Does your laptop use a Qualcomm wireless network adapter?
If so, be aware that Microsoft is warning you that your system may suffer a sporadic loss of Wi-Fi connectivity after installing the Windows 10 update.
The update was released in May 2019, stemming from an issue with out-of-date network drivers.
If you haven't yet installed the May 2019 update and you want to, you'll need to jump through an extra hoop by going to device's manufacturer and downloading the latest Wi-Fi driver.
NOTE: How to update Windows 10 drivers
Further note that you will not be able to install the May 2019 Windows 10 update without taking this step.
According to Microsoft
According to the official Microsoft bulletin on the matter: "To safeguard your upgrade experience, we have applied a hold on devices with this Qualcomm driver from being offered Windows 10, 1903, until the updated driver is installed."
Here's another thing to bear in mind about the May 2019 Windows 10 update. Once it is installed, you will start seeing alerts in the form of pop-up boxes any time you connect to Wi-Fi networks that are secured with TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) or WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). These are older protocols with several known, serious security flaws.
According to Microsoft, "In a future release, any connection to a Wi-Fi network using these old ciphers will be disallowed. Wi-Fi routers should be updated to use AES ciphers, available with WPA2 or WPA3."
In other words, the end is nigh for any technology that uses TKIP or WEP protocols for Wi-Fi connections. If that's what you've got, it's time to upgrade your equipment
Our perspective
Overall, most technology experts regard this as a good move. Sure, it comes across as a bit heavy-handed, but as past experience has shown, if Microsoft didn't take a rather aggressive step like this, nothing would change. Kudos to Microsoft!
Meanwhile, check out this report
This free executive report may give you insights into how to build your business with safe IT environments: 10 Hidden IT Risks That Might Threaten Your Business and 1 Easy Way to Find Them
The author
Thanks for reading this short post. For more tips on thriving with small business technology, check out the other blog posts at DWPia Blogs. I am also available on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
I am Denis Wilson, President and Principal Consultant for DWP Information Architects. I help professionals grow their business by building a foundation of rock-solid information solutions for smaller healthcare, insurance, financial, legal, and nonprofits firms in Ventura County and San Fernando Valley. And have created cost-effective IT solutions, for over 20 years, specializing in cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. I am also a published author and speaker, working extensively with a variety of organizations, as well as providing small business technology education programs through business and professional associations. This just in: I will be speaking regularly at California Lutheran University's Center for Nonprofit Leadership starting soon.
Contact me if you would like me to speak at your association.
