Before we dive into the steps, it’s important to note that you’ll need an active internet connection to download the necessary drivers. If your network adapter is not working at all, you may need to use a different device or method to access the internet and download the drivers.
Step 1: Uninstall the existing network driver
Press the Windows key X on your keyboard and select “Device Manager” from the menu.
Expand the “Network adapters” section by clicking on the arrow or double-clicking on the category.
Right-click on your network adapter and select “Uninstall device.”
If prompted, check the box to “Delete the driver software for this device” and click “Uninstall.”
Once the uninstallation process is complete, restart your computer.
Step 2: Reinstall the network driver automatically
After your computer restarts, Windows will attempt to automatically reinstall the network driver.
If the driver is successfully reinstalled, you should see your network adapter listed under “Network adapters” in Device Manager.
If the automatic reinstallation fails or the driver is not detected, proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Reinstall the network driver manually
Visit the manufacturer’s website for your computer or network adapter and locate the support section.
Search for your specific model and operating system (Windows 10) to find the correct network driver.
Download the driver file and save it to your computer.
Open Device Manager and expand the “Network adapters” section.
Right-click on your network adapter and select “Update driver.”
Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and navigate to the location where you saved the downloaded driver file.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the driver installation.
Once the installation is finished, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
Additional tips and tricks
Keep your network drivers up-to-date by regularly checking the manufacturer’s website for updates.
Consider using a driver update utility like Driver Easy or DriverBooster to automatically scan for and install the latest drivers.
If you’re still experiencing issues after reinstalling the network driver, try resetting your network adapter settings or performing a clean installation of Windows 10.
If all else fails, contact the manufacturer’s support team for further assistance or consider replacing the network adapter if it’s faulty.