Out of the box, your Dell Inspiron business laptop has the ability to connect to wireless networks and access the Internet. However, a change made to the computer or router can cause wireless networking to suddenly fail. Generally, resolving a wireless networking problem on a Dell Inspiron becomes simple if you trace the problem back to the last change you made or look for the most common causes of networking issues.
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Driver version varies depending on the wireless adapter installed. Drivers: Windows 10, 32-bit. Windows 10, 64-bit. 21.10.1 Latest: 5/21/2019: Windows® 10 Wi-Fi Drivers for Intel® Wireless Adapters. This download record installs the Windows® 10 WiFi package drivers 21.10.1 for the AX200/9000/8000/7200/3100 series Intel® Wireless Adapters.
Device Driver
All computer hardware requires device drivers to operate. Dell pre-loads Inspiron laptops with the correct device drivers for all hardware at the factory, but if you formatted your Inspiron and reinstalled Windows without using the recovery disc or partition, you must download and install the device driver for the computer's wireless adapter before you will be able to connect to wireless networks. You can download the driver from the Dell support website.
Wireless Adapter
If you are certain the device driver is installed, you may have disabled the Inspiron's wireless adapter. Look for a wireless switch on the computer or press the 'Fn-F2' keys simultaneously to enable the wireless adapter.
Encryption Key
When a wireless router has encryption enabled, you must enter a key consisting of letters, numbers and symbols when connecting. If you fail to enter the correct key, Windows displays an error message. To confirm that your Inspiron is unable to connect to a wireless network because of an incorrect encryption key, you can connect the Inspiron to the router with an Ethernet cable, log in to the router administration screen and reset the password. Alternatively, try connecting to a wireless router that you are certain does not use encryption.
Signal Strength
You may have difficulty connecting to a wireless network on your Inspiron if the signal strength is too low. You can confirm low signal strength by clicking the wireless connection icon in the lower-right corner of the desktop. If the signal strength displayed next to the name of your wireless router is low, improve the signal by moving the Inspiron closer to the router or eliminating causes of interference, such as metal objects and other wireless devices.
System Files
If you are still unable to connect to wireless networks after installing the wireless device driver, improving the signal strength as much as possible and attempting to connect to multiple different routers, your Inspiron may have a corrupted system file preventing its networking features from working properly. You can have Windows scan all system files by launching the Command Prompt as a system administrator and typing the command 'sfc /scannow.' If this fails to resolve the issue, it may be necessary to back up your files and repair the Inspiron using the recovery disc or partition.
References (4)
About the Author
Jason Artman has been a technical writer since entering the field in 1999 while attending Michigan State University. Artman has published numerous articles for various websites, covering a diverse array of computer-related topics including hardware, software, games and gadgets.
Photo Credits
- Ciaran Griffin/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Choose Citation Style
Artman, Jason. 'A Dell Inspiron Won't Connect to Wireless Networks.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/dell-inspiron-wont-connect-wireless-networks-53331.html. Accessed 14 June 2019.
Artman, Jason. (n.d.). A Dell Inspiron Won't Connect to Wireless Networks. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/dell-inspiron-wont-connect-wireless-networks-53331.html
Artman, Jason. 'A Dell Inspiron Won't Connect to Wireless Networks' accessed June 14, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/dell-inspiron-wont-connect-wireless-networks-53331.html
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