How to Update Network Drivers and Adjust Adapter Settings in Windows

To update your Wi-Fi driver in Windows 11, check Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates first, then your PC maker’s support site. You can also right-click your wireless adapter in Device Manager and select Update driver. If Wi-Fi isn’t working at all, download the driver on another device or use a wired connection, since you’ll need internet access to get it. The same steps work for display drivers; see how to update your graphics driver in Windows 11.

Find Out Which Wi-Fi Adapter You Have

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Look for the entry with Wi-Fi, Wireless, or 802.11 in its name, such as an Intel, Realtek, MediaTek, or Qualcomm adapter.

Note the name. You’ll need it if you download the driver yourself.

Option 1: Windows Update

1. Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
2. Select Optional updates and expand Driver updates.
3. Check the network or wireless driver if one is listed, and select Download and install.
4. Restart the PC.

Result: Windows downloads and installs the driver from Microsoft. If no driver update appears under Optional updates, Windows Update doesn’t have a newer one for your adapter right now, so move on to Option 2.

Option 2: Your PC or Adapter Maker

Laptops often need the driver version the laptop maker tested, so start with the support page for your exact model from Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, or Microsoft Surface. Enter the model or serial number, pick Windows 11, and download the wireless or WLAN driver.

If your PC uses an Intel adapter, Intel recommends its Intel Driver & Support Assistant or a manual download. Intel also notes that your PC maker may provide drivers customized for your system. See Intel’s Update your Wi-Fi adapter driver page.

Result: You get the driver package your PC or adapter maker built for your hardware. Run the installer it provides, or use the Device Manager steps below to point Windows at the downloaded files.

Option 3: Device Manager

1. In Device Manager, expand Network adapters.
2. Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and select Update driver.
3. Choose Search automatically for drivers, or choose Browse my computer for drivers if you already downloaded one.
4. Restart when it finishes.

If Wi-Fi Stopped Working After an Update

• Roll back: in Device Manager, right-click the adapter, select Properties, open the Driver tab, and select Roll Back Driver if it’s available.
• Reinstall: right-click the adapter, select Uninstall device, and restart. Windows usually reinstalls the driver on its own.
• No internet to download a driver: plug in an Ethernet cable, share your phone’s connection over USB, or download the driver on another computer and copy it over on a USB drive. If the PC has no Wi-Fi hardware at all, see how to connect a non-wireless computer to a wireless network.

Microsoft notes that you must be signed in with administrator permissions to roll back a driver, and that going back to the previous driver often fixes problems that started after a Windows Update.

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers.
5. Restart the PC when it finishes.

Result: Windows installs a newer driver if it finds one. If you see The best drivers for your device are already installed, Windows didn’t find a newer version in its sources.

Install a Wi-Fi Driver You Downloaded

If the driver from your PC or adapter maker comes as a folder or ZIP file rather than an installer, Microsoft’s steps for a manual update work for Wi-Fi adapters too.

1. Download the driver for your exact model, matching your version of Windows, and unzip it if needed. Note the folder location.
2. In Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter, and select Update driver.
3. Select Browse my computer for drivers, then Browse.
4. Pick the folder with the driver files, select OK, and then select Next.
5. Select Close when Windows finishes, then restart.

Result: Windows installs the driver if it’s newer than the one you have. Microsoft advises against downloading drivers from any site other than the device manufacturer’s official site.

Install a Wi-Fi Driver in Windows 10

In Windows 10, right-click Start > Device Manager, expand Network adapters and identify the actual wireless adapter. Obtain the Wi-Fi/WLAN driver for that adapter and exact PC model from the PC or adapter manufacturer, matching Windows 10 and its architecture. If this PC is offline, download it on another device and copy it over. Run the supplied installer, or extract the package and use Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers > Browse, select its folder, choose OK and Next, then Close. Microsoft’s driver instructions cover Windows 10 and 11. Restart when requested, check Properties > Driver and test the intended Wi-Fi connection. Do not uninstall the only working driver before obtaining a recovery package; reinstall or rollback is a separate troubleshooting choice above. Installing a driver does not extend Windows 10’s security-support lifecycle.

Update a Wired Ethernet Driver

For a wired connection, open Device Manager > Network adapters and identify the physical Ethernet controller. Do not select the Wi-Fi adapter, a WAN Miniport, or a VPN adapter just because it has a similar name. Right-click the Ethernet entry, choose Properties > Driver, and note its current version before changing it.

Check Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates > Driver updates for the matching adapter. If no suitable update appears, use the PC or motherboard maker’s support page for your exact model and Windows 11. Download the LAN/Ethernet package rather than a Wi-Fi/WLAN package. For a USB Ethernet adapter or dock, check that device maker’s support page. Microsoft’s driver-update instructions cover Windows Update, Device Manager, and manufacturer downloads.

Run the supplied installer, or use Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers and select the extracted driver folder as explained above. If this PC has no working internet connection, download the correct package on another computer and copy it over with a USB drive. Restart if requested, reconnect the network cable, and check that websites load through Ethernet. “The best drivers are already installed” does not prove that the manufacturer has no newer package, and an update does not guarantee a faster connection.

If the new driver causes a problem, return to the adapter’s Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver if that button is available. Administrator access may be needed. Keep the downloaded installer for recovery; do not begin by uninstalling the only working network adapter. Microsoft’s Ethernet troubleshooting guide also covers cable checks and preparing a backup driver before an uninstall.

Check or Change Ethernet Link Speed and Duplex

For a wired Ethernet adapter in Windows 11, right-click Start, open Device Manager > Network adapters, and identify the physical Ethernet controller used by the connection. Right-click it, choose Properties > Advanced, and look for Speed & Duplex or the manufacturer’s equivalent. Note the original value before changing it. This setting controls the wired adapter’s local connection; your internet subscription and Wi-Fi settings are separate. If it is missing, check the exact controller or dock maker’s documentation; do not change an unrelated adapter or assume every driver exposes the same choices.

For Intel gigabit adapters, Auto Negotiation is the recommended setting. Intel’s 100 Mbps troubleshooting guide explains that some drivers have no manual 1.0 Gbps option; auto-negotiation can establish gigabit when the other equipment supports it. Select the documented value and choose OK to apply. Force a particular speed and duplex only when your adapter and the equipment at the other end require and support that matching setting. The connection may drop briefly. If it fails or slows, reopen the same property and restore the recorded value, or the manufacturer’s recommended auto-negotiation setting.

Check the negotiated link afterward: open Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center, click the active Ethernet connection and read Speed in its status window. Also test the connection. That local link speed is different from an internet-download test. A slower result can come from the cable, switch/router port, dock, adapter capability or driver; selecting a larger number cannot upgrade that hardware. The Ethernet-driver section above covers a matching driver update. Use the device maker’s troubleshooting guidance rather than promising a faster connection from a setting alone.

Use Wi-Fi 6 on a Compatible Windows 11 PC

Wi-Fi 6 requires both a Wi-Fi 6 router/access point and an 802.11ax-capable network adapter. Check the PC and router manufacturers’ specifications. Microsoft’s Wi-Fi requirements guide also describes opening Command Prompt or Terminal and running netsh wlan show drivers; look for 802.11ax under Radio types supported. Follow the driver-update steps above for a compatible current driver, and review Windows Update. A driver cannot turn older unsupported hardware into Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6E’s 6 GHz band needs compatible 6E hardware and regional support, rather than an ordinary Wi-Fi 6 label alone.

To connect, select the taskbar’s network/sound/battery area, open Wi-Fi’s available-network control, choose your intended network and select Connect, then enter its password if needed. Microsoft provides connection instructions. Check the connection’s protocol in Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > your connected network’s properties; Wi-Fi 6 uses 802.11ax. You can also inspect the active wireless interface with netsh wlan show interfaces, documented in Microsoft’s WLAN command reference. Confirm the intended connection and test normal browsing. There is no universal Windows checkbox for OFDMA or MU-MIMO on every adapter; manufacturer options differ. Negotiated Wi-Fi capability also does not guarantee an internet speed increase.

Connect to 5 GHz Wi-Fi or Set a Preferred Band

Both the router/access point and PC adapter must support 5 GHz. If your router exposes a separate 5 GHz network, open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Show available networks, select its confirmed network name, choose Connect and enter the password if requested. A name containing 5G is only a label; check the router configuration. In the connected network’s properties, check Network band and test browsing. A stronger 2.4 GHz signal can work better at longer distances; 5 GHz does not guarantee faster internet.

For adapters exposing a band preference, right-click Start and open Device Manager > Network adapters. Right-click the actual Wi-Fi adapter, choose Properties > Advanced > Preferred Band, record its original value, select Prefer 5 GHz band and choose OK. Intel’s advanced wireless settings describe this control and note that availability varies by adapter and driver. Reconnect if necessary and check the actual band. A preference cannot create a missing 5 GHz network or force unsupported hardware. Restore the recorded value if connectivity worsens; consult the exact adapter maker if the property is absent.

Change a Supported Adapter’s MAC Address in Windows

Use an administrator-approved, unique address for a network you are authorized to manage; changing an address does not bypass permission requirements or guarantee anonymity. In Windows 10 or 11, right-click Start and open Device Manager > Network adapters. Identify the actual physical adapter, record its current address and advanced setting, then right-click it and choose Properties > Advanced. If its driver offers Network Address or Locally Administered Address, select that property. Some Wi-Fi drivers do not support a manual override; do not substitute a registry edit when it is absent.

Enter the assigned address in the manufacturer’s required format and choose OK. Intel’s Ethernet guide specifies 12 hexadecimal digits and excludes multicast, all-zero and all-F addresses. After the adapter reconnects, open Command Prompt from Start, run ipconfig /all, inspect that adapter’s Physical Address and test the connection. This changes the selected adapter’s software override, not every adapter or its factory identity. To reverse it, restore the recorded setting or choose the driver’s Not Present/default option, reconnect and verify the original address. Keep any network administrator informed about reservations or access rules tied to the old address.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check my Wi-Fi driver version?

In Device Manager, right-click the Wi-Fi adapter, select Properties, and open the Driver tab. It lists the driver date and version.

Will a new driver make my Wi-Fi faster?

Sometimes. A newer driver can fix dropouts and bugs, but your speed still depends on your router, signal strength, and internet plan. If only one network gives you trouble, forgetting that Wi-Fi network in Windows 11 and rejoining it is a quicker first step.

What about my Bluetooth driver?

On many laptops, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth share one card, but they use separate drivers. See how to install a Bluetooth driver in Windows 11. For more, browse our driver guides.

If the problem is the router itself, see how to update router firmware. If the driver and router are both fine and this PC still will not connect, you can reset network settings in Windows 11 as a last resort.