If you are a network administrator or an advanced user, you probably have multiple network cards in your computer. Digging deep into the device details can be a daunting thought if you want to view network adapter details on all the network cards you have installed, but it’s actually not such a hard thing to do.
Here we show you several ways to view the details of your network adapter in Windows: one is integrated into the system, and the other is a great Nirsoft tool called NetworkInterfacesView, which lets you dig a little deeper.
Also read: 9 of the Best Dynamic DNS Providers You Can Use for Free
1. Using System Information Tool
One of the easiest ways to view network adapter details in Windows 10 and Windows 11 is to use the System Information tool, which provides details about each network interface separately. To open the System Information tool, follow the steps below:
- Open the Start menu and type
msinfo32or “system information.” Select System Information from the results. This will open the system information tool. Please note that it may take a few moments before the actual data is displayed on the window. - Go to “Components -> Network -> Adapter.”
- You can scroll through the list of adapters in the pane on the right.
To copy any line of information, just select the line and press Ctrl + C. This will copy the information to the clipboard. You can also export complete information about the network adapters by going to “File -> Export.”
You can also get the same information using the command line, but the information will be less than the one provided by the system information tool. To get network interface information through the command line, just open the command prompt (open Start, type cmd, and select Command Prompt) and issue the following command:
Ipconfig /allThis will show details about all the network interfaces, whether active or inactive.
In addition to using command prompt to learn more about Windows, try these useful Run commands to better manage your PC.
2. Using the NetworkInterfacesView Tool
NetworkInterfacesView is a nifty portable tool from Nirsoft. The benefit of NetworkInterfacesView is that it makes use of the Windows Registry to get information about the active and inactive network adapters. It will list both the network adapters being used, as well as those that have been used in the past, on the computer. It will give you three statuses of the devices:
- Active devices will be shown with a green status icon.
- Non-operational devices will be shown with a yellow status icon.
- Disconnected devices will be shown with a red status icon.
The default view of NetworkInterfacesView shows only a brief overview of all the network adapters. The view expands as you scroll horizontally. If you want to view detailed information about a particular adapter, just double-click the adapter name, and a new window will open with detailed information about the device.
Another advantage of NetworkInterfacesView over the built-in system information utility is that it lets the user save information about individual adapters as well as exporting the complete network adapter information.
To save details about an individual item, select the item, then “Save selected item” from the File menu. To save details about all the listed items, select “HTML Report – All items.”
NetworkInterfacesView shows the following information about each network adapter:
- Device Name
- Connection name
- IP Address
- Subnet mask
- Default gateway
- DNS Servers
- DHCP information
- DHCP Servers
- Instance ID
- Instance GUID
- MTU
- Status
- MAC Address
All this information can be obtained from the system information tool (msinfo32), but NetworkInterfacesView lets you view network adapter details in a more friendly format.
Despite the more dated interface, the tool is still currently supported and works well for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. Plus, it’s completely free to use.
Also read: How to Fix the Network Cable Unplugged Error in Windows
3. Device Manager
View network adapter details in Windows using Device Manager. This built-in tool gives you details on all the hardware on your computer. It’s an often overlooked tool that provides a wealth of information.
- Type Win + X and select “Device Manager.”
- Expand “Network adapters.” You can see if there are any errors or warnings by looking for an X or ! icon beside any adapter. In this case, all is working well.
- Double-click any adapter to view details about it.
- Navigate through each tab to view more details. The “Details” tab is ideal for viewing most any property about your network adapter. The “Events” tab shows recent events related to the device. You can also check for resource conflicts under “Resources.” Of course, you can add or remove drivers using the “Drivers” tab.
Also read: 9 Simple Ways to Open Device Manager in Windows
4. Network Connections
A final place to view network adapter details in Windows is through the Advanced Network Settings. This is also where you can enable and disable adapters as needed.
- Type Win + X and select “Network Connections.” Alternatively, go to “Start -> Settings -> Network & internet.”
- Select “Advanced network settings” near the bottom of the right pane.
- Select any network adapter to view more details.
- Click “View additional properties” under any adapter to view even more details.
If this doesn’t suit you, there’s another option.
- Select “More network adapter options” under “Related settings” at the bottom of the “Advanced Network Settings” window. This takes you to Control Panel.
- If you don’t see this option, go to “Start” and type “network connections.” Select “View network connections” to continue.
- Once in Control Panel, right-click any network adapter and select “Properties” to view more details.
You can view more details, configure the adapter, install/uninstall the adapter, and more.
Troubleshoot Network Adapters
If you’d like to do more than just view network adapter details, use the built-in Network Adapter Troubleshooter. It’s designed to help find and diagnose errors. When you have multiple network cards installed, this can help to quickly pinpoint the cause of a problem.
Open Start and type “network adapter.” Select “Find and fix problems with your network adapter” from the results, then proceed through the troubleshooting tool.
Also read: 8 Ways to Increase Network Speed via Regedit in Windows
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a network adapter is missing when I view network adapter details?
There are three possible problems if you’re missing a network adapter:
- The network adapter isn’t installed properly – This usually only happens if you’ve just installed a new adapter or other new hardware and have knocked the network adapter loose in the process.
- There’s a driver issue – This can happen when you first install a network adapter in Windows, after Windows Updates, and when upgrading to a new version of Windows. If Windows isn’t installing the right driver automatically, check the network adapter manufacturer for an updated driver.
- The network adapter has gone bad – No PC hardware is immune from wearing out. Newer adapters may have a defect, your PC may have overheating issues, or it’s simply worn out (older adapters only).
If your network adapter isn’t missing, but there’s an error, the tool you choose to use may show you more info about the error. You can also check Event Viewer (Start -> type “Event Viewer” -> Select “Event Viewer”). Read this tutorial to find the fix for network cable unplugged errors.
How can I make Windows reinstall a network adapter?
If you’re having issues with a network adapter, sometimes the first step is to uninstall it from Windows, restart, and let Windows reinstall it. This often happens after Windows updates or after installing a bad driver.
- Type Win + X and select “Device Manager.”
- Expand “Network Adapters.”
- Right-click the adapter you need and select “Uninstall device.”
- Restart and let Windows reinstall the device to see if that fixes any issues you’re having.
Why do different methods show different network adapters in Windows?
This all depends on what types of network adapters the tool is designed to search for. For instance, in Device Manager, you may see more devices because this tool lists all the varieties of WAN ports that are supported by a single port. Other tools typically just list the one adapter since it handles all the connections.
Image credit: Pixabay All screenshots by Crystal Crowder.
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