Broadband connection – device missing

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For some time I’ve had broadband connection with a big red cross on it, both as per the attachment and when I click Options/netgear52 from the start screen (I’m on Win 8.1 pro). It pre-dates my replacement of my ISP’s router with the Netgear. However, I was having occasional problems with my wifi card which eventually failed. As I’m on a desktop, I got a powerline adapter and connected through that with no problem.

As the broadband connection appears to be a default, I’m disinclined to just delete it, so can anyone help by explaining why I’ve got this and how to remove the problem. As I said, I don’t have any issues with broadband connection.

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Windows is probably sensing the Wireless card and that it has a problem.

You may need to physically remove it as Windows may try to reinstate it if you just uninstall it from Device Manager/Network adapters where it may be listed with a red cross.

An alternative would be to right click on it and select Disable.

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Was the wifi card made by Netgear?

If so, that is its driver. And it is reporting that it is no longer seeing the broadband connection—which it should not. Uninstall the driver. One less startup app in your folder.

If not, then I do not know.

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Just click View Connection Settings (as in your screenshot), then Manage known networks (under Wi-Fi), then Choose a network to forget (and click on Broadband Connection).

It’s not a default.

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The wifi card is a Realtek RTL8190 wireless LAN mini-PCI NIC. When I right click properties (in device manager), it says it’s not connected, which as I probably fried it, must be the case. There’s no wifi or manage known networks so I can’t forget a network.

There’s no red cross in Device manager, see attachment and no disable under right click
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If I just remove the card, will that clear the problem? I assumed not as it doesn’t actually work at the moment (well forever really :p) so removing it wouldn’t be any different.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

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…There’s no red cross in Device manager, see attachment and no disable under right click…

Right-click on each of the greyed-out network devices, then left-click on “Uninstall”. Then right-click on the “WAN Miniport (SSTP) #2” device that has the yellow-triangle-exclamation-mark then also left-click “Uninstall”. Then in the main menu of Device Manager click on “ActionScan for hardware changes”.

If Windows does not re-install the drivers for your “Realtek RTL8190 802.11n Wireless LAN (Mini)PCI NIC” (note the “Realtek RTL8190 802.11n Wireless LAN (Mini)PCI NIC – virtualBo” is not greyed out so should be OK) then you probably need to look for newer drivers on the Realtek support website.

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I uninstalled all the WAN devices and the Realtek one as well and scanned for hardware changes. I’ve also rebooted. The WAN items all came back (and tell me to connect the hardware device) but the Realtek one hasn’t. The Broadband connection with the cross is still there.
I’m not expecting the Realtek to come back, as I said, it is like the good old parrot, dead as a – well – Dodo. But I would like the broadband problem to disappear.

BTW those grey ones appeared after I clicked show hidden devices in device manager

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I uninstalled all the WAN devices and the Realtek one as well and scanned for hardware changes. I’ve also rebooted. The WAN items all came back (and tell me to connect the hardware device) but the Realtek one hasn’t. The Broadband connection with the cross is still there.
I’m not expecting the Realtek to come back, as I said, it is like the good old parrot, dead as a – well – Dodo. But I would like the broadband problem to disappear.

BTW those grey ones appeared after I clicked show hidden devices in device manager

“Never use force – just get a bigger hammer” (old saying among engineers/mechanics).

Have seen similar misbehaviour on many customers’ computers. Often the below method works:

Run the following commands in an elevated command prompt (Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools, right-click “Command Prompt” then click “Run as Administrator”):

SET DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
(enter)

START DEVMGMT.MSC
(enter)

A “Device Manager” window will open, click “Show Hidden Devices” in the View menu.

You can now uninstall any invalid/disconnected devices.

Sometimes when you click on “Show Hidden Devices” in Device Manager it doesn’t show all the hidden devices (probably needs Admin privileges).

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I think as long as Windows senses the card it will continue to give that error, but I would have expected to see some sign of the card in Device Manager – but as Coochin has said, it may show up after running that command.

That’s also the first time I’ve seen WAN Miniports incremented – wonder what happened to the originals, as the original ISATAP adapter is still present.

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Coochin, the list was identical after doing what you said. I have now uninstalled all those Wan entries. I think I’ll remove the wireless card and see if it settles down. Now I wonder if I have a blanking plate for the slot somewhere….

Thanks again for your helpful suggestions. Even though they haven’t fixed the problem as yet, I (at least) appreciate that all PCs are different and without being physically present, it can be difficult to come up with the right answer. The great thing is that you (we, as I’ve suggested things too) come up with a solution far more often than not.

I’m thinking of another thread where the OP was rude because a solution for his (probably self inflicted) problem wasn’t suggested.

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