How to Enable Wireless in Windows Server 2016?

Enable Wireless Networking on Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2012 R2

The wireless network card is disabled in Windows Server. If you want to connect your server through WiFi, you need to enable Wireless Networking first. By default in Windows Server 2016, you are not able to browse the internet with an admin account. So all these limitations are for security.

Enable Wireless in Windows Server 2016

With two methods you can enable Wireless in Windows Server. First by GUI using server manager and install it through Windows features. It’s really easy for all. But the command line is a sysadmin daily Windows Server configuration and maintenance tools.  Then enable Wireless using the command line in Windows Server 2016.

Note: You can apply this article on all version of Windows Server 2008 to Windows Server 2016. I haven’t tested on Server Core, it must work well.

1. While you are login as admin on your Windows Server, run PowerShell and enable wireless. Type “Get-WindowsFeature” *Wireless* to show the Wireless LAN Service.

           Enable Wireless Network Services on Windows Server 2016

2. The Wireless LAN Service is not installed yet. So in order to install it, type “Install-WindowsFeature -Name Wireless-Networking” command.

Install Wireless LAN Networking Services with PowerShell

3. The task complete successfully and system needs to be restart. Type “Restart-Computer” command to restart the server.

4. After restarting the system, try to enable Wireless Service from Windows local services. Let’s do it with command. Type Net start “WlanSvc“. This net start command will start Wireless service.

Start Wireless Lan Services with Net Start Command

5. Now connect the Windows server 2016 to the internet through a wireless network.

Enable Wireless  on Windows Server 2016

Yes, the server is connected to the wireless network card. Now you can use it an internet connection on your Windows server. Even enable ICS to share it for other physical network interface cards.

Video Tutorial – Enable Wireless in Windows Server 2016

Troubleshoot Server Wireless Network

This is important to find out the Server Wireless issue. Some common issue like wireless card driver problems, miss configuration of Wireless card etc.

Sometimes the system wireless network card has not enabled. Because of lack of a bad installed or no compatible drivers.

Device Management

Before applying this article to enable wireless on Windows server. Make sure that Wireless driver supports the current version of Windows server. If it has a problem with the driver, try to find the latest Wireless network card drivers from the official website of Wireless card. Do not download drivers from a non-trusted website or installing some third-party software to enable wireless on Windows server.

Wireless Card Driver on Windows Server

Your system Wireless card should be like above screenshot of device management.

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