Windows Doesn’t Have a Network Profile for This Device

A widespread error message is “Windows does not have a network profile for this device,” and it pops up on your laptop screen when you connect new network devices like speakers and printers to your PC. This type of error emerges when the device you want to establish a connection is not compatible with the system, the network drivers of the system are not updated to recognize the new device, or the network profile is not found, lost, and if discovered, it is damaged. It can also happen to non-network devices.

But you can resolve this problem by changing the computer’s network profile or installation of some drivers may be required. In this article, we will discuss all the simple and easy ways to do exactly that.

How to Fix “Windows Doesn’t Have a Network Profile For This Device” Error

Here is a list of methods that you can try out to fix this error.

Allowing your Computer to be Discoverable by Other Devices

You have to turn this setting ON on your PC to let other devices discover it. If it is disabled, other devices won’t detect your device, and this error will pop up. To enable this, follow these steps:

• Press the Windows+I key to open setting your computer.
• Click on the Network and Internet option.

• Then click on the Ethernet of Wi-fi tab on the left side of the screen (depends on the type of network you are using). Information about the network will now appear.

• If you have an Ethernet connection, select the network name. If you use a wireless network, click on the “Advanced Options” button under the list of available networks. The list of settings for the network is shown.
• Set the toggle switch titled “Find Devices and content” to On. Close Settings.

• Reconnecting to your network or restarting your computer will apply the changes.

Troubleshooting for Printers

If you face the “Windows does not have a network profile for this device printer” error while using a wireless printer, you can solve the problem by following the steps below. This solution is related to the ports that a printer uses to connect wirelessly.

• Open Control Panel by searching for it in the search box of the start menu.
• Click on View Devices and Printers option under Hardware and Sound button.

• A list with the complete list of printers will appear. The one facing the problems will be greyed and labeled “offline,” although not.
• Right-click on the printer with the issue. Select “Printer Properties” from the menu. Click on the Ports tab.
• There will be a button named “Configure Port.” Click on that to bring up the configuration screen.

• Uncheck the box labeled SNMP Status Enabled at the bottom of this window. Save the changes and exit.
• Now your printer should be back online without showing the “Windows doesn’t have a network profile for this device” message.

Check Compatibility

Before proceeding, check on the manufacturer’s website or contact them to ensure that the device is compatible with your system. If not, you won’t be able to use it with your PC, no matter what you try.

Updating the Drivers

Updating the driver software for devices can also fix this issue and let you run them smoothly. Here is how you will be able to do it:

• Open the start menu and search the Device Manager app and open it.
• Look out for Network Adapters from the list and expand it.

• Identify the driver you might want to update.
• Right-click on that. Click on the Update driver option.
• This should solve the problems of the devices not running with your system.

See Also: FIX: Can’t See My Wi-fi Network on Windows 10

Checking SNMP Status

• Press Windows+R keys and type the command msc.
• Find SNMP Service from the list and double-click it.
• Go to the General tab. Find Startup type section.
• On the drop-down menu, find and select the option labeled “Automatic.“

• Click Start under the Service Status section.
• Click Apply to apply your changes and press OK to exit.

You can also fix this device error by configuring the printer’s port and unchecking the SNMP Status box, as mentioned earlier in this article.

Disabling all Microsoft Services

Sometimes internal services running for a particular app create this problem. So, if you stop all such services, you should be good to go. Here is how you will be able to do it:

• Search for MSConfig in the start menu.
• Go to the services tab and click the “Hide all Microsoft services” box.

• Then, select all services and disable them by clicking the “Disable all” button.
• Restart your system and see if the problem persists.

Uninstalling/Resetting Network Adapter/Driver

Sometimes there might be just an internet error that causes the problem. So you might just reset the network adapter to fix this quickly. Here is how you will be able to do it:

• Open the device manager app by searching it in the start menu.
• Click on the Network Adapters section. Right-click on the correct driver and click properties.

• Then switch to the Driver tab and see all the options like Disable Device, Uninstall Device, etc. If you want to install the driver freshly, you can uninstall it. Or you can reset the network adapter by clicking on the Disable Device option.

See Also: 8 Ways to Fix Windows 10 Can’t Connect to This Network

FAQs

Conclusion

Hopefully, these solutions will make the “Windows doesn’t have a network profile” error go away. Windows Network profile errors may usually arise on Public networks. Turn the setting of your network to Private to avoid this. Also, always use devices that are compatible with your system. This way, you won’t have to face any such error.

If none of the methods work for you, try contacting Microsoft Support or the manufacturer of the device that you are unable to use.

Mayank Parmar

Mayank Parmar is a journalist covering technology news, but with a strong focus on Microsoft and Windows related stories.