wifi shows as wifi 2 and unable to connect to any network at that time

Hello Mayur,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community Forum.

As per the problem description, I understand that you’re facing issue with wifi on your computer ever since upgrading to Windows 8.1. Sometimes wifi shows as wifi 2 and fails to connect to any network, however, after restarting several times the issue disappears.

I would appreciate if you can provide us the following information to help us understand the issue better. 

1. Does “wifi 2” shows as an additional network connection or “Wifi” is converted into “wifi 2”?
2. What happens when you try to connect to network at that time, do you get any error message?
3. Were there any network device installed or uninstalled recently?

This problem may appear due to “ghost wireless networking device” present in the computer. Ghost devices are the previously installed devices which are not connected but the drivers for that device is still present in the computer and sometimes shows in the devices list.

Let’s follow the steps blow to show remove these ghost devices and check if that solves the problem.

To get rid of unwanted drivers, devices, or services, use the following steps: 

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Swipe to the upper right corner to bring charm bar.
3. Type in cmd in search box.
4. Select cmd from the displayed list, right click and Open as administrator.
5. At the command prompt, type in set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 and press Enter. (Note that nothing seems to happen. This is expected. You are actually setting an environment variable which is going to help you to see hidden devices.)
6. On the next command prompt line, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter. This will launch the Windows Device Manager Console.
7. In the Device Manager Console, from the View menu, select Show Hidden Devices.

As you expand the different drivers and devices in the device manager, you will see not only the items that Windows currently detects as installed on your PC; but you will also see drivers, devices, and services which have been loaded in the past but were not uninstalled or are not currently started. You can find your offending device, right-click, and choose uninstall to remove it from the system completely. 

Note that ghost devices, drivers, and services are “grayed” out, but that does not necessarily mean that you should delete all of them. Only remove items you know you do not need. Be careful that you do not change too many devices.

Try connecting to the network again. 

Hope this helps. Please let us know the results. Feel free to write us back for any further assistance, we’ll be glad to assist you.

Thank you for replying.

1. Wifi 2 appears to be another network connection, because I have tried editing it to 'wifi', but I got a message that 'wifi' network already exists. 
2. Whenever I try to connect to a network when its 'wifi 2', it shows an error message 'cannot connect to the network', and I have tried resolving the problem using some inbuilt program but it never worked.
3. Network devices were not installed or unistalled recently and not even updated. 

I have tried your method, and have attached it as a screenshot, do you want me to uninstall all the greyed(ghost) out network drivers? Please reply me

And even sometimes wifi option will not be shown at all..!!! Have attached screen shots you can check it out. 

However after restart I guess this would fix and 'wifi 2' appears.!!!

If that still does not work and you still see wifi 2 go back and run the command to show the shadow devices scroll down till you see Microsoft software devices and if you see the shadow entry for WIFI 2 remove it and the RAAS and any other soft network driver that you are familiar with. Go back run the command to delete and clean up the network under settings - and network internet as per above allow the laptop to be rebooted.

Go back to device manager ensure wifi 2 is gone and possibly some of the other soft adapter settings is gone.

Be sure as well to disable the power management settings for the adapter under device manager - go to the wireless adapter under network > properties > power management - disable.

Go to Power Options Control Panel > Edit Plan Settings > Change Advanced Settings > Wireless Adapter > Power Saving Mode > Set to Max Performance. Yes this may chew some of your battery, try medium if your concerned.

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Tried all as said above. Uninstalling those greyed drivers. But nothing worked. It will show either wifi 2 or dont show anything. Never connects to wifi network.

Hello Mayur,

Thank you for your reply, appreciate the time taken by you in keeping us updated on the status of the issue.

Please uninstall all the grayed (ghost) network devices and restart your computer (make sure that your computer is connected to internet when you do that). The needed drivers will be automatically installed.

Open Device Manager and check if you find any yellow exclamation mark, download the appropriate driver from computer manufacturer website for that particular website and install.

Hopefully, this will solve the problem.

Feel free to write us back for any further assistance, we'll be glad to assist you.