realtek wireless driver missing

Question

Dear HP Support Team,

I am facing multiple issues on my HP laptop and I need support.

Laptop Model: HP Pavilion 15.6 inch Gaming Laptop PC 15-ec2000 (2P6B3AV)

Serial Number: 5CD2287JTT

I want to explain the full issue clearly.

Before this problem, my laptop was working normally. Recently I installed an HP Inc. update. After installing the update and restarting the laptop, several problems started.

Current issues:

1. Wi-Fi icon is missing from the taskbar and I am unable to connect to wireless internet.
2. Wi-Fi option is not available in network settings.
3. In Device Manager, the wireless/Wi-Fi driver is missing.
4. Fn + F12 did not restore Wi-Fi.
5. The laptop display also started blinking/flickering after the update.
6. AMD software was not responding properly and I also noticed display related issues during that time.
7. Restarting and checking settings did not solve the issue.

These problems started only after installing the HP Inc. update. Before that, Wi-Fi and display were working properly.

It looks like the recent HP update may have affected the wireless driver and display/AMD related drivers. I kindly request HP support to check this and guide me with the correct drivers or steps to fix the issue.

Please help me resolve this as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Below is the link for the official support page for your laptop on the HP website.

https://support.hp.com/rs-en/drivers/hp-pavilion-15.6-inch-gaming-laptop-pc-15-ec2000/model/2100188533

Using any device that has an Internet Connection, expand the Networking section on that page and download the installer for the '

Realtek RTL8xxx Wireless LAN Drivers (2022)'.

Then transfer that installer to your laptop and use that to reinstall (not update) the WiFi drivers, then restart your laptop to apply the change.

.

.

.

---

Standard Disclaimer: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

Answer 2

The HP update most likely affected the wireless adapter driver and possibly other system components. Since the Wi‑Fi option and adapter have disappeared, treat this as a missing or malfunctioning network adapter driver in Windows 11.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Run the built‑in Network troubleshooter
   1. Select Start > Settings > Network & Internet.
   2. Select Status on the left.
   3. Scroll down and select Network troubleshooter and follow the on‑screen steps.
2. Check whether the wireless adapter is detected or disabled
   1. Open Device Manager (select Search on the taskbar, type Device Manager, then open it).
   2. Expand Network adapters.
   3. If a wireless adapter appears but shows as disabled, right‑click it and select Enable device.
   4. If it appears with an error, open Properties and check the Problem number (Device Manager error code) to understand why the driver did not load.
   5. If no wireless adapter is listed at all, Windows is not detecting it and a driver reinstall is required.
3. Reinstall the wireless adapter driver Because the problem started after an update, reinstalling the driver is recommended.
   1. On another device with internet access, go to HP’s support site for the exact laptop model and download the latest Windows 11 Wi‑Fi (Realtek/Intel/Mediatek) driver and, if available, the latest chipset driver.
   2. Copy the drivers to a USB drive.
   3. On the affected laptop, open Device Manager.
   4. Expand Network adapters. If the wireless adapter is present:
      • Right‑click it, select Uninstall device.
      • Check Attempt to remove the driver for this device and select Uninstall.
      • Restart the PC. Windows will try to reinstall the driver automatically.
   5. If Windows does not reinstall the driver or the adapter is still missing, run the Wi‑Fi driver installer from HP that was copied to the USB drive.
4. Use Network reset if Wi‑Fi still does not return Network reset removes and reinstalls all network adapters and resets networking to defaults.
   1. Select Start > Settings > Network & internet.
   2. In Windows 11, select Advanced network settings > Network reset.
   3. Select Reset now and confirm.
   4. The PC will restart; check if Wi‑Fi appears again. Note: After network reset, VPN clients or virtual switches might need to be reinstalled or reconfigured, and known networks may be set to Public.
5. Check power management settings for the Wi‑Fi adapter (once it reappears)
   1. Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters.
   2. Right‑click the Wi‑Fi adapter and select Properties.
   3. Go to the Power Management tab.
   4. Clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
6. Update Windows
   1. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
   2. Install all available updates and restart.
7. If Settings or network pages crash or behave abnormally If network settings are unstable after the HP update, re‑registering built‑in apps (including Settings) can help:
   1. Open Windows PowerShell (Admin).
   2. Run these commands one by one and let each finish (ignore red errors):

            Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name windows.immersivecontrolpanel | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" -Verbose}
            Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
      

   3. Restart the PC and recheck Network & Internet settings.
8. If none of the above restores Wi‑Fi Since the issue started immediately after an HP‑provided update and affects both Wi‑Fi and display/AMD components, consider:
   • Performing an in‑place repair of Windows 11 using the official Windows 11 ISO while keeping files and apps, then reinstalling HP’s Wi‑Fi and graphics drivers.
   • Contacting HP support directly with the model and serial number so they can provide the exact driver set or recovery image for this device.

For the display/AMD flickering specifically, after stabilizing networking, install the latest graphics driver from HP’s support page for this model and ensure Windows Update is fully applied.

---

References:

• Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows
• Network settings crash settings app, wifi and Ethernet not working or appearing - Microsoft Q&A