You can visit HP's website to find drivers compatible with your computer: https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/laptops Since you don't have access to the internet on your laptop, you'll have to use another computer to visit this website. Download the appropriate network driver to a USB stick. Plug that USB stick into your laptop and install it to your laptop.

Hi

Welcome to Microsoft community.

If your Realtek WiFi USB adapter is not working, there are several steps you can take to diagnose and potentially fix the issue. Here's a structured approach:

1. Try a Different USB Port

First, ensure the problem is not with the USB port itself. Try plugging the adapter into a different USB port, preferably one directly on your computer rather than through a hub.

2. Check Device Manager

• Check for Recognition: Go to Device Manager (right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager) and see if the Realtek adapter is listed under Network adapters. If it's listed with a yellow exclamation mark, there's a driver or device issue.
• Update Driver: Right-click on the Realtek WiFi adapter and select "Update driver". You can search automatically for updated driver software. If Windows doesn't find a new driver, try looking on the Realtek website for drivers.
• Uninstall and Reinstall: If updating doesn't work, try uninstalling the device (right-click > Uninstall device) and then restart your computer. Windows should attempt to reinstall the driver upon reboot.

3. Disable and Re-enable the Device

In the Device Manager, right-click on the Realtek adapter and disable it, then right-click again and enable it. This can sometimes kickstart the adapter into working.

4. Use the Troubleshooter

Windows has a built-in troubleshooter for network issues. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters and run the Internet Connections troubleshooter.

5. Manually Install Drivers

If the automatic update doesn’t work, you can manually download the latest drivers from the Realtek website and install them. Make sure to choose the drivers that match your specific Realtek WiFi adapter model and your version of Windows.

6. Check Power Management Settings

In Device Manager, right-click on the Realtek adapter > Properties > Power Management tab. Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power."

7. Test on Another Computer

If possible, test the USB adapter on another computer to determine if the issue is with the adapter itself or your computer.

If, after trying these steps, your Realtek WiFi USB adapter still isn't working, it could be a hardware fault with the adapter. You might need to consider getting a replacement or contacting technical support for further assistance.

Please feel free to let me know how it goes. 

Best regards

Derrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

It looks like you've narrowed it down to a Realtek PCIe device, which is indeed likely your Wi-Fi card. To get the right driver from HP for your Realtek adapter, follow these steps: 1. Obtain Your HP Model Number If you haven't already, find out your HP laptop's model number. This is typically printed on the bottom of the laptop or can be found in the System Information (press Windows + R, type msinfo32, and hit Enter). 2. Access the HP Support Website Go to the https://support.hp.com. Enter your model number in the search box and select your device from the list. 3. Navigate to the Drivers Section Once you're on your device's support page, look for a Drivers or Software & Drivers section. Select the version of Windows you are using (in your case, Windows 10). 4. Find the Network Drivers Under the Drivers section, look for Network or Networking drivers. You should see a list of available drivers for your network devices. The Realtek Wi-Fi driver will be labeled with Realtek, or it might also say "Wireless LAN" or similar. 5. Download and Install the Driver Click on the download link for the Realtek wireless driver. Once downloaded, double-click the file and follow the installation instructions. Restart your computer after installation. 6. Check Device Manager After installation, check Device Manager again: Right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager. Expand the "Network adapters" section to ensure your Realtek Wi-Fi adapter is listed appropriately, without any warning symbols. If you're unable to find the correct driver on the HP website or encounter further issues, you might also check the Realtek website directly at https://www.realtek.com/en/downloads to see if they provide a standalone driver for your PCIe device. Let me know if you run into any snags, and I'll be happy to assist you further!

PS - You will probably need to explain this to me like I am an idiot 🙁

If you know your Realtek chip model get your drivers from here, and you are right never use a 3rd party driver update app/program.

The link is direct to network drivers on the Realtek site.

Communications Network ICs-通訊網路 ICs or if you want their full site Realtek

(Sorry, BryceSor, I had to unmark your answer. You did find the correct source for Realtek drivers, it's just that I had perhaps misstated the problem!)

I thought others might be interested in this update to the problem.

First, I hesitated to download any other driver, because unless the new one had a more recent date than the one I just installed from Microsoft Update, it would just be allowing the Microsoft version to be installed again.

So in the interim, I did some more testing. It's really weird what Realtek seems to have done.

In the past, the signal strength symbol (on the right side of the taskbar) indicated signal strength. If it fluctuated, it used to indicate poor signal, making you reorient the antenna or opt for a signal repeater.

Best I can tell, by doing speed tests and browsing in general, that same signal strength meter has been repurposed. It now shows bit rate being transferred, at that instant. Start a new speed test, it shows what used to represent a strong signal. Speed test ends, suddenly the symbol drops way down, implying a really awful WiFi signal.

To double-check this theory, I moved my PC from the 5 GHz band, which I typically use, to the 2.4 GHZ band, expecting to see the signal strength symbol to show full strength. But no, it too was showing this odd behavior, where it represents transfer rate as opposed to signal strength.

I don't like this one bit.

(Another problem Microsoft caused in the past couple of days, spell check no longer works on Edge. The new Edge update seems to have removed the suggested correct spellings, when a word is misspelled. Still underscores the misspelled word in red, but then it "offers no suggestions" always. Even for the most trivial misspellings. Yet, in other apps such as Notepad, spell check works fine, like always.)