[Advice Wanted] Wifi Predicaments

Y22222 · April 16, 2021

Hi, I'm new to the LTT forums so apologies if I have posted this to the wrong place

So here's my situation:

My Dell laptop I've been using since 2016 has recently started to show some wifi issues, where the connection would inexplicably cut off every few minutes. I know that this is an issue with my pc, as no other devices in the entire house suffer from this issue. Sometimes my pc would be able to re-connect after a few seconds, but the majority of the time I would need to run the Windows troubleshooter to get back online.

Predicament 1: Is this a software issue or a hardware issue?
I'm starting to suspect that my wifi card is starting to break down, because the computer can connect to the internet via ethernet no problem (or to be more exact, USB tethering from my phone). However, I was wondering whether it could be a software-related such as an issue with Windows or another program in my computer. I suspected it may be my Norton VPN messing things up, but I tried uninstalling the program and the issue persisted. Is there a way to be sure (or at least mostly sure) that it is a hardware issue and not a software issue?

Predicament 2: Supposing that it is a hardware issue, what solution should I go for?
So assuming that it's my wifi card is on death row, two solutions come to mind; either replace the wifi card, or attach an external wifi dongle.
Replacing the wifi card would be the better, more permanent solution, but I'm worried about a few things. One, there is a low, but non-zero chance that I'll end up bricking my PC; I'm not completely new to dealing with the insides of my laptop, but I'm very much a novice with very little experience. Two, if it turns out that it was a software issue and not a hardware issue, I'd end up wasting $20~$50 on an unnessesary wifi card. Three, will the hardware swap deactivate my Windows? My concerns come from the "Why Does Linus Pirate Windows" video. Four: is it even worth it? My PC is 5 years old and I may end up replacing it in the near future, would implementing a permanent solution be worth it?
Attaching a Wifi dongle has its benefits: One, it's less risky as I don't need to 'open the hatch' of my Laptop. Two, even if it turns out to be a software issue related to my wifi, I can bypass it because it would use ethernet (which is proven to work on my pc). The drawbacks would be that the dongle will permanently occupy one of my three USB ports, not to mention that it's more of a bodge than a proper solution. If I could, I would want to use my unused ethernet port, but I couldn't find an ethernet wifi dongle or a ethernet to usb converter (if they even exist).
Given these points, which one would be the better solution? Are there any options or points to concider that I have missed out on?

Thank you for reading the long post, any bit of advice helps.

DogKnight · April 19, 2021

To quickly answer one question you have.

- Changing the internal WIFI card won't affect your windows license. There is generally a certain threshold that needs to be reached regarding the amount of parts changed and it often relates to more integral components of a computer like the motherboard.

Regarding your issue, there will probably need to be a process of elimination. Software is a 'free' place to start. Try removing and reinstalling the latest WIFI drivers. Disable any security software you have temporarily. And if you can backup your laptop, do a clean windows install and see if the problems persists with nothing else installed.

If the issue persists, then you start looking at hardware. You have a few options you outlined. And a USB WIFI adapter is probably the safest bet as you can move it over to a new computer in the future. You may just want to pickup a USB dongle / hub if you're running low on USB ports.

Another option that could work depends on how and where you use your device. If it's only ever used at home in the same location, getting a WIFI access point may be a good option. You could then connect via ethernet and can be used with any computer you get in the future.