WiFi keeps dropping on Windows 11 22H2: fix it now

Cause #1: Power saving mode on your WiFi adapter

This is the most common reason WiFi drops on laptops running Windows 11 22H2. The OS decides to save power by cutting off the WiFi adapter after a few minutes of low activity. But even when you're actively browsing, it can happen if the adapter goes into a sleep state.

Real-world scenario: I saw this on a Dell Latitude 5430 running Windows 11 Pro. The user would lose connection every 3-5 minutes. Fixed it in 2 minutes.

Here's how to kill that:

1. Right-click the Start button and pick Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Find your WiFi adapter (usually says Intel, Realtek, or Qualcomm). Double-click it.
4. Go to the Power Management tab.
5. Uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.
6. Click OK and close Device Manager.

If you don't see a Power Management tab, run this command in an admin PowerShell or Command Prompt to force disable it:

powercfg -change -standby-timeout-ac 0

That sets the sleep timeout to never. Not a perfect fix but works if Windows ignores the setting.

Also check your power plan: Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings. Under Wireless Adapter Settings > Power Saving Mode, set it to Maximum Performance.

Cause #2: Outdated or corrupted WiFi driver

Windows 11 22H2 pushed a bunch of driver updates that broke WiFi for Intel and Realtek chips. I've seen it most with Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 and AX210 adapters. The driver version 22.130.0.5 from late 2022 was a total mess.

Don't bother with Windows Update for this. It'll just give you the same broken driver. Go directly to the manufacturer's site.

For Intel: download the latest driver from Intel's support page. Pick the right one for your adapter and Windows 11.

For Realtek: check your laptop maker's support page (Dell, HP, Lenovo). Or grab the driver from Realtek's site if you know the exact chip.

Steps:

1. Download the driver file (usually a .exe or .zip).
2. Right-click Start, go to Device Manager.
3. Right-click your WiFi adapter, choose Update driver.
4. Pick Browse my computer for drivers.
5. Point it to the folder where you saved the driver.
6. Select the .inf file if prompted. Let it install.
7. Reboot.

If the new driver makes things worse, roll back: in Device Manager, right-click the adapter, go to Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver. If that's grayed out, uninstall the device completely, reboot, and let Windows reinstall the default driver. Sometimes the old driver from 2021 works better.

Cause #3: DHCP lease timeout or IP conflict

This one's trickier. Your router gives your PC a temporary IP address (a lease). If the lease expires before your PC asks for a new one, you lose connection. This shows up as “Limited connectivity” or just a drop for 5-10 seconds.

Check your lease time first. Open a command prompt and type:

ipconfig /all | find /i "Lease Obtained"

If the lease time is 1 hour or less and your WiFi drops around that mark, that's your problem. The fix is to change the lease time on your router.

Log into your router (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). Look for DHCP Settings or LAN Settings. Set the lease time to 1 day (1440 minutes) or even 7 days. Save and reboot the router.

If you can't change the router settings (work or public WiFi), force a DHCP renewal on your PC:

ipconfig /release

Then:

ipconfig /renew

This works temporarily. For a permanent fix on your own network, a static IP sometimes helps. But only do that if you know what you're doing — it can cause conflicts if you pick an IP that's already taken.

Another quick thing: flush your DNS cache. It's not directly related but clears up weird routing issues that look like drops:

ipconfig /flushdns

Then:

netsh int ip reset

Reboot after running those.

One more edge case: if you have a Netgear router, there's a known bug with the 5GHz band on some models (R7000, RAX50). The WiFi drops every few hours. Disable Smart Connect (band steering) and manually separate the 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs. Fixes it 90% of the time.

Quick-reference summary table

These three fixes solve 95% of WiFi drops on Windows 11 22H2. If none work, check the router's logs for errors or try a different WiFi channel. But honestly? I'd bet the first fix will do it.