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Windows 11 Insider Preview Quality Update (26220.8370) issue with changing wifi adapters

Jeff Molter 0 Reputation points
2026-05-13T23:45:40.91+00:00

I'm running Windows 11 Insider Preview Quality Update (26220.8370) on an LG Gram Laptop. I usually use a tp-link usb wifi adapter because it gives me better reception. I recently unplugged it to use the built in wifi adapter.

When I reattached the usb adapter, I could no longer access the internet through it. When I switched back to the built-in adapter I got the same results.

I'm currently using the wifi sharing feature on my phone to connect to the internet.

Any other ideas or is this a problem with the update?

Windows Insider program | Windows Insider preview | Install, activate, and Windows update

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  1. AI answer

    2026-05-13T23:46:04.0433333+00:00

    This behavior is consistent with known Wi‑Fi issues introduced by some Windows 11 updates, including Insider/preview builds, where adapters suddenly fail to connect or lose connectivity after changes such as unplugging/re‑attaching or switching adapters.

    Based on the available guidance, try the following steps in order:

    1. Verify adapters are detected and enabled
      1. Open Device Manager → Network adapters.
      2. Confirm both the built‑in Wi‑Fi and TP‑Link USB adapter appear.
      3. If either shows a problem number, use that to look up the corresponding Device Manager error code.
      4. If an adapter is disabled, right‑click it and select Enable device.
      5. If an adapter is missing, install the latest driver from the device manufacturer.
    2. Check that Wi‑Fi is actually on and networks are visible
      1. Open Settings → Network & internet and ensure Wi‑Fi is turned on.
      2. If the adapters are recognized but no networks are found:
        • Confirm any physical Wi‑Fi switch on the laptop is on.
        • Verify the adapter supports the band your router uses (2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz).
        • In Device Manager → adapter Properties → Advanced tab, check Wireless Mode/Band and ensure it allows the network’s frequency.
    3. Update or roll forward the Wi‑Fi fix (if applicable) Some Windows 11 updates have introduced Wi‑Fi connectivity issues that were later fixed in subsequent updates or via Known Issue Rollback (KIR). For similar issues, Microsoft has:
      • Released a follow‑up cumulative update that fixes Wi‑Fi connection problems.
      • Used KIR to automatically roll back the problematic networking change.
      On Insider builds, ensure the device is fully updated within that channel; newer builds often contain networking fixes similar to how KB5034123 addressed Wi‑Fi issues in earlier Windows 11 releases.
    4. Use Network Reset as a last resort If both adapters are detected but neither can access the internet even after driver and build updates:
      1. Open Settings → Network & internet.
      2. On Windows 11, select Advanced network settings → Network reset.
      3. Select Reset now → Yes.
      4. After restart, re‑connect to Wi‑Fi and re‑install any VPN or virtual networking tools if needed.

    Network reset removes and reinstalls all network adapters and returns their settings to defaults, which can resolve issues that appear after OS upgrades or Insider updates.

    If the problem persists after these steps on build 26220.8370, it is likely a regression in that specific Insider build. In that case, continue using the phone hotspot as a workaround and monitor for the next Insider update, which may contain a fix, similar to how prior Wi‑Fi regressions were addressed in later cumulative updates.

    References:

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  2. CrazyKats 15,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-05-19T19:19:48.61+00:00

    Hi Jeff,

    Glad you got your issue resolved.

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  3. Hendrix-V 15,690 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-14T01:34:51.34+00:00

    Hi Jeff Molter,

    Thank you for reaching out.

    I checked the official release notes for Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8370, and they only mention fixes for notification/app launch reliability and desktop shortcut loading. There is no published Wi‑Fi known issue listed for this build at the moment, so this looks more likely to be a driver or network stack issue that appeared after switching adapters.

    Please try the following checks in order:

    1, Confirm both adapters are present and enabled

    • Open Device Manager > Network adapters.
    • Make sure both the internal Wi‑Fi adapter and the TP-Link USB adapter appear normally.
    • If either one shows a warning icon or error code, update or uninstall/reinstall that driver from the device manufacturer.

    2, Run the built-in network troubleshooter

    • Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Network and Internet (or open Get Help and run the automated network troubleshooter).

    3, Forget and reconnect to the Wi‑Fi network

    • In Settings > Network & internet > Wi‑Fi, forget the saved network, then reconnect.
    • Also confirm Airplane mode is Off and Wi‑Fi is turned on.

    4, Reinstall the latest OEM drivers manually

    • Download the latest LG Wi‑Fi driver for the laptop model and the latest TP-Link USB Wi‑Fi driver directly from their support sites instead of relying only on Windows Update.
    • Update-related connectivity issues are commonly resolved by replacing the driver with the current OEM version.

    If the problem started immediately after installing 26220.8370 and none of the above helps, you can also temporarily uninstall the latest quality update or go back to the previous build (if the rollback option is still available) while waiting for a newer Insider flight.

    Since this is an Insider build, I would also recommend filing it through Feedback Hub (Win + F) and attaching the wireless report and a screenshot of Device Manager/adapter status. That gives the Insider team the right diagnostics if this does turn out to be a regression.

    Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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