No Wireless Connectivity - Dell Precision 490

Did you recently update any software, eg install the Win 10 Fall Creators Update?

Can you test the USB dongle on another PC to see if it still works?  Do other devices on your WiFi network still connect? Have you rebooted the router and modem?

Have you rebooted the PC?

Have you tried a different USB port?

Is the dongle listed anywhere in Device Manager, eg under Network Adapters, and/or under USB? Is there an "Unknown" device listed in Device Manager?

Have you tried reinstalling/updating the driver for the USB WiFi dongle?

Do you have the latest driver for the USB dongle?

For some reason Windows 10 no longer works with you USB dongle.

To verify, just rollback Windows 10.

If Windows 10 is the culprit, you either do not update to the latest release or you buy another USB dongle that has a driver that works with this latest version of Windows 10.

Did I recently update any software, eg install the Win 10 Fall Creators Update? Thanks but no, but Windows updates automatically.

Can I test the USB dongle on another PC to see if it still works?  I can. Will update.

Do other devices on my WiFi network still connect? Yes.

Have I rebooted the router and modem? I had to press the reset button several days ago because the Precision asked me to key in the WiFi password. That worked. A day later the pc stopped recognising the dongle again.

Have you rebooted the PC? About 100 times since the issue first arose.

Have you tried a different USB port? Yes, first thing I did.

Is the dongle listed anywhere in Device Manager, eg under Network Adapters, and/or under USB? Is there an "Unknown" device listed in Device Manager?

Yes, all the dongles come up as yellow warning triangle, "802.11n USB Wireless LAN Card device cannot start (Code 10)."

Have you tried reinstalling/updating the driver for the USB WiFi dongle? Yes, windows tell me the best driver for the hardware is currently installed. Windows 10 is totally useless at identifying WiFi problems.

Check for the driver from the manufacturer!

Think!

Can I test the USB dongle on another PC to see if it still works?  I can. Will update.

The dongle works perfectly on a Dell Studio 540.

I also noticed that start-ups hang on the Precision, this has never happened before. I found that by disconnecting an external usb hard drive that the pc was able to boot, I wonder if this is at all diagnostic?

Please advise further, thanks.

ieee488 said: "Do you have the latest driver for the USB dongle?"

Yes, windows tell me the best driver for the hardware is currently installed.

"For some reason Windows 10 no longer works with you USB dongle.To verify, just rollback Windows 10.

If Windows 10 is the culprit, you either do not update to the latest release or you buy another USB dongle that has a driver that works with this latest version of Windows 10."

Thank you. What are you suggesting please, that I roll back windows or buy a new dongle please?

With a USB code 10, you have to right-click the dongle entry in Device Manager and select Uninstall.

Then reboot, with the dongle connected, and see if Windows will install the driver, or get the latest one from the manufacturer's site, as IEEE488 suggested, and install that one yourself.

EDIT: Disconnect the Ethernet cable first and leave it disconnected when you test the dongle again.