Windows 11 has stricter driver signing requirements. Try installing the driver in Windows 8 compatibility mode or disabling driver signature enforcement temporarily. Also, check the manufacturer's website for a Windows 11‑specific driver.

: Cyber threats evolve rapidly. Manufacturers occasionally discover vulnerabilities in how drivers handle encryption handshakes. Updating a driver is often the only way to patch these security holes and protect user data from local packet sniffing. Sourcing and Installing the Driver

For Netgear adapters, for example, there are two installer types: one that includes the Netgear Genie utility and one that is a standalone driver. Experienced users recommend opting for the standalone driver to avoid potential conflicts with Windows' native Wi‑Fi management tools.

In , right-click the adapter and choose Uninstall device . Check the box to "Delete the driver software for this device."