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Question

Windows 8.1 802.11 wifi not found

Oct 16, 2014 7:41AM PDT

I "upgraded" to 8.1 on an ASUS laptop. Under 8.0, my HP 309c printer worked just fine using the 802 wifi.Under 8.1, the HP wifi network isn't found (not bluetooth!). Nothing else has changed. The 8.1 finds my local wireless network using the router just fine, but the 802 HP 309 one isn't there.

In the past, to print, OI had to disconnect from the wireless net and connect to the HP wifi, but now, it isn't even on the network page

Any thoughts?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Many times
Oct 16, 2014 7:46AM PDT

I have to head to the maker's web site for 8.1 drivers. It's not automatic.

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Driver update has been installed.
Oct 16, 2014 10:41AM PDT

The computer does not see the "hpsetup" ad hoc 802.11g 'network", where before under 8.0 it did. Is there something in the 8.1 protocols which I inadvertently changed during installation/upgrade? Normal router network works fine (also 802.11g) with no problems.

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Sorry
Oct 16, 2014 11:07AM PDT

But it's this simple. 8.0 drivers may not work in 8.1. Microsoft doesn't make the hardware so don't expect Microsoft to fix it.

This is decades of the same sad story so not much new going on. However folk are often burned over this area.
Bob

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Sorry, also
Oct 16, 2014 9:01PM PDT

Thanks, Bob, but it's not quite that simple; the 8.1 driver setup for the 309a leads me through the process, then asks if the printer is on the network. If "yes", it cannot find it. If "no", it tells me to connect the printer via usb. Windows 8.1 cannot "see" the "hpsetup" net (802.11g) the printer is broadcasting, while all other computers in the house (non-8.1) can. In addition, since I cannot connect the printer via usb, it won't install the driver! Catch 22, as we used to say long ago... Is there some toggle in the Win 8.1 setup which I might have mis-set which would allow the computer to at least "see" the "hpsetup" ad hoc net?
Ray

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Since HP didn't supply your PC drivers
Oct 17, 2014 1:12AM PDT

You get to sort that out first.

-> Now you are writing about an ADHOC setup. Those are rarely done due to the support issues. Connect your printer to your router via a normal WiFi connection and try again.

-> More over, you have to create an ADHOC setup BEFORE you try using the HP software. I'm sure no one has written this "Experts Only" setup down yet.
Bob