Windows doesn't see the network adapter. Driver for network adapter - detailed installation instructions
Just yesterday everything was fine, you were enjoying high-speed Internet, but this morning you turn it on, but the computer does not see the network card. However, here's where you think about it. The first thing that comes to mind is that it is out of order, you need to urgently run to the tech market for a new spare part.
That’s why it’s a good idea to always buy two completely identical system units at once. So that in case of problems, you can look for a fault by replacing suspicious modules with known good ones.
This is the path for advanced users and computer geeks. A mere mortal user most often cannot afford such excesses. In this case, one should remember the folk wisdom: “The strong and brave walk quickly and easily, but the weak and timid walk long and hard.”
Decoding - if there is nothing to check the equipment with, you will have to check all problem areas sequentially and methodically.
The computer does not see the network card - the main reasons
- The board itself is faulty.
- Operating system malfunctions.
- Network drivers are corrupted.
- Network connection settings have been changed.
- Antivirus or Windows Firewall interference.
In fact, Chinese electronics do not spoil as often as Chinese shoes. Therefore, if you did not drop the system unit on the floor, did not climb inside and did not switch anything, the probability of failure of the network card itself is extremely small. Most likely the settings have changed.
Go to Control PanelAll Control Panel Items Network and Sharing Center and change settings
But the Windows operating system is not only smart and quick-witted, but also a rather fragile organization. A sudden power outage can easily cause serious damage to system files and connection settings.
Recovery options
- Restore Windows to an earlier restore point. It is quite possible that after carrying out such an operation and rebooting the computer, everything will work for you. And not only will the network card appear, but also something else good will restore its functionality. Sometimes restoration needs to be done several times. All the same, it’s better and safer than starting to rearrange blocks and buses in the system unit. Moreover, there is no need to buy anything yet.
- A more radical remedy is a complete reshuffle of the Windows operating system. This path may turn out to be the most rational, provided that your system has been installed for quite some time and recently you have begun to notice a general deterioration in the performance of your computer. Regular cleanings do not provide tangible improvements? It's time to update Windows. New RAMs, Seven and Eight are reinstalled within half an hour, so no problem.
Why is it useful to reinstall Windows? Because the distribution includes all the drivers necessary for operation. When installing the system in automatic mode, all the necessary settings are made for all devices, and the user does not need to do anything other than press the Enter button from time to time. Updating drivers separately is not an easy task. More suitable for advanced users.
In addition, to reinstall drivers you will need an Internet connection, which you don’t have. If there are backup Internet connections, you are sure that you are able to find exactly the driver for the network card that you need - then try this path.
You can download a whole package of drivers from the manufacturer’s official website and then let the computer itself determine the most suitable option automatically, using the Driver Installation Wizard.
If the problem really was with the driver, after the update the computer should work normally.
The network card was not found by the computer and is not installed as a device
When you connect some new element to your computer, the operating system detects the connection and then tries to configure it as expected. Sometimes automatic connection does not occur and then you need to perform manual installation and configuration.
Go to the Control Panel and select the menu item Install New Hardware. The New Hardware Connection Wizard interface will open. There are two options to choose from:
- The device is already connected to the computer.
- The device is not yet connected.
Try the “connected” option and look for your lost device in the list that opens. If it is not in the list, it means that the computer has not yet detected it. Then click “not connected yet” and reboot the system. You can do this - turn off the computer, then open the system unit, disconnect and reconnect the network card, perhaps the contact has deteriorated.
After starting the system, repeat the procedures with the Found New Hardware Wizard. If the device appears in the list of connected ones, continue setting up all points in the Wizard.
Incompatible driver update
Sometimes the reason for the card not working can be a failed Windows update. Or, during the process of downloading an automatic update, there were interruptions in the Internet connection, some of the files were downloaded incorrectly. Then you need to reinstall the old driver.
If you have a Windows OS distribution, it is best to take the file directly from the disk. Did everything work before? Or search for the previous version of the driver on the Internet.
Viral infection
Sometimes the reason a network card disappears from sight is a viral infection. Scan your computer with an antivirus. Try to disinfect the system using the Dr. utility. Web CureIt. If it's a virus thing, everything will work out.
Probably many people are familiar with the situation when it becomes necessary to connect a computer to the Internet using a network cable or via Wi-Fi, and it turns out that the connection does not work because there is no network adapter in the device manager. And here it doesn’t even matter whether you have a laptop or a regular PC. Windows 10, Windows 7, 8, or even Windows XP are installed on it. As a result, we simply will not be able to connect to the Internet. Very often people encounter this problem after relocating Windows. Below in the article I will try to explain why this happens, what network adapters should be in the device manager and what to do if they are not there.
Let's first figure out what network adapters are. Apart from Bluetooth (we are unlikely to connect to the Internet through it), then there are two left:
- Wireless network adapter – also known as Wi-Fi. It’s easy to guess that it is responsible for connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi. As a rule, it is built into every laptop and is not initially found in desktop computers. But you can buy it in addition.
- Network card, or Ethernet adapter (LAN) - it is used to connect via a network cable. Available on all PCs ( LAN port on the motherboard, or a separate card). LAN is also available on almost all laptops. Except ultrabooks. USB-LAN adapters are used there.
In the screenshot below you can see what these network adapters look like in Device Manager. Please note that depending on the manufacturer of the laptop, PC, or adapters, they may be called differently. There may also be many other adapters, such as WAN Miniport.
To open the device manager, you can use the search in Windows 10, open it through properties in "My Computer", or press the Win+R key combination and execute the command mmc devmgmt.msc.
As practice shows, the adapter (or both) is mostly missing for three reasons:
- The adapter is simply not in your device. As I wrote above, PCs usually do not have a built-in Wi-Fi module. And accordingly, it cannot be displayed in the device manager. But you can always buy such an adapter and install it. You can read the article: . Or the same network card may not be in the laptop.
- The driver for Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter is not installed. This is the most popular reason. In this case, there should be unknown devices in the device manager (if the adapter is physically present). On the "Other devices" tab. This also includes BIOS settings. In some cases, the WLAN or LAN adapter may be disabled in the BIOS settings.
- The adapter is simply broken. It’s not uncommon for network cards to burn out on desktop computers. And Wi-Fi modules on laptops fail. You can always buy a network card (USB or PCI) and install it in your PC. The wireless module can also be changed. It is possible for both PC and laptop. And here's another article on the topic: .
Let's look at each adapter in more detail.
What to do if there is no Wi-Fi adapter in Device Manager?
Almost always, the name of a wireless adapter contains the following words: Wireless, WLAN, Wireless Network Adapter, 802.11. They look something like this:
As you can see, I have two of them. One is built into the laptop, and the second is connected via USB. The one next to which there is an arrow icon is disabled.
If you don’t have such adapters, but you know for sure that your laptop (or PC) has a Wi-Fi module, then check the “Other devices” section (in the same device manager).
Basically, network adapters appear there as . And then you need to install the driver on them. Or immediately download the WLAN drivers for your laptop model and start the installation. I have already written more than one article on this topic:
- And separate instructions for laptops and .
But do not forget that the module may simply fail. It is clear that it will not be identified in the system.
If there is no network card (LAN)
There are much fewer problems with network cards. If only because Windows almost always automatically installs the driver for Ethernet adapters. Unless in Windows XP you have to manually install the driver. But this is no longer very relevant now.
As for the drivers for these adapters, I wrote about them in the article: .
This is what the network card looks like in Device Manager (of course, your name may be different):
If it is not there, but physically it is on your computer, then most likely it is broken. By tradition, we check the “Other devices” tab. If there are no unknown devices there, the card will probably have to be replaced. Or buy a USB Ethernet adapter.
To briefly summarize this article, it goes like this:
- Check to see if you have the required network adapter on your computer.
- Let's make sure that the problem is not in the drivers.
- If all else fails, we take the computer to be repaired, or change the necessary adapter ourselves. It should be noted that at home it is very problematic to determine the reason for the lack of an adapter and find a breakdown.
It turned out to be a complex article, and a little confusing. This is because this problem is very controversial. There are many different things that vary greatly depending on the device, manufacturer, settings, etc.
As always, I look forward to your messages in the comments. Just one request, please write on the topic of the article.
Windows 7 supports the vast majority of network cards. Moreover, most modern network equipment is designed specifically for Windows, with all the ensuing problems, because Windows is not famous for its stability. However, Microsoft quickly solves most of the problems that arise with network equipment, honor and praise to them, but those that inevitably arise will be discussed in detail in this article.
First of all: in order to expand the potential range of tasks that a client computer performs on the network, there is a need to change the basic parameters of the network card.
Here are examples of such tasks:
How to view a list of available network adapters (network connections) in Windows 7?
The list of available devices on Windows 7 can be seen in two ways:
The second method begins by opening Device Manager using the Run window:
Enabling a network card, including using the BIOS
Read the instructions for all BIOS versions in the article -
On laptops, turning the network interface on and off is done by pressing a keyboard shortcut; on desktop computers, through the BIOS menu.
To enable the wireless network adapter on laptops there is a combination “Fn + F12”, although some manufacturers make a special key for this function.
Installing a network driver on Windows 7, including without the Internet
Since the network adapter is equivalent to the Internet, its absence makes it very difficult to download a driver to the network card. The issue is resolved by pre-recording drivers onto media.
- Drivers are downloaded and written to a flash drive, CD, etc.
- The media is connected to the PC.
- After this, the “Device Manager” opens using the “Run” window (called by pressing the “Win + R” keys), in which the “devmgmt.msc” command is entered.
- There is a section “Sound, game and video devices”, a subsection “Unknown device”, which has not yet been installed. Installing drivers for an unknown device (future network adapter) must be started after selecting it with the right mouse button and selecting “Properties” in the drop-down menu.
- Left click - “Update”.
- Manual installation is selected.
- The path to the media with drivers is registered or specified.
- Finally, the installation begins. It takes no more than a couple of minutes.
The network card without drivers was located in the "Device Manager" under the "Unknown Devices" section. After the update, it takes its rightful place - in “Network adapters”.
Video - How to install a network adapter driver without Internet access
Setting up a network connection in Windows 7
Although companies providing Internet services prefer to configure their clients' network equipment themselves, sometimes it is necessary to carry out more advanced configuration. This is typical for computers with multiple adapters.
For this:
- Go to the Start context menu and open Control Panel.
- In the “View” category, set the value to “Category”, find and open the “Network and Internet” section.
- Click on the "Network and Sharing Center" link.
- Click on the "Change adapter settings" link.
- Right-click on the network connection shortcut and select “Properties”.
- Check the box “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click on the “Properties” button.
- Check the box “Use the following IP address” and fill in the fields with data.
On a note! The fields and “Default gateway” are in the agreement with the Internet provider, the remaining fields contain the same values for all users.
Video - The computer does not see the network adapter
How to view and change network card settings (IP, Mac, etc.) in Windows 7?
It is easy to see the adapter parameters and its MAC address thanks to system programs.
For this:
How to reset all network driver settings?
If you want to completely roll back all settings to their original level, then do the following:
Is it possible to create two network cards?
Many users are thinking about getting a second network card. Physically, there are no problems here: most laptops and computers support a second network card. But there are exceptions, as well as damaged slots, as well as netbooks and tablet computers. In this situation, you need to use a virtual card, which distributes Internet traffic no worse than physical traffic.
It is possible to install such a virtual card in the Windows system itself:
- In the Start menu, type “manager” in the field, open “Device Manager”.
- In the “Device Manager”, click on the “Network adapters” section, select “Actions” in the top menu, and select “Install old device” from the drop-down menu.
- The installation wizard will open. You need to select the manual option to gain access to the list of drivers for all devices.
- Scroll through the categories, highlight Network Adapters, and click Next.
- Then click on the “Microsoft” item and add “Microsoft loopback adapter” or “Microsoft loopback adapter”, which will then appear in the network connections window.
- Confirm. The network adapter should now appear in Network Connections.
Complete reset of network driver settings
If your Internet is interrupted or most of the Internet pages cannot be opened, then resetting all parameters and the TCP/IP stack can be an excellent solution to this problem.
Disabling a network card
To disable the network adapter, the best way is to use the most standard and convenient Windows tool for keeping all such equipment - the Device Manager. Do the following:
In this case, the shutdown will occur immediately; you won’t even need to reboot the OS.
Important! After the adapter is disconnected, the Internet connection will be severed along with it and a disconnection from the local network will occur. Therefore, it is recommended to finish all your Internet activities in a timely manner before disconnecting the network card.
The network adapter does not have valid IP settings
A common problem for Windows 7 users is when problems arise with Internet access and the network diagnostic tool displays a message that the network adapter does not have valid IP settings.
In this case, you can first try resetting the router. If you have a wired connection, then disable and then re-enable your network connection in the network connections menu. If this does not help, then you can move on to further steps.
Step 1. Update your IP address - this is the simplest method, although it does not always help in this case. To do this, open Command Prompt (as an administrator) and enter the following commands:
Check again to see if the error is still displayed? If yes, then move on.
Step 2. You can try resetting the network settings, namely the IP protocols. It is recommended to reset the TCP/IP protocol stack to factory settings in the most extreme cases, when problems arise as a result of malware, etc. To do this, open a command prompt in administrator mode and enter:
Network card settings are lost
When setting up a network, users may encounter the following situation: when they manually enter an IP address, gateway, DNS, the specified parameters are not saved, but are reset to factory settings, and thus it becomes impossible to change the network settings from automatically receiving addresses from the router. One of the common reasons for this is the incorrect removal of an antivirus that has firewall functions.
What should be done:
- Reset the TCP/IP protocol stack to factory settings (the article above indicated how to do this).
- Reboot.
If this does not help, then do the following:
After doing this, the problem should be resolved.
What to do if there are problems with the network card?
Many plug-in AC adapters, due to their vulnerability to electricity, may temporarily fail during periods of severe thunderstorms or building power outages. In most cases, difficulties arise in situations with wired equipment, since multi-story buildings have long cable runs laid by Internet providers in places that are not intended for this purpose, next to telephone and television cables and high voltage wires. High humidity, dampness and low temperature in this area - all this has an extremely negative effect on the insulation of wires, so breakdowns appear in them .
Sometimes also, in more rare cases, breakdowns occur due to emergency situations such as a major thunderstorm. Network adapters quite often burn out, or users begin to experience difficulties logging into the network. In this case, the equipment will function, but there may be no Internet connection during such periods.
Unfortunately, this problem can only be solved by purchasing another model of network adapter. For a desktop computer, the PCI standard complies, for a laptop - USB and PCMCIA.
It is also not recommended to plug in a network cable into the router and then connect a computer to it, because even if the router breaks down, replacing it will be relatively inexpensive compared to replacing the network card built into the computer (or even the entire motherboard).
Windows 7 does not see the network adapter
When integrated network equipment is not shown either in the “Network Connections” window or in the “Device Manager”, and is not even reflected in the “Unknown Devices” section (which would be explained by the lack of drivers), then most likely there is something wrong with it physically. It is quite possible that some transistors on the network card board have burned out, or a chip has fallen off - in this case, it is more advisable to buy a new card.
Video - How to configure a wired network card on Windows 7
A network adapter (also called a network card) is a device without which it is impossible to establish a connection to the World Wide Web. In some cases, disabling it and re-enabling it helps solve communication problems. Many network cards can be connected to a computer, with different network connections. However, the average user often does not need this. This article is intended for Windows 7 owners, but will be useful for almost every Win-line operating system.
To enable the network adapter in Win 7, click the “Start” button, find the “Computer” item on the right, right-click on it, bringing up the context menu. In it, select the “Properties” line by clicking on it once.
There can be many reasons for a lack of network connection; they are not limited to a faulty network card. If after reading this guide you still have questions, ask them in the comments or contact the technical support of your Internet provider.
A network card or network adapter is needed to create a local network, with which you can connect several computers to each other, as well as to connect your computer to the Internet. Sometimes the card starts to work incorrectly, but you can restore it yourself using standard Windows 7 tools.
When to configure the adapter manually
You need to update drivers or change card settings if you have problems connecting to the local network or connecting to the Internet. Please note that such problems are not always caused by the network adapter, but sometimes it is because of it that errors occur that block access to the network.
How to find out the adapter model
The first thing to do is check whether the card is connected to the computer and whether it is recognized by it. The adapter is included with all laptops and computers by default, so if you didn’t assemble your device piece by piece yourself, you shouldn’t think about its absence. But there are times when the wires going to it become disconnected or come off.
A network card (or network adapter) is a device that allows a computer to communicate with other devices. On modern PCs and laptops, the components of this device are integrated into the motherboard.
You will need to open the computer case and check this only if the network card is not displayed in the “Device Manager”:
Card activation
If the network card is connected but not enabled, it must be enabled manually. There are several ways to do this. If the card is not damaged, turning it on will not cause errors.
Via "Device Manager"
The previous section described how to view the card model through the “Device Manager”. Find the adapter you need and right-click on it and select the “Enable” function. If the card is successfully turned on, the down arrow icon will disappear from its icon.
Click on the “Enable” button in the “Device Manager” Using the Control Panel
- Using the Start menu or any other method, launch the Control Panel on your computer.
Open the “Control Panel” - Go to Network and Sharing Center.
Go to “Network and Sharing Center” - Click on the sub-item “Change adapter settings”.
Click on the sub-item “Change adapter settings” - A list will open, which will most likely contain several cards. One serves as a connection to the wireless network, and the other serves as a connection to the wireless network. There may be additional adapters in the list. Select the one you need and right-click on it and select the “Enable” function. Wait until activation is complete: the red cross icon on the card icon should disappear.
Click on the “Enable” button to activate the adapter
Via BIOS
If the card cannot be activated using the previous two methods, then perhaps this can be done through the BIOS settings.
- Entering the BIOS is done using the Delete key, which must be pressed while turning on the computer. Perhaps the key that activates the BIOS will be different: this will be indicated in the hint that appears in one of the corners of the screen when the logo appears.
If you find out the model of your motherboard, you can find on the Internet the button responsible for entering the BIOS. - Enter the BIOS by pressing the Delete key
The design and location of BIOS items and sections may differ depending on its version and motherboard model, but the following algorithm of actions is approximately the same for all versions. Go to the "Advanced" tab. - Open the “Advanced” tab
Go to the “Onboard Devices Configuration” subsection. - Open the subsection “Onboard Devices Configuration”
To enable the card, set the “Onboard Lan” line to “Enabled”. "Disabled" means the card is disabled.
Set the “Enabled” parameter for the “Onboard Lan” line
Video: how to enable a network card in Windows 7
You can disable an extra card using the same methods that allowed you to enable it: through the “Device Manager”, “Control Panel” and BIOS. Only in the last step of the method through the “Device Manager” you need to click the “Disable” or “Delete” button, in the “Control Panel” click the “Disable” button, and in the BIOS change the value from “Enabled” to “Disabled”. Disable the card through the “Control Panel”
Updating and installing drivers
Drivers are necessary to ensure that the card does not conflict with other components and fully performs all its functions. Usually they are installed automatically when you first connect the computer adapter, but sometimes the drivers fail or become outdated. In both cases, you need to reinstall them yourself. This is done through the “Device Manager”.
The positive side of this method is that you will not need to search for drivers manually, the negative side is that you will need an Internet connection, which may not be available if the network card does not work. But if you have the opportunity to connect to the network, you can update the drivers in the following way:
Manual update
The advantage of this method is that you can download the card drivers manually from another computer that has Internet access, and then transfer them to yours and install them. It is recommended to download card drivers strictly from the official website of the company that created it.
What to do if drivers are not installed
If at any stage errors occur that prevent you from installing drivers, you must remove the adapter from Device Manager and restart the computer.
Removing the card from the “Task Manager” After the reboot, open the list of connected devices again, and in it there is the “Other devices” sub-item. It will contain the “Network Controller”, which is your card. Install drivers on it using one of the methods described above.
The network controller is located in the “Other devices” sub-item Video: how to update the network driver
View map options
If you want to find out the physical address, IPv4 parameters, gateway address and other possible information about the adapter, then follow these steps:
Additional method
You can also find out the card parameters through the “Command Line” using the “ipconfig /all” command. “Command Prompt” can be found by going to “Start” - “Accessories” - “Command Prompt”. Running this command brings up information about all physical and virtual adapters recognized by the computer.
Run the command “ipconfig /all” to obtain information How to change card settings
The previous paragraph described how to view information about the network adapter. But you can not only see it, but also change it by following these steps:
Video: how to configure a network card
Updating the network card
The only way to update a network card is to install more recent drivers on it, in which the developers have corrected some previously made errors. New drivers are installed directly on top of the already installed ones. If you cannot install on top, you should remove the device, restart the computer and repeat the procedure. How to do this is described in the section “Updating and installing drivers.”
Can I use two cards?
Two network cards can work simultaneously and relieve each other if one of them is aimed at working with Internet traffic, and the second is aimed at working with a local network. To do this, you need to correctly set the IP, DNS and router parameters for both adapters.
Resetting the adapter
You can reset the adapter settings, namely TCP/IP and DNS, using standard Windows tools or using a third-party program from Microsoft. Conditions under which a reset must be performed:
- Internet connection speed is low or unstable;
- files are downloaded broken, this happens due to the same instability of the Internet;
- When connected, the Internet works fully, but after a few minutes problems begin;
- Manually changing the adapter settings led to other problems with the Internet.
Standard method
Launch “Command Prompt” by going to “Start” - “Accessories” - “Command Prompt”, and enter the commands “netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt”, “netsh int tcp reset” and “netsh winsock reset” which will perform a factory reset. Done, the registry branches and system files will see changes, and you may need to restart the computer.
Execute the commands “netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt”, “netsh int tcp reset” and “netsh winsock reset” in the “Command Line” Through a third party program
You can download the NetShell program from Microsoft, which does not require installation, from their official website. Once you launch it, follow the instructions that appear on the screen to reset all changed settings.
Download the program to automatically reset the card settings Solving adapter related errors
During setup or use of the adapter, the errors described below may occur, which will prevent you from using the Internet or local network. Most of them can be fixed without replacing the card.
The card does not have valid IP settings
You may encounter a similar error when setting IP parameters or scanning a network module using standard Windows tools designed to automatically resolve errors.
Manually obtaining settings
If you have not changed the settings of the adapter, that is, it obtains an IP address automatically, then manually requesting an IP address may fix the problem:
Reset
Resetting settings to default values is the most reliable way. How to do this in several ways is described in the section “Resetting the adapter settings”.
Manual adapter configuration
If the previous methods did not help, you should try setting the settings yourself:
Error "This device cannot start"
This error appears in the “Device Manager” not only with the adapter, but also with other connected devices, and has code 10. To fix it, you need to update the card drivers. How to do this is described in the “Updating and installing drivers” section.
The adapter does not work, does not install, or does not appear
If the adapter does not work, does not install or is not displayed, then the reasons may be the following:
Changed map settings disappear
If, after you close the window with the changed settings or restart the computer, all the changes you made disappear as if you never made them, then there are two ways to solve this problem: set the settings by running commands and change the incorrect values in the registry.
Making changes via the Command Line
Launch “Command Prompt” with administrator rights and sequentially execute the following two commands: “route delete 10.0.0.0” and “route -p add 0.0.0.0 mask 0.0.0.0 X”, in the second command “X” is the IP of your router, which usually looks like "192.168.0.1", but in your case it may have a different meaning.
Changing registry settings
A network adapter is needed to connect to the Internet and other computers. If it does not work or is not displayed, check its connection to the computer with wires, and then the status of its drivers and settings. Don't forget to make sure that the network card is enabled in the BIOS.
