Picked up a used HP EliteBook 850 G5 but having wifi issues.

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sfrasernz

227 posts

Master Geek

#315785 15-Aug-2024 19:11

Picked up a very nice used HP EliteBook 850 G5 but having wifi issues.

Specifically...it cannot see any wifi networks. I originally tried it at work and the laptop couldn't see any WLANS (despite there being at least 10 SSIDs visbible on other devices).

So I've brought it home this evening to do some more testing. Same issue at home...no WLANs visible (other than a wifi direct connection to an HP Printer - presumably Adhoc mode ?).

OS was Win11. The adapter is enabled. The device driver looks correct. Enabling/Disabling the card makes no difference. Updating the driver to the one listed on HP support site made no difference. I can't see any physical switch on the laptop to switch the wifi on or off. Theres a Fn option on the keyboard to toggle airplane mode which is enabled.

I've then performed an HP Sure Recover to default back to Windows 10.

And the issue persists ... no visible WLANs other than the printer. I've had a look through the BIOS and can't find any options realted to the Wireless adapter.

I've just booted into a Live Linux environment and wifi works fine - so not a hardware issue.

Booted back into Windows 10 and still no Wireless networks to be seen (other than the Adhoc Printer).

WLAN Adapter is an Intel Dual Band AC 8265.

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#3272223 15-Aug-2024 19:41

Try the driver from the HP site. You may have to force install if it's older.

If that doesn't work after a restart next step is picking some oem versions to try.

Andib

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#3272233 15-Aug-2024 20:11

Check your FN keys for a wifi / airplane mode key and see if toggling it changes anything, On older devices this was a physical slider to turn off wifi.

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allan

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#3272249 15-Aug-2024 20:38

I'm using an 850 G3, which has backlit buttons above the numeric keypad for toggling Wi-Fi and Sound on and off. Googling a pic of a G5 keyboard layout looks like the Wi-Fi on/off function has moved to the F11 key. Pressing that with or without the fn key held down does nothing?

gzt

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#3272250 15-Aug-2024 20:43

Looking at the driver device name etc recognised by the Linux live is another possible angle on the driver side, assuming the same device as detected has a windows driver from the same oem. Alternatively windows driver management provides the device id searching that sometimes provides alternative oems.

MadEngineer

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#3272262 15-Aug-2024 21:22

Pop the case open and reseat the wifi card. Check that the cables haven't disconnected from it. If they have, hopefully they haven't shorted on anything but you'll want to replace it as the radios have probably burned themselves out.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

KiwiSurfer

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#3272273 15-Aug-2024 22:12

MadEngineer:

Pop the case open and reseat the wifi card. Check that the cables haven't disconnected from it. If they have, hopefully they haven't shorted on anything but you'll want to replace it as the radios have probably burned themselves out.

If it's working in Linux then what you propose makes no sense as it is 100% not a hardware issue whatsoever.

Ge0rge

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#3272278 15-Aug-2024 22:35

MadEngineer:
Pop the case open and reseat the wifi card. Check that the cables haven't disconnected from it. If they have, hopefully they haven't shorted on anything but you'll want to replace it as the radios have probably burned themselves out.

Seems really odd that burnt out radios would still work in Linux 🤔🤣

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cddt

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#3272304 16-Aug-2024 06:58

sfrasernz:

I've just booted into a Live Linux environment and wifi works fine - so not a hardware issue.

So now you know the solution is to install Linux and forget about Windows. 😉

My referral links: BigPipe | Mercury

trig42

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#3272318 16-Aug-2024 08:26

Almost seems like a channel issue in the driver?

Can you find an option to tell it what country you're in?

Can you check the channel setting in the properties of the ELAN adaptor (in Device Manager)?

sfrasernz

227 posts

Master Geek

#3272319 16-Aug-2024 08:28

Even during a fresh install of Windows 11 direct from ISO written to USB media the OOBE can see a WLAN Adapter but sees no networks.

As mentioned theres no physical wifi switch on the laptop. There is a Fn option but this is enabled. If I press the appropriate Fn key Windows will toggle Airplane mode - tells me the Fn keys are working as designed.

OEM driver from Intel shows the same behavour.

It's a wierd one...how can it work in Linux and not Windows?! (and I don't have the option to run Linux full time :-)

CokemonZ

1051 posts

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#3272320 16-Aug-2024 08:32

Recently went through something similar with an hp probook.
Check in device manager the wifi device isn't disabled.

No idea how it happened but that was my issue.

old3eyes

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#3272321 16-Aug-2024 08:38

Had a similar problem with my wife's HP laptop with very low WiFi speeds. Ended up resetting the Windows OS and now it's back to normal.

Regards,

Old3eyes

concordnz

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#3272325 16-Aug-2024 08:45

Download the HP Support assistant tool,
use that to check for updates,
and this will pickup the correct driver to install for Wlan & Bluetooth.

lxsw20

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#3272334 16-Aug-2024 09:06

Even better HP Image Assistant, doesn't have all the bloat attached.

http://ftp.ext.hp.com//pub/caps-softpaq/cmit/HPIA.html

MadEngineer

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#3272660 16-Aug-2024 18:15

Ge0rge:
MadEngineer:

Pop the case open and reseat the wifi card. Check that the cables haven't disconnected from it. If they have, hopefully they haven't shorted on anything but you'll want to replace it as the radios have probably burned themselves out.

Seems really odd that burnt out radios would still work in Linux 🤔🤣

Thanks for the burn :P I failed to read

concordnz: Download the HP Support assistant tool,
use that to check for updates,
and this will pickup the correct driver to install for Wlan & Bluetooth.

This, it's great and works even on old machines.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

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