Can't enable "Wi-Fi" interface via command line (Windows 10)

I'm trying to figure out how to enable the "Wi-Fi" interface in Windows 10, so that I can connect to a wireless network later using netsh wlan connect. After starting cmd with administrative privileges, netsh int show int correctly shows "Wi-Fi" as one of the interface names, and shows it as "disconnected".

However, when I try to enable it using netsh int set, it says "This network connection does not exist." As a test to see that the interface name is correct, I have been able to rename the "Wi-Fi" interface. The only way to enable it was by first turning on Wi-Fi via the Wi-Fi toggle switch in the Wi-Fi menu at the bottom right of the screen. If I don't do that, nothing works.

How would you make this work from the command line? I had a corrupted Windows 10 update once where explorer.exe wasn't working, as the system task bar wasn't there, so the not using the command line wouldn't really work out.

Solution 1:

This happens on my Win 7 virtual as well.

I do not know why this happens, however I know how to make the command work from command line.

Open Task Manager as admin (right-click 'Run As Admin'). Type the administrator password and click on 'Yes' , to proceed.

Click on New Task. Type in cmd in the Open: field

Make sure to check the box 'Create this task with admin privileges' Then click OK.

Your command window title will be prefixed with Administrator:

If you don't see administrator, then its not gonna work.

If it does run successfully, then its gonna look like this,

The name of the interface is changed here, because I don't have an interface called "Wi-Fi", please do change it accordingly.

Solution 2:

I found out the what was causing the problem. The "Wi-Fi" interface was already enabled. Trying to enable it twice causes the error message: "This network connection does not exist". However, this message doesn't print when already connected to a wireless network, it only prints when you aren't already connected to a wireless network. This would seem like a bug, as it makes the user think that enabling the interface had failed.

However, trying to connect to a wireless network using netsh wlan connect still doesn't work if the Wi-Fi toggle switch is not clicked in Windows 10. See follow up question: How to toggle Wi-Fi in Windows 10 via the command line?