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Laptop hit the floor. It's difficult if not already impossible to connect to WiFi. Sometimes laptop can detect WiFi, particularly the one at home, but the signal is usually weak. Sometimes it shows option of connecting but whenever I try to connect, it either says it's connected though I can't connect or it stops detecting WiFi. What are my options please? Is there some way to externalise the WiFi detection? Like I plug in something that detects WiFi?

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    There are external WiFi dongles that you can get that Windows will use instead if you disable the internal WiFi through a hardware button or Device Manager.
    – user487867
    Jun 5, 2018 at 15:52
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    Find your laptop service manual from your manufacturer. Read the section on how to replace the WiFi module. Open up your laptop as instructed. Reconnect the WiFi antenna that has probably become loose.
    – Mokubai
    Jun 5, 2018 at 16:00

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Edit: As Mokubai suggested in their comment, you should try to replace or fix the internal WiFi if you can. USB ports on laptops are usually at a premium and you'll lose access to one whilst you have the dongle plugged in.


Windows can work with WiFi dongles that you plug into a USB port. Nowadays many will work straight away and will not require an internet connection to set up.

If you can get a WiFi dongle and plug it in, you can then disable the internal WiFi so the two don't conflict. Many laptops come with a method to do this, such as a physical hardware switch or hotkey on the keyboard (although the hotkey may also disable the WiFi dongle depending on how the drivers for the hotkey are set up).

You can also disable the inbuilt WiFi by opening the Device Manager, then opening the Network Adaptors folder. In there, the inbuilt WiFi will have an entry that you can right click to disable.

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