The Windows WiFi driver is a small piece of software with an enormous impact. Most "WiFi not working" complaints are resolved in under five minutes by disabling/enabling the adapter, running the troubleshooter, or manually updating from the manufacturer’s website.

Below the driver sits the bus driver (typically USB, PCIe, or SDIO). The Wi-Fi driver communicates with the hardware via this bus, transferring data packets (typically 802.11 frames encapsulated in 802.3 Ethernet format for the OS) and control commands.

If a new update causes instability, Windows allows users to return to a previously functioning version.