Disabling my wireless connection on a Win 7 PC

amandstu

i think the wireless card on my PC is loose and I have got around the problem by connecting it via a cable (to the wireless network)

But I feel my computer still tries to connect wirelessly and as a result it shifts to the wireless signal instead of the cable connection. (and I lose the connection for a minute or so until it goes back to the cable connection)

My idea is to disable the wireless LAN card in Device Manager. Right click and disable both(?) the Wireless LAN card and the virtual Wifi Miniport adapter

Is this recommended ? Can I re-enable them at any time? Is this likely to solve the problem for good?

Gooey Looey

amandstu wrote: »

i think the wireless card on my PC is loose and I have got around the problem by connecting it via a cable (to the wireless network)

But I feel my computer still tries to connect wirelessly and as a result it shifts to the wireless signal instead of the cable connection. (and I lose the connection for a minute or so until it goes back to the cable connection)

My idea is to disable the wireless LAN card in Device Manager. Right click and disable both(?) the Wireless LAN card and the virtual Wifi Miniport adapter

Is this recommended ? Can I re-enable them at any time? Is this likely to solve the problem for good?

Just open network connections right click on the wireless adapter and disable it

amandstu

Gooey Looey wrote: »

Just open network connections right click on the wireless adapter and disable it

Completely reversible?

coylemj

amandstu wrote: »

Completely reversible?

Yes, you'd need to uninstall the driver to make it semi-permanent but flicking that switch on the wi-fi driver setting will do it and can be reversed at any time.

Look at your keyboard and see if you can see an icon on one of the function keys with a transmitter symbol or something like a laptop with radio waves pouring out both sides. Invoking that function should throw up a menu where you can disable wi-fi. There may also be a sliding switch on the side of your laptop to disable all radio comms but that will also disable Bluetooth so would not be appropriae if you have a BT mouse.

BTW, if the cable option is not 100% satisfactory, you can buy a Wi-Fi USB stick for about €20. My onboard wi-fi packed up years ago, I now use this fellow.....

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/3389780/Trail/searchtext%3ETP-LINK.htm

amandstu

coylemj wrote: »

Yes, you'd need to uninstall the driver to make it semi-permanent but flicking that switch on the wi-fi driver setting will do it and can be reversed at any time.

Look at your keyboard and see if you can see an icon on one of the function keys with a transmitter symbol or something like a laptop with radio waves pouring out both sides. Invoking that function should throw up a menu where you can disable wi-fi. There may also be a sliding switch on the side of your laptop to disable all radio comms but that will also disable Bluetooth so would not be appropriae if you have a BT mouse.

BTW, if the cable option is not 100% satisfactory, you can buy a Wi-Fi USB stick for about €20. My onboard wi-fi packed up years ago, I now use this fellow.....

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/3389780/Trail/searchtext%3ETP-LINK.htm

Thanks ,that should be good

coylemj

This is a more recent (and smaller) TP-Link model for Wi-Fi on a USB stick .....

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/adapter/archer-t2u-nano/

GBP 12.99 on Amazon UK ....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-T2U-Nano-Wireless-10-9-10-13/dp/B07KRCW6LZ

Skerries

what model of laptop do you have as it may just be a simple case of removing a few screws on the back and immediate access to the wireless card?

amandstu

No ,it's a pc I have. I think there is probably soldering involved as the problem showed up after I left it into the repair shop and they had to reset some part under one of the fans(after I knocked the tower over and everything stopped)

Johnboy1951

amandstu wrote: »

No ,it's a pc I have. I think there is probably soldering involved as the problem showed up after I left it into the repair shop and they had to reset some part under one of the fans(after I knocked the tower over and everything stopped)

Possibly the wifi card only needs to be pulled out and put back in again ......... 're-seated', as it likely got disturbed by the fall.

amandstu

Thanks I might look into that and see if I can do it myself (I don't want to take it back to the shop just for that. as I am more or less coping for now)

Alun

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Possibly the wifi card only needs to be pulled out and put back in again ......... 're-seated', as it likely got disturbed by the fall.

Could be the card itself is loose or incorrectly put back into it's socket, or also maybe one or more of the antenna cable connectors has become detached or is loose. They can be buggers to put back on after disconnecting them.

As others have said, unlike the processor/fan, the memory modules and wifi cards are usually pretty easy to access, often just a screw or two to open a plastic panel on the back.