Are Ethernet problems occurring during a new Windows 11 setup?
Are Ethernet problems occurring during a new Windows 11 setup?
I set up Windows 11 on a new PC using a USB drive (I used the Windows Media Creation Tool for this). The motherboard is an MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk Max WiFi model. When prompted, I connected to a network but couldn’t establish a connection—possibly due to missing drivers. I opened a command prompt and ran OOBE/BYPASSNRO to skip the network step. During installation, no Ethernet or Wi-Fi driver appeared automatically. I downloaded the appropriate driver from MSI’s website, transferred it to a USB stick, and installed it on my desktop after finishing the setup. The WiFi driver worked, but the Ethernet driver still wouldn’t install, and the device didn’t show up in Device Manager even when hidden devices were enabled. When running the installer, I encountered an error stating: “The Realtek Network Controller was not found. If Deep Sleep Mode is enabled Please Plug the Cable.” I managed to extract the driver folder correctly. I’m ready to share more details if you need them. Help would be greatly appreciated to get my Ethernet working.
Update your post with complete hardware details and operating system information.
Even if less frequent on a desktop, verify the bios configuration to ensure it isn’t disabled or malfunctioning.
It may appear as though the device has a faulty ethernet chip, yet the problem could simply stem from a driver issue.
Standard Linux distributions typically include support for widely used chips. You usually don’t need to install Linux—it can operate directly from the USB drive if desired. Most Linux systems feature a comparable interface to Windows, allowing you to monitor Ethernet status. It might also appear in the boot messages. However, you could attempt using the default web browser; if it fails, it likely indicates the Ethernet port didn’t activate under Linux, which is a clear sign of hardware failure.