How To Fix Broken Wifi Adapter

What should I do if the TP-Link network adapter is not working properly in my computer?

Please note: If your laptop has built-in WiFi but you add a new adapter that connects through the PC Card adapter or a USB port, you will need to remove or disable Windows drivers for the original unit. Please refer here to disable the original adapter

Case 1 Slow speed

Step 1. Check Wi-Fi signal strength. If signal is weak, move the computer closer to your router if possible.(About 10-15 feet)

Step 2. Check if the problem happens on 2.4GHz or 5GHz if it's a dual-band adapter.

Step 3. Contact the router support to change channel and channel width on your router to avoid possible interference.

Step 4. Update driver of the adapter (skip if you don't know how to do that).

Step 5. Please check the link speed (FAQ2899)of the wireless adapter is normal or not . If you can get the normal link speed. Normally, we can get 30-50% of the link speed.

Step 6. Please use your computer test speed again. Then use your phone/iPad to connect to your host Wi-Fi and test speed in the same location. If the result is higher than your computer's speed, please contact TP-Link support with the results above and tell us the operating system of your computer.

Case 2 Unstable connection

Step 1. Check Wi-Fi signal strength. If the signal is weak, move the computer closer to your router if possible.

Step 2. Check if the problem happens on 2.4GHz or 5GHz if it's a dual-band adapter.

Step 3. Contact the router support to change channel and channel width on your router to avoid possible interference.

Step 4. Update driver of the adapter (skip if you don't know how to do that).

Step 5. Please try to ping the router's IP address "192.168.0.1"(we take the TP-Link's router IP address as an example), then please share the ping result. How to Use the Ping Command: FAQ425

Step 6. Contact TP-Link support with the results above and tell us the operating system of your computer and what it looks like when the connection drops as the Wi-Fi signal disappears or other behaviors.

Case 3 Cannot find wireless network

A. cannot find certain Wi-Fi signal

Change SSID/wireless network name and channel of your router (contact the router support if you don't know how to do it).

Please try to change the setting of your router, please change the channel of the 2.4G to channel 1 and change the channel of the 5G to channel 36.

If you use the TP-Link router, can check the FAQ2292.

B. cannot find any Wi-Fi signal

Step 1.Enable wireless service. There might be a Wi-Fi on/off button on some computers. Make sure it's switched on.

Step 2.For Windows

Enable WAC (skip if you don't know where to find it). Go to My Computer>>Manage>>Computer Management>>Services>>WLAN AutoConfig>>General>>Ensure the Startup type as Automatic >>Start>>OK

For MAC

If you already installed the driver and it was successful. however, don't see any other wifi bar or it shows "no wireless NIC plugin".

Run as Administrator when installing the driver.

Open theApple menu.
SelectSystem Preferences .
In the System Preferences window, click on theUsers & Groups icon.
On the left side of the window that opens, locate your account name in the list.
- If the wordAdmin is immediately below your account name, then you are an administrator on this machine.
- If the wordStandard is there, then you are not an administrator and your account cannot be used to install software or make administrative changes.

Step 3.Uninstall anti-virus software and disable the firewall if any.

Step 4.Update the driver of the adapter (skip if you don't know how to do that).

Step 5.Contact TP-Link support with the results above and tell us the operating system of your computer.

Case 4 Cannot connect to Wi-Fi

Step 1. Make sure your router is working. Use another device like laptops or mobile phones to connect to Wi-Fi and check the internet connection.

The first time you try to connect to Mobile WiFi's wireless network, your PC may require you to enter a PIN code. Please follow the guidelines below to connect to the wireless network:

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2054/

Step 2. Check Wi-Fi signal strength. Move the computer closer to your router or adjust wireless settings like channel and channel width on your router to avoid wireless interference. Please contact your router support to help you.

Step 3.Update the driver of the adapter (skip if you don't know how to do that).

Step 4. Please try to change the Wi-Fi setting of the router and connect It again.

Step 5.Contact TP-Link support and tell us the wireless security type and model number of your router/access point.

Case 5 No internet access after connecting to Wi-Fi

1) Connect other wireless devices to the router and make sure the internet is working with other devices.

2) Check IP address, Default Gateway, and DNS of Wireless (Wi-Fi) Network Connection.

How to check IP address: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/838/

If the IP address is not obtained automatically, change it to Obtain IP Address Automatically.

If there is no IP address or invalid IP address 169.254.x.x:

Check the settings on router and make sure the network adapter is in the router's white list. Normally a router would have mac filtering, access control, or other kinds of firewall which can block devices. If you don't know that, please check it with router support and you may choose to disable that function or add the adapter to the white list.
Change router's wireless channel.
Uninstall the previous driver, try the latest one on our website or the one from chipset manufacturer.

If an IP address is delivered by the main router, please try to ping the IP address of the main router.

How to use the ping command :

https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/425/

3) Please help us check the driver version of the adapter and computer motherboard info and send us the photos: https://www.tp-link.com/support/faq/2722/