I have an old MSI laptop that I used rely on for everything, but haven't needed it for a couple of years now. It's still running Windows 8.1. Everything worked fine those few times I needed to boot it up for one thing or another.
Until recently.
Last March, my home's SSID suddently stopped appearing in "Network and Sharing Center > Networks". My neighbors' SSIDs appear. My cell phone's hotspot appears (if turn it on) and I can connect. Everything other wifi device (other PCs, our TV, our Kindles ... our cell phones) can see our home's SSID and connect with no problem.
"Nothing changed" since my MSI laptop was last able to see the home SSID and connect.
I tried many things, including "Connect to hidden SSID", "Connect to a wifi network manually" and disabling/renenabling my laptop's Wifi: nothing has worked. I also logged on to our ATT home router to see if the MSI somehow got "blacklisted". Nothing :(
I'm stumped :(
Q: Any ideas what might be wrong?
Q: Any suggestions for troubleshooting?
Detailed info:
- Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network connections > Wifi > Right-Click, Properties >
Realtek RTL8723AE Wireless LAN 802.1 > [Configure] > Advanced] >
- 802.11d Disabled => Enabled
- Wireless Mode: IEEE 802.11b/g/n
- http://192.168.1.254/ > [Home Network] > Status > Wi-Fi status >
2.4 GHz 5 GHz
------- -----
Wifi Radio status Enabled Enabled
Mode B/G/N AC/N
Current channel 3 44
Channel selection Auto Auto
Home SSID On On
Hide network name Off Off
Security WPA WPA
Update:
- I tried Gregg's suggestions (thank you again, Gregg!) and a few other things (e.g. download an alternate driver for the on-board Realtek RTL8723AE Wifi adapter): still no-go.
BACKGROUND:
- I bought the laptop about 10 years ago; basically "put it on the shelf" about three years ago ... and I could use it again now.
- I haven't changed my home router or explicitly done any Windows updates since it "last worked OK" (2019-2020 timeframe).
- The central problem is that it simply isn't seeing all the SSIDs I need it to. For reasons unknown.
- It's failing to see my home broadband (either the 2.5GHz or 5GHz channel), or the guest wifi at another site that also used to work.
MAIN QUESTION(S):
- Q: How can I determine exactly WHY (i.e. exactly "how") it's failing?
- Q: Any suggestions for "troubleshooting the problem"?
Update:
- I installed Ubuntu 22.0.4 LTS on a USB stick, booted in "demo" mode ... and it was able to see my home router with absolutely no problem. The laptop h/w is fine; Windows is the problem.
- Automatic updates are OFF. I uninstalled my last update (for Windows Mgmt Framework, 2021 timeframe): still no-go.
- I created a new user, "TestWifi". TestWifi can see lots of different SSIDs (including other ATT routers, and including "Elvis" ;))... but not mine.
- It's an ATT router, Model: BGW210-700, S/W version: 4.22.5
- The problem is occuring with the WiFi in multiple different locations (i.e. many completely different kinds of routers and different Wifi configurations). Including at least one other place where it USED to work.
- Ideally, I can find some diagnostic tool or log file that would help me understand why Windows isn't seeing the SSID and won't let connect manually.
