How to Install WiFi Driver in Windows 11 Without Internet Access (Step-by-Step Guide)

By / September 21, 2025

Need to install a Wi-Fi driver on a Windows 11 PC that has no internet? No panic — it’s a common situation and totally solvable. In this guide we’ll walk through multiple safe methods (USB, another PC, driver packs, Ethernet adapters), show step-by-step commands and screenshots-worthy checkpoints, and give troubleshooting tips so you can get online fast. Let’s get that wireless adapter talking to Windows 11.

Quick summary — key takeaways

  • If the target PC has no internet, use another computer with internet to download drivers and transfer via USB.

  • Prioritize drivers from the PC or Wi-Fi adapter manufacturer (Dell, HP, Intel, Realtek, Broadcom, Qualcomm).

  • If you have a USB-Ethernet adapter, plug in temporarily to download drivers directly on the offline PC.

  • Use Device Manager’s “Have Disk” or right-click Update driver → Browse my computer to install drivers offline.

  • Keep a driver pack or vendor utilities on a USB stick for future emergencies.

Table of contents

  1. Why this happens (brief)

  2. What you’ll need before starting

  3. Method A — Use another PC + USB drive (recommended)

  4. Method B — Use a temporary wired connection (USB-Ethernet)

  5. Method C — Use manufacturer driver packs or universal driver collections

  6. Method D — Use Device Manager “Have Disk” and INF files

  7. Method E — Use Windows Update offline packages (CAB)

  8. Step-by-step: verifying installation and enabling the adapter

  9. When Secure Boot or driver signature blocks install — what to do

  10. Troubleshooting common problems (no adapter after install, yellow triangle, slow Wi-Fi)

  11. Tips to keep drivers up to date without internet access

  12. Safety and best practices

  13. Conclusion

  14. FAQs

Why the Wi-Fi driver might be missing

Windows 11 usually installs basic drivers on first boot, but some Wi-Fi chipsets (especially newer or OEM-customized ones) need the exact vendor driver. Also, if you performed a clean install of Windows 11, the system may lack the proper wireless driver and therefore have no internet to fetch it automatically.

What you’ll need before starting

Make sure you’ve got:

  • A second computer with internet access (laptop, PC, or phone).

  • A USB flash drive (or external HDD) or an OTG cable for phones.

  • The make and model of your PC or Wi-Fi adapter (found in Device Manager or on the laptop label).

  • (Optional) a USB-Ethernet adapter if you prefer temporary wired access.

  • Basic admin rights on the Windows 11 PC.

Pro tip: take a quick photo of the label on your laptop or Wi-Fi card if you’re unsure about the model.

Method A — Use another PC + USB drive (recommended)

This is the most reliable and widely applicable approach.

Step 1 — Identify the network adapter model

  1. On the offline Windows 11 PC, open Device Manager (right-click Start → Device Manager).

  2. Expand Network adapters. Look for any entry with “Wireless”, “Wi-Fi”, “802.11”, or an Unknown device.

  3. Right-click the device → Properties → Details tab → choose Hardware Ids from the dropdown.

  4. Copy the VEN_ and DEV_ IDs (example: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24FD) or write down the adapter name.

Why hardware IDs? They pinpoint the exact chipset when model names are ambiguous.

Step 2 — Download the correct driver on another PC

  1. On a working PC, open a browser and go to the manufacturer site: Dell/HP/Lenovo for laptops, or Intel/Realtek/Qualcomm for adapter chipsets.

  2. Search by your machine model or by the adapter hardware ID.

  3. Download the latest Windows 11 driver (choose the appropriate architecture: x64). Prefer the latest WHQL-signed driver.

Step 3 — Transfer to the offline PC

  1. Copy the driver installer (.exe) or driver package (.zip/.cab + INF) to a USB flash drive.

  2. Plug the USB into the offline Windows 11 PC.

Step 4 — Install the driver

  • If it’s an .exe: double-click and follow vendor installer prompts (Run as administrator).

  • If it’s a zipped driver: extract to a folder. In Device Manager right-click the wireless adapter → Update driver → Browse my computer for drivers → point to the extracted folder and allow Windows to install.

Step 5 — Reboot and test

Restart the PC if prompted, then check Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi for available networks.

Method B — Use a temporary wired connection (USB-Ethernet)

If you own a USB-Ethernet dongle (or can borrow one), this method downloads drivers directly on the offline PC.

Steps:

  1. Plug in USB-Ethernet adapter — Windows may auto-install a generic driver and provide internet access.

  2. Use Windows Update or the manufacturer webpage to download the exact Wi-Fi driver.

  3. Install Wi-Fi driver, then remove the dongle.

This is fast and avoids file transfers.

Method C — Use manufacturer driver packs or universal driver collections

Some vendors provide all drivers for a model in one package (DriverPack, Snappy Driver Installer — use caution with third-party tools).

Use vendor support pages first:

  • OEM support pages have driver bundles for each laptop/desktop model. Download the Network driver pack and run on the offline PC.

If using third-party driver packs:

  • Only use reputable sources (avoid toolbars, extra software). Verify file checksums if provided.

Method D — Use Device Manager “Have Disk” and INF files

If vendor provides an .INF + driver file structure, you can manually point Windows to it.

How:

  1. Extract vendor ZIP to a folder.

  2. Device Manager → right-click adapter → Update driver → Browse my computer → Let me pick from a list → Have Disk → Browse to the folder and select the .inf.

  3. Install and reboot.

This method is ideal for drivers distributed as INF packages.

Method E — Windows Update offline packages (CAB)

Windows provides offline CAB packages for many drivers, but these are more advanced.

Steps summary:

  1. On online PC, download the driver CAB from Microsoft Update Catalog (search by hardware ID).

  2. Transfer CAB to offline PC.

  3. Install CAB with an elevated command:

    dism /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\path\to\driver.cab

  4. Reboot.

Use DISM carefully — it requires admin rights and proper CAB files.

Step-by-step: verifying installation and enabling the adapter

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet and check Wi-Fi is visible and the toggle is On.

  2. In Device Manager, confirm the network adapter shows under Network adapters without warnings.

  3. Run ipconfig /all in Command Prompt to see if the wireless adapter has a MAC address and networking info.

  4. Try scanning for networks: click Wi-Fi icon in taskbar → select your SSID → connect.

When Secure Boot or driver signature enforcement blocks installation

If you get errors about unsigned drivers:

Option A — Install signed drivers from OEM (preferred)

  • Always try to download WHQL (signed) drivers from vendor sites first.

Option B — Temporarily disable driver signature enforcement (use cautiously)

  1. Settings → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now.

  2. Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.

  3. Press F7 to Disable driver signature enforcement.

  4. Install driver and then reboot.

Don’t leave signature enforcement disabled permanently — it protects system integrity.

Troubleshooting common problems

Problem: Wi-Fi adapter still not present after install

  • Reboot and check Device Manager for Unknown device.

  • Try uninstalling the adapter (Device Manager → Uninstall device) then Scan for hardware changes.

  • Reinstall driver using “Have Disk”.

Problem: Yellow exclamation mark or Code 10

  • Update or rollback driver.

  • Try a different driver version (newer vs older vendor driver).

  • Check BIOS setting for wireless (some laptops allow disabling wireless in BIOS).

Problem: Slow Wi-Fi or intermittent

  • Install latest chipset driver and WLAN utility from vendor.

  • Change wireless band (2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz) if your router supports both.

  • Update router firmware (needs internet & router login).

Problem: Adapter disabled in BIOS or airplane mode

  • Check BIOS wireless settings.

  • Turn off Airplane mode in Windows Action Center.

Table: Quick method comparison

Method Pros Cons Best when
USB transfer from another PC Reliable, safe Requires second PC/USB No wired access available
USB-Ethernet temporary Fast, downloads on target Need adapter You have a dongle or can borrow
Vendor driver pack All drivers in one Large download Clean OS installs for same model
INF/Have Disk Precise manual install Slightly technical You have INF files
CAB via DISM Clean system install Advanced, careful use For admin users or corp images

Tips to keep drivers up to date without regular internet

  • Keep a driver rescue USB with common drivers for your model.

  • Periodically (monthly/quarterly) use another PC to check OEM driver pages and update rescue USB.

  • If you travel frequently, store drivers for multiple models (work/home devices).

Safety and best practices

  • Prefer official vendor drivers over random third-party downloads.

  • Scan any downloaded files with antivirus before transferring.

  • Keep a record of driver versions; rolling back to a previous working version can save time.

  • If uncertain, ask the vendor’s support or use their support chatbot for exact driver links.

Conclusion

Installing a Wi-Fi driver on Windows 11 without internet access is a common, fixable task. The easiest route is to use another internet-connected device to download the correct driver from the manufacturer and transfer it via USB. If you can get a temporary wired connection, that simplifies things further. Use Device Manager’s update options, “Have Disk” with INF files, or DISM for CAB packages when needed. Keep a driver rescue USB handy — it’s the single most useful tool for offline troubleshooting.

FAQs

1. Can I install a Wi-Fi driver with just my phone and no PC?
Yes. Use your phone’s browser to download the driver, then transfer via USB OTG or by connecting the phone as a storage device and moving the file to the offline PC.

2. How do I find the exact Wi-Fi driver for my adapter?
Check Device Manager → Properties → Details → Hardware Ids. Search these VEN_/DEV_ IDs on the vendor site or Microsoft Update Catalog.

3. Is it safe to use driver update tools?
Only use reputable tools. Prefer OEM vendor downloads. Some third-party driver updaters bundle unwanted software — avoid those.

4. What if Windows says the driver is incompatible with Windows 11?
Try an updated driver explicitly labeled for Windows 11 or use the latest Windows 10 driver (some are compatible). If needed, contact vendor support.

5. Can Windows install a working Wi-Fi driver from Windows Update offline?
Windows Update needs internet to fetch drivers. You can, however, download driver CABs (from Microsoft Update Catalog) on another PC and install them offline using DISM.

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