Problem with Dell XPS 13 9310 not starting Wi-Fi connection.
Problem with Dell XPS 13 9310 not starting Wi-Fi connection.
I face a really intriguing and frustrating issue. My Dell XPS 13 9310 has been running perfectly for five months now. The Wi-Fi isn’t connecting, showing “Wi-Fi Not Available” next to the symbol. Yet when I boot from an Ubuntu system, it works smoothly. Occasionally I manage to activate the Wi-Fi, but it shuts off right away. The Wi-Fi card is a soldered Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX500-DBS chip—hard to swap out. I’ve tried many fixes: reinstalling Windows, updating via Windows Update, completely removing and reinstalling drivers, resetting BIOS settings, even trying on another SSD. All systems report normal operation. It feels like a software glitch, but since everything else works fine in Ubuntu, I’m stuck without a clear solution. No warranty applies, so Dell won’t replace the motherboard.
It seems unusual—most laptops don’t have a dedicated function key for flight mode. You might not have activated it in Windows, perhaps by checking the settings or using the appropriate shortcut.
I'm completely certain flight mode isn't active. The Dell XPS 13 9310 lacks a shortcut to toggle Wi-Fi or flight settings. When you attempt to enable Wi-Fi, the button turns gray and won't respond until you first click it. After that, re-entering settings restores its gray state.
Wi-Fi functions using a Wi-Fi adapter in Windows. BIOS/Dell Recovery settings confirm it works. Previous results in Ubuntu also succeeded. Clearing TPM did not resolve the issue.
I believe I've identified the issue (though a solution isn't ready yet). In Event Manager, it appears the Wi-Fi card driver isn't launching properly. Each time it attempts to start, it displays an error stating "Device PCI\VN_17CB&DEV_1101&SUBSYS_A5011A56&REV_00...". I've tried removing the driver via PowerShell and reinstalling both the original Microsoft version and the latest driver, but the problem persists. At least now I understand the main concern is the Wi-Fi card driver failing to start.