Why Does a Wi-Fi Adapter Need to Be Reset?
Most people who connect to the same Wi-Fi network, where very few network changes occur, will rarely need to perform a Wi-Fi adapter reset. However, some issues can cause conflicts or errors with your Wi-Fi adapter. Resetting the adapter can clear up these issues. These include:
Router settings have changed, such as the network security type or password. Your current computer’s IP configuration has changed and doesn’t match what the router (your network gateway) expects. Corrupted or out-of-date Wi-Fi adapter driver files. You’ve connected to many different Wi-Fi networks, and some of the adapter settings conflict with other Wi-Fi connections.
Resetting the Wi-Fi adapter clears remembered networks and reinitiates the adapter by reloading the driver. Settings are also set to default. Any of these things can resolve one or more of the issues listed above.
Reset Your Wi-Fi Adapter by Disabling It
A less drastic method to reset your Wi-Fi adapter is disabling and then re-enabling it. Doing this clears cached data from your connections with other Wi-Fi networks. Once you re-enable, it will establish a new connection with your Wi-Fi network and resolve connection issues.
How to Reset Your Wi-Fi Adapters
If you’re experiencing any issues with your connection to your wireless network, follow the steps below to reset all Wi-Fi adapters on your computer and hopefully resolve those problems.
