these solutions fail to resolve the issue then it must be a router problem. Then you need to replace your router.
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