cant log on home wifi

Guillermo Montantes 0 Reputation points
2026-10-17T05:09:53.8833333+00:00

i have this laptop thaT a FREIND ga VE ME I HArd reset it now i cNT GET IT TO FIND my home wifi... it will connect to the hotspot on y phone but not my home network....how do i get it to find my home wifi

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade
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  1. DaveM121 946.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-17T05:42:44.2833333+00:00

    Please provide some information about that laptop hardware and system.

    1

    Right click your Start Button and open Device Manager.

    Expand the 'Network Adapters' section.

    Please provide a screenshot of that full Device Manager window.

    2

    Click your Start Button, then just type msinfo and press Enter, please provide a screenshot of the resulting System Information window.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-17T05:10:39.78+00:00

    Because the laptop can see and connect to your phone hotspot but cannot see only your home Wi‑Fi, enable the router’s 2.4 GHz network and try connecting to that network name first.

    1. Check the home router

    1. Check whether another phone or computer can see and join the home Wi‑Fi.
      • If no device can see it, restart the modem/router: unplug its power, wait at least 30 seconds, reconnect it, and allow several minutes for the lights to stabilize.
      • If other devices can see it, continue below. Microsoft recommends this test to distinguish a router problem from a laptop-specific problem.^1^
    2. Open the router’s settings from a device already connected to it. Under Wi‑Fi, Wireless, or Radio settings:
      • Enable 2.4 GHz as well as 5 GHz.
      • Give each band a recognizable name temporarily, such as Home-2.4 and Home-5.
      • Set the wireless channel to Auto.
      • Save the settings and restart the router.
    3. On the laptop, select the network icon on the taskbar and look for Home-2.4. Older Wi‑Fi adapters may detect 2.4 GHz but not the router’s current 5 GHz configuration. Windows specifically recommends trying the other frequency band when a router provides both.^1^

    If the router is configured not to broadcast its network name, select Hidden network, enter the exact Wi‑Fi name, and then enter its password.^2^

    2. Restore the laptop’s Wi‑Fi driver

    A hard reset may have left Windows using a basic or unsuitable Wi‑Fi driver.

    1. While connected to the phone hotspot, visit the laptop manufacturer’s support site.
    2. Search using the laptop’s exact model number and download its Windows 10 wireless/WLAN driver.
    3. Install the driver and restart the laptop.
    4. Check the Wi‑Fi list again.

    If the correct driver is already installed but the network remains missing:

    1. Right-click Start → Device Manager.
    2. Expand Network adapters.
    3. Right-click the wireless adapter → Uninstall device.
    4. Restart the laptop; Windows will attempt to reinstall the adapter automatically.

    Before uninstalling, keep the manufacturer’s downloaded driver available on the laptop or a USB drive in case Windows does not reinstall it automatically.^1^

    If Home-2.4 still does not appear after installing the correct driver, provide the laptop model and the Wi‑Fi adapter name shown under Device Manager → Network adapters. Those details are needed to determine which Wi‑Fi bands and standards the laptop supports.

    References

    1. [Windows 10](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/experience/connectivity-networking/fix-wi-fi-connection-issues-in-windows#general-troubleshooting)
    2. wifi cannot be detected - Microsoft Q&A
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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