One device (only) not seeing wifi network after new router

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quickymart

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#318976 10-Mar-2025 16:32

Afternoon,

I just swapped out my old Spark Smart modem (1) for the 3 model. I setup the SSID/password exactly the same as before, and all my devices have connected, barring one - my boy's desktop machine in a neighbouring room, which can only connect via Wifi.

What's bizarre is he can see all of the neighbour's networks - just not mine! So wifi is obviously working on his machine.

I went into his wifi settings (he has Windows 11) and "forgot" the previous network, even though it had the same SSID, etc. But still no go, it's simply not seeing the wifi network that's 8 metres away, yet it sees all the other ones.

I've disabled/re-enabled wifi, restarted the router, restarted his PC, but nope, it doesn't see it.

Am I missing something here? Any suggestions please? He needs to get back online for schoolwork and this all worked perfectly until I swapped out the router.

His motherboard is reasonably new too, so I'm a bit lost as to what to try next.

Thanks in advance for any assistance provided.

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#3352261 10-Mar-2025 16:38

Have you tried reinstalling the driver from device manager?

MaxineN

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#3352264 10-Mar-2025 16:52

Is the SM3 possibly sitting on a DFS channel and the chipset using simply can't see it?

I don't think this is likely at all but this is a good question to ask as not all devices supported DFS, see Early 2011 MBP.

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quickymart

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#3352265 10-Mar-2025 16:53

Thanks for the tip. No, I haven't yet - but surely he wouldn't be able to see any wifi networks at all if it was something like that? Just seems weird.

MaxineN

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#3352267 10-Mar-2025 16:56

quickymart:

Thanks for the tip. No, I haven't yet - but surely he wouldn't be able to see any wifi networks at all if it was something like that? Just seems weird.

So without DFS, you'd simply see every other 5GHz network BUT the ones in DFS.
I would dive into the SM3 and check which channel it's sitting on.

A quick image as what is allowed.

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Tinkerisk

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#3352268 10-Mar-2025 17:00

MaxineN:

Is the SM3 possibly sitting on a DFS channel and the chipset using simply can't see it?

I don't think this is likely at all but this is a good question to ask as not all devices supported DFS, see Early 2011 MBP.

However, this would not explain why the computer does not connect via 2.4GHz.

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quickymart

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#3352269 10-Mar-2025 17:01

Thanks Maxine, this is what the router config shows:

Only things different on the old one was Wireless Mode was Auto (this option isn't available on the new router) and the Channel was 153 - but even changing to this, he still can't see the network.

MaxineN

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#3352270 10-Mar-2025 17:03

Tinkerisk:

MaxineN:

Is the SM3 possibly sitting on a DFS channel and the chipset using simply can't see it?

I don't think this is likely at all but this is a good question to ask as not all devices supported DFS, see Early 2011 MBP.

However, this would not explain why the computer does not connect via 2.4GHz.

Correct, it wouldn't. That's is quite strange.

Wonder how far away it is from the SM3.

quickymart:

Thanks Maxine, this is what the router config shows:

Only things different on the old one was Wireless Mode was Auto (this option isn't available on the new router) and the Channel was 153 - but even changing to this, he still can't see the network.

Okay so we're not in a DFS range. I would uninstall the wireless network adapter and re-install it. Possibly look at the antennas as well. Maybe also try and disabling band steering (also known as separating the SSIDs for each band).

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quickymart

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#3352271 10-Mar-2025 17:05

Distance is probably about 5-6 metres - but he's picking up networks that are at least 10-15m away.

Tinkerisk

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#3352273 10-Mar-2025 17:11

quickymart:

Thanks in advance for any assistance provided.

Sounds banal but just try this.

I've also had the same problem with a brand new wifi adapter in a machine where the transmission and reception power settings were not adjusted to an access point that was 3 metres away. The signal was simply too strong because Windows had used the values it knew from an AP with the same SSID some distance away.

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#3352274 10-Mar-2025 17:12

Tinkerisk:

However, this would not explain why the computer does not connect via 2.4GHz.

It could be doing wifi 6 or 7 on 2.4 which seems to confuse some older devices.

Richard rich.ms

quickymart

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#3352275 10-Mar-2025 17:16

I should add this is a newly built machine, with a motherboard that was purchased and installed last year (additional info).

freitasm

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#3352280 10-Mar-2025 17:38

And the Wi-Fi adapter is sourced in New Zealand, for New Zealand environments?

Tinkerisk

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#3352291 10-Mar-2025 18:33

freitasm:

And the Wi-Fi adapter is sourced in New Zealand, for New Zealand environments?

These special features are solved generically in the chipset by driver software, not by hardware.

quickymart

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#3352295 10-Mar-2025 19:12

Yes.

Sorry, I should expand on this. He's running my old desktop in his room, but aside from the case it was completely rebuilt - new motherboard (where the inbuilt wifi is), new RAM, new SSD, the lot.

This entire arrangement was working perfectly fine until this morning, when I swapped out the old Spark Smart Modem 1 with the 3. Since then, he can't see the wifi network at all.

I'm going to try installing an external wifi adapter in his desktop to see if this allows him to connect.

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#3352297 10-Mar-2025 19:34

Also maybe reinstate the S1, and see if the desktop can still see that.

If the S1 is also invisible now ... well I dont know, but it wouldnt be good.

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