Network Adapter Missing
Wi-Fi or Ethernet doesn't appear at all in Windows' network settings or Device Manager — not just disconnected, but genuinely absent from the list of available connections.
Quick answer: A missing network adapter (rather than one that's simply not connecting) is usually a driver problem, sometimes triggered by a Windows update, rather than a hardware failure. This is worth distinguishing from a normal connection failure, since the fix is different.
Likely causes
- A driver that's been removed, corrupted, or made incompatible by a recent Windows update
- The adapter disabled in Device Manager or in the computer's BIOS settings
- In rarer cases, a genuine hardware failure of the adapter itself
What you can safely check yourself
- Open Device Manager and check under "Network adapters" — if it's there but greyed out or has a warning icon, that's a driver issue rather than a hardware one
- Check "Show hidden devices" in Device Manager's View menu, in case it's present but hidden
- Try Windows' "Network reset" option in Settings, which reinstalls network adapters and their drivers
When it needs a proper look
If the adapter doesn't appear anywhere in Device Manager even with hidden devices shown, and a network reset doesn't bring it back, that's worth a proper diagnosis.