There are a variety of reasons you would need to view network adapter details in Windows. Even if you have multiple network cards installed, there are several ways to quickly view all relevant details. From built-in system tools to a third-party tool, the information you need is right at your fingertips.
1. Using System Information Tool
One of the easiest ways to view network adapter details in Windows is with the System Information tool, which provides details about each network interface separately.
Go to Start, search for System Information, and select the result. Please note that it may take a few moments before the actual data is displayed on the window.
In the left pane, expand Components -> Network -> Adapter. All network adapter details are in the right pane.
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.
2. View Network Adapter Details With Command Prompt
While not quite as comprehensive as System Information, you can get much of the same information with Command Prompt. To get network interface information through the command line, go to Start, and type cmd. Select Command Prompt.
Type the following at the prompt:
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.
3. Use Device Manager
Device Manager lets you view Windows’s network adapter details, along with details on most other hardware on your system. It’s an often overlooked tool that provides a wealth of information.
Type Win + X, and select Device Manager (or use these other methods to open Device Manager). Expand Network adapters. You can see whether 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 nearly 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.
4. View Advanced Network Settings
Advanced Network Settings is yet another place to view more details about your network cards in Windows. You can also 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.
5. View Network Adapter Details in Control Panel
One more place to look is Control Panel. Go to Start, search for view network connections, and select the result. 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.
6. 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. It gives you three statuses of the devices:
- Active devices have a green status icon.
- Non-operational devices have a yellow status icon.
- Disconnected devices have 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, 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 select File -> Save selected item. To save details about all the listed items, select View -> 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.
Troubleshoot Network Adapters
If you’d like to do more than just view network adapter details, use the built-in 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.
Go to Start -> Settings -> System -> Troubleshoot -> Other troubleshooters -> Network and Internet. It’s not as advanced as the original Network Adapter Troubleshooter in previous versions of Windows, but it will let you know if your adapter is causing connection issues.
If Windows detects an issue with your network adapter(s), it should prompt you to run the network adapter troubleshooter automatically. If you just want to boost your network speed, try these methods.
Whenever something’s not working correctly, one of the first things to try is uninstalling and reinstalling the network adapter. Press Win + X, and select Device Manager. Right-click your network adapter. Select Uninstall device. Restart your computer, and let Windows reinstall the network adapter for you. You can also update the driver via Device Manager.
Manage Network Adapters Like a Pro
The more you know about your network adapters, the easier it is to troubleshoot, download the correct drivers, and more. If you don’t see one of your network adapters using one method, try another. Every tool/method above may not show every network adapter. If you’re having any trouble with Ethernet connections in Windows, try these troubleshooting steps. Or, if you’re getting an error that the Ethernet cable’s unplugged, even when it isn’t, learn how to fix it quickly.
Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Crystal Crowder.
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