This was the final boss. The digital gatekeeper. Microsoft wanted signed, verified, retail-friendly drivers. Maxicom, being a smaller OEM, hadn't paid the licensing fees to get their variant digitally signed by Microsoft.
| Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | Adapter not detected | Try a different USB port (USB 2.0 preferred for older adapters). Disable USB selective suspend in Power Options. | | Code 10 or Code 28 error | Uninstall the current driver in Device Manager, disconnect adapter, reboot, reinstall driver, then reconnect adapter. | | Driver installs but no WiFi networks appear | Ensure Airplane mode is off. Go to Network & Internet → Status → Network reset. | | Frequent disconnections | Disable “Allow the computer to turn off this device” in Power Management tab of the adapter’s properties. | | Blue screen (BSOD) after driver install | Boot into Safe Mode, uninstall the driver, and try a different driver version (older or newer). | maxicom wifi adapter driver windows 10