SOLVED: Could Not Connect to Network Error in Windows 10
A known problem associated with Windows 10 is an error message stating “Could not connect to network” that shows up whenever an affected user tries to connect their computer to a wireless network. This problem mostly occurs in Windows 10 computers that have Intel wireless cards but can also sometimes be seen affecting computers that don’t. This problem inhibits the user from basically connecting to any and all WiFi networks, and that is certainly a major problem. Thankfully, there is a workaround and a couple of solutions that have managed to resolve this issue for almost all of the Windows 10 users who have been affected by it in the past, and here they are:
The Workaround: Change your WiFi password to an all-numeric one
Many of the folks who have suffered from this problem in the past have reported success in connecting to networks with all-numeric WiFi passwords. While this is far from a permanent solution and is less than ideal, you can go into your WiFi router’s settings (instructions for which can be found on the paperwork that came with it) and change your WiFi password to one that contains nothing but numbers. However, a major drawback of this workaround is that you will only be able to connect to WiFi networks that you own and that this workaround can’t be applied to networks that are unsecured and don’t have any WiFi passwords configured.
Solution 1: Download and start using a driver that is immune to this problem
Download a driver for Intel wireless cards that is known to be immune to this issue by clicking here.
Press the Windows Logo key + X to open the WinX Menu. Alternatively, you can also right-click on the Start Menu button to achieve the same result.
Click on Device Manager to launch it.
Expand the Network adapters
Right-click on your Intel wireless card and click on Update Driver Software…
Select Browse my computer for driver software.
Click on Browse…, navigate to the directory where you downloaded the driver in step 1, select the driver by clicking on it and click on OK.
Click on Next and go through with the installation of the driver.
Restart your computer and try to connect to a network and see if the problem has been fixed once it boots up.
Solution 2: Uninstall and then reinstall your wireless card’s driver
A ton of Windows 10 users who have been victims of this issue in the past have had great success in getting rid of it by uninstalling and the reinstalling their wireless card’s driver. To do so, you need to:
Press the Windows Logo key + X to open the WinX Menu. Alternatively, you can also right-click on the Start Menu button to achieve the same result.
Click on Device Manager to launch it.
Expand the Network adapters
Right-click on your wireless card and click on Properties.
Navigate to the Driver
Click on Uninstall.
In the consequential popup, make sure that the Delete the driver software for this device option is enabled and then click on OK to uninstall the driver.
Restart your computer and, as soon as it boots up, your wireless card’s driver will be reinstalled.
You should probably make sure that the wireless card driver that was reinstalled on your computer is up to date. To do so, repeat steps 1-5 from above and then:
Click on Update Driver…
Click on Search automatically for updated driver software to allow your computer to search the internet for a newer version of the driver.
If your computer finds a newer version of the driver, install it. If your computer concludes that the driver software for your wireless card is up to date, just let it be.
Pro Tip: Regardless of whether you use Solution 1 or Solution 2 to fix your issue, it would be best for you to disallow your computer to turn off your wireless card to have the finest odds of getting rid of this problem, especially if you’re experiencing this problem on an Intel wireless card. To do so, you need to:
Press the Windows Logo key + X to open the WinX Menu. Alternatively, you can also right-click on the Start Menu button to achieve the same result.
Click on Device Manager to launch it.
Expand the Network adapters
Right-click on your wireless card and click on Properties.
Navigate to the Power Management
Disable the Allow this computer to turn off this device to save power option by clearing its checkbox.
Click on OK.
