Acer R7-371t Missing WiFi Card

MocknozzieRiver
MocknozzieRiver Member Posts: 9 New User
Sooooo...
My WiFi card basically disappeared. This happened before but the computer was able to fix itself. Randomly, for no apparent reason, the WiFi card disappears from device manager, and the WiFi setting disappears in Windows 10 settings.

Last time, I didn't do anything to fix it. I found the device in the hidden section if device manager, I uninstalled it, and restarted a whole bunch of times. I guess eventually it re-detected it and started working again for a week or two.

So I've been trying that again. It might not be a surprise that it's not really working out so far, heh. This time I did go onto Acer's driver page (obviously not with the computer with the not working internet) and got the drivers for WiFi, Intel. I have an Intel(r) Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265.

Sooooo yeah. Hope someone knows a fix for this because my laptop is basically bricked now. Thankfully I have a desktop, but its obviously not portable.

Thanks in advance!

Answers

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    Something you can try.

    Shut down and then start holding Fn and as soon as you see the Acer logo, tap F3.

  • MocknozzieRiver
    MocknozzieRiver Member Posts: 9 New User
    Are you sure F3 is the right button? Because nothing is happening. I know how to get into the bios via F2 so I'm pushing it at the right time lol.
  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    You're not doing it to get into bios, you're doing it to try to enable wifi. Did you check if it did that?

    It works sometimes. 

     

  • MocknozzieRiver
    MocknozzieRiver Member Posts: 9 New User
    Nope didn't work.
  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    Have you tried the Intel 18.40.0 driver dated 3/16/2016

    https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25833/Intel-PROSet-Wireless-Software-and-Drivers-for-Windows-10

    A lot of people are having problems with Win 10 and Wifi right now. Win 10 probably shouldn't have been released for another year or MS should have listened to the Beta testers.

  • MocknozzieRiver
    MocknozzieRiver Member Posts: 9 New User
    Yes I have already installed that driver. I just reinstalled it now. Still not working...

    It's weird to me because on my desktop (which I custom built) there has been no problems with Windows 10... But this laptop has had 3 issues so far.

    I get the feeling that it might not even be a Windows 10 issue. Maybe the card itself went bad? I hope not.
  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    That's a possibility, but Windows 10 and Wifi cards of all mfg are having problems.

    Never mind you have intel. Did that Intel come in the laptop when it was new?

     

     

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    Guess I am just lucky with mine but with a LAN that is sometimes in the device manager, others not could mean a card that is not seated poperly. I believe the WLAN card is socketed on the bottom of the mainboard in an R7 but if under warrenty best to let Acer repair it.

  • MocknozzieRiver
    MocknozzieRiver Member Posts: 9 New User

    See, that's what I'm thinking too.  And I would totally pull it open and try to reseat it, but if it's under warranty I don't want to risk it.  I got it on August 11, 2015... is it still under warranty?

  • philetus
    philetus ACE Posts: 4,759 Pathfinder

    Yes, until Aug. 2016

  • MocknozzieRiver
    MocknozzieRiver Member Posts: 9 New User

    Kay, I know it's been a long time coming, but I have some updates.

     

    Got it back from Acer, completely wiped with Windows 8.1.  The WiFi worked.  As soon as I installed Windows 10 (don't judge me I like Win10 better) the problem came back.  I did a few things, I went into Command Prompt and entered the code "netsh winsock reset catalog" and "netsh int ip reset," then I went to WLAN AutoConfig and I set it to auto and started the service.  Also reinstalled drivers and everything.  But I also did something that immediately afterwards allowed the computer to detect it and me to re-enable it in Device Manager...

     

    I had to forcibly shut it down.  After I turned it back on, initially the WiFi wasn't working, but I went into Device Manger and the device was actually detected and I could enable it.  Thereafter it worked.

     

    Then this happened again, before I realized that it was the hard shut down.

     

    So, cool, it's working.  But I don't want it to happen again.  I'm planning to sell it to get a V15 Nitro, and fixing this is annoying enough for me, but I'd feel terrible if it happened to whoever buys it from me.

     

    I'm still unsure if it's a software or a hardware issue.  Windows 10 might not know how to connect to the hardware, or maybe I have a faulty card or a faulty PCI-e port (or however it's connected).  On the parts list I got when I got the computer back, it didn't list a WiFi card as one of the parts replaced.  But they fixed the chip on one of the corners from when I dropped it, haha!