Aspire V15; WiFi enabled but won't work.

I have an Aspire V15, running on Windows 8.1 with a 64-bit architecture. It was working but with a lot of blue screen errors so I manaved to fix the errors through guides from the internet and uninstalled my newly installed antivirus software (KIS) but then suddenly right after finishing, the WiFi wouldn't work. The option for WiFi conmectivity disappeared in the Connectivity Manager bar (the one that slides out from the right side of the screen when you click the WiFi/Ethernet icon in the notification area with the clock), sorry for lack of a better term, and also disappeared in the Notification area itself and also under the Connection settings which only displayed Ethernet and VPN. So I checked under Device Manager but the computer detects the WLAN card just fine. Then I checked under Network Connections and still the WLAN Card was detected and enabled. Given these I Diagnosed and Troubleshooted the WLAN Card, it toldee that there was something wrong woth the drivers which it can't fix so I updated the driver through Device Manager and even through Qualcomm's webpage and I even tried removing/disabling the device to hope that the Computer can detect and install the driver when I resyart it, no luck. Nothing worked. I still can't find a way to turn it on and it still won't show up in the Connection Settings. So now thw WiFi is enabled but can't be used. Pleas help.

The WLAN Card (Qualcomm Atheros AR5BWB222)

*I tried a WLAN USB Adapter I tried to test on the laptop which unfortunately had the same issue as the WLAN Card.

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JackE

>>>I checked under Network Connections and still the WLAN Card was detected and enabled. >>>

Right click on the card in Network Connections. Left click "connect/disconnect" if it exists. What do you see? Jack E/NJ

Vins

I've tried such, still nothing.

JackE

Yes, I understand. But what did you see on the popup? A screenshot would be good if possible. Jack E/NJ

Vins

There were no pop-ups. And I can't seem to include/attach photos here. Do you have an email address I can send them to directly?

Vins

Here are some screenshots. The WiFi is enabled but can't be used/ turned on. I tried Fn+F3 but it onl toggled Airplone Mode on and off. And as I mentioned, when I Diagnose, It just says that there is a problem wit the driver but even after updating it with a driver straight from Qualcomm's website, still nothing.

CORRECTION: My laptop is an Aspire V5-471G manufactured in 2012.

JackE

>>>It just says that there is a problem wit[h] the driver >>>My laptop is an Aspire V5-471G>>>

OK. You can still try the wifi toggle switch and re-setting the modem/router. If neither works, open Device Mgr. Then uninstall the driver for the Atheros wireless adapter. Cold re-boot and let Windows auto detect the adapter and install the driver. Jack E/NJ

Vins

I've already done that, recommended by an article from the internet, still nothing.

JackE

Have you uninstalled the driver from Device Mgr yet? Jack E/NJ

Vins

Yes. Still nothing.

JackE

You said earlier>>>It was working but with a lot of blue screen errors >>>I tried a WLAN USB Adapter I tried to test on the laptop which unfortunately had the same issue as the WLAN Card.>>>

The first comment suggests more of a laptop hardware issue. The second, more of a router issue. Do you have any other wireless devices currently using the router without problems? Jack E/NJ

Vins

Yes. My smartphones are. It can't be a router issue, if it was the laptop would simply be unable to connect to the WLAN but would should still be able to show me the available networks around me. If it was hardware then why did Windows diagnosed a problem with the driver? Plus if it was it would likely be the RAM or the Hard Drive not the WLAN Card.

Vins

So there the screenshots of my troubleshooting attempt. But then I tinkered and dug through some and I stumbled into the Services, then there as you see above (the last photo), there is this WLAN AutoConfig which,surely, the problem. it is stated in it's description that stopping or disabling it will make the WLAN Adapters inaccessible from the Windows Ntworking UI, which is my situation, because the adapter is enable and detected but inaccesible through the network settings. So now I can't seem to start it since it was stopped. When I try I am given the "Error 1068". How can I start it?

OK. Can you recall the approximate date this issue started? If so, open control panel and search "restore point". Check for any restore points that either you created or Winupdate auto-created around that date. You may have to click a box to see all the available points. Jack E/NJ

Vins

Isn't it possible to just start it? But I will try it. What else will be done if ever I do this 'Restore Point'?

JackE

Sure it's possible. But it's guesswork and could create other issues. Like looking for a needle in a haystack. But if you wanna give it a try, open control panel and search "local services". Try right clicking WLAN and related services that seem to be stopped or not auto-started. Some but not all may have options to start.

As for the restore point, it essentially returns the machine to a state just before the time you first noticed the issue. Accordingly, you'd lose any data or programs that were created/installed after that time.

Jack E/NJ

Vins

The Restore Point option is out, the most recent restore point created was yesterday. What are my other options?

JackE

Four options.

(1) Go back to control panel restore points and make sure you checkmark the box to show more restore points if it exists. If Winupdates have been automated, additional earlier restore points should be listed ---OR-- (2) If none, then start playing with the local WLAN & related services settings as described in my last post---OR---(3) Open the case to re-seat the wifi card a half-dozen or so times to clean its contacts with the mainboard---OR--- (4) If the hidden HDD eRecovery partition is still intact, follow this video---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvFRTfFGCgY

---to reset your Win8.1 system to a full factory-delivered state or near-factory while saving data.

I suggest that you back up your important data files on a stick before getting too much further involved in trying to resolve this issue. The full factory reset should give the best indication of whether or not a wifi card hardware failure has occured.

Jack E/NJ

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