Find the right Wi-Fi driver
Work out who made your Wi-Fi chip in Device Manager, then get the driver in this order: Windows Update, your PC maker's support page, then the chip maker such as Intel or Realtek. The name of the adapter in Device Manager tells you which path to follow.
Checked October 30, 2026 against the manufacturer's own pages.
The short version
What to install and where it comes from. Every link goes to the manufacturer or Microsoft, never to a copy.
Official files only, nothing bundled
Step by step
Open Device Manager
Right-click Start and choose Device Manager. Expand Network adapters and look for a name with Wi-Fi, Wireless or 802.11 in it.
Note the maker and model
The name often starts with Intel, Realtek, MediaTek or Qualcomm. If you only see Network Controller under Other devices, open Properties, Details, Hardware Ids to read the vendor code.
Check Windows Update
Go to Settings, Windows Update, Advanced options, Optional updates. Microsoft says Windows Update is the best way to get driver updates.
Use the PC maker's support page
Search your laptop or desktop model number and open Wireless LAN. Makers tune Wi-Fi drivers for the antennas in their own PCs.
Go to the chip maker only when needed
Use Intel's package for Intel cards. For Realtek or MediaTek cards in a laptop, the laptop maker is still the first stop. If Wi-Fi breaks, use Roll Back Driver.
Start with the chip, not the brand of the PC
A Wi-Fi driver belongs to the radio chip, so the maker of your laptop does not tell you which file to use. A Dell, an HP and a Lenovo can all carry an Intel card, and a cheaper model of each can carry a Realtek or MediaTek one. Device Manager shows the real name. Once you know it, you can pick between Intel’s package, a Realtek page, or a USB adapter maker such as TP-Link or NETGEAR.
Why the order matters
Microsoft says the best way to get driver updates is Windows Update. After that, the PC maker comes next because it tests each version with its own hardware. The chip maker’s page comes last and fits a specific problem, such as dropouts the maker’s newest version does not cure. This order also protects you from a common mistake: an installer for the wrong card, which can leave you with no Wi-Fi.
What to do if the adapter has gone
When Network adapters shows no Wi-Fi entry, look under Other devices for a yellow mark. Open Properties and Hardware Ids. A line starting PCI\VEN_8086 is Intel, and VEN_10EC is Realtek. Microsoft suggests saving the maker’s driver somewhere reachable first, then removing the device with its software and restarting, so Windows can reinstall it.
Questions
I have no Wi-Fi at all, how do I download a driver?
Use another device, or an Ethernet cable, to download the file. Save it to a USB drive and move it to the PC.
Does one Wi-Fi driver cover every card?
No. A driver belongs to a chip family. Intel's package covers Intel cards only, and Realtek and MediaTek cards need their own.
Should I run a network reset?
Microsoft lists it as a last resort. It reinstalls network adapters with default settings and you may have to set up VPN software again.
Wi-Fi vanished after an update.
Open the adapter in Device Manager and use Roll Back Driver on the Driver tab. If that is greyed out, uninstall the device with the driver box ticked and restart.