Last week, Microsoft released December 2023 Patch Tuesday updates with security fixes. However, it appears that the latest round of updates also causes headaches when connecting to specific Wi-Fi access points, especially in universities and businesses. Some cannot connect to Wi-Fi networks, and others report radical performance downgrades that make access to the internet borderline impossible.
Microsoft has yet to comment on the situation. Still, it does not seem like another blown-out-of-proportion report. Some universities have already published their advisories, recommending customers roll back KB5033375.
The University of New Haven openly blames the latest Windows update for breaking wireless networks and suggests uninstalling it (spotted by Windows Latest):
A recent Windows update released on 12/12/2023 has caused users to not be able to connect to the wireless networks. This update is known as KB5033375. Please click here to learn how to uninstall this update and be able to connect to ChargerWiFi on your windows computer.
The University of Brunel London published a similar article on its website:
If you have a Windows 10 or 11 laptop, and recently downloaded a Microsoft update, you may have difficulty accessing the WiFi on campus. If you have exams next week which require you to use your laptop on campus, please follow the instructions below to uninstall the update.
Another university in Belgium experienced the same problem, and a local "IT guy" said turning off 802.11r (a standard that enables a seamless transition from one access point to another) resolved the issue. You can find more information on the official Microsoft Community forum.
As a reminder, here is how to uninstall a Windows update in Windows 11:
- Open Settings and Click "Windows Update."
- Go to the "Update History" section and check if your system contains the update you want to uninstall. Look under the "Quality Updates" section.
- Click "Uninstall Updates."
- Click "Uninstall" next to the problematic update.
Are you experiencing Wi-Fi issues on your system after installing the December 2023 Patch Tuesday updates? Let us know in the comments.