Is the RealTek USB GbE Family Controller missing?
Is the RealTek USB GbE Family Controller missing?
The laptop model is an LG Gram 17 17Z990 (first generation), featuring a Thunderbolt 3 port suitable for connecting dual monitors, USB HDDs, and other peripherals. Recently, I experienced intermittent issues where an external drive would disconnect unexpectedly from the laptop and become unavailable to other devices on the network. Additionally, my VPN connection would disconnect without warning, preventing me from reconnecting. Upon investigation, the problem traced back to a Realtek network adapter in the Device Manager. When the laptop starts, the adapter appears in Device Manager without any errors, but after a short period it disappears, which likely causes the disconnections. After noticing this behavior, I opened the Device Manager as soon as possible and observed the adapter vanish. The external monitors and USB devices on the hub continued to function normally. There are Ethernet activity lights on both the USB-C hub and the TP-Link hub connected to the network. It seemed unlikely the adapter would shut down so quickly, especially while receiving data, but I wasn’t sure if “sleep” mode would prevent it from being detected by Device Manager. I adjusted the settings to prevent sleep, but the issue persisted. The “Scan for hardware changes” option did not restore the device, only a reboot did, but the cycle continued. The laptop lacks a traditional Ethernet jack; it came with a USB-C to Ethernet dongle, which I haven’t found. Although such adapters are usually compatible, the factory device is labeled as “USB,” so I doubt the dongle would work. Since Ethernet is already active through that port, I’m considering whether using a USB 3.0 dongle might be feasible, though I’m unsure if it would function properly. I attempted to manually remove the adapter in Device Manager before it disappeared on its own, but this did not resolve the problem. The laptop has operated smoothly for years, with only a February 8 MS update (reverted) and no other changes. I’m seeking alternative solutions to stop this recurring issue.
The factory USB-C to RJ45 adapter supports only 10/100 speeds with the Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller, which is seen as less stable compared to their GbE versions.
There is no internal NiC because the factory dongle contains a USB to ethernet chip, and the only NiCs you can install are USB-based ones.
If the GbE NiC you have is integrated into the Thunderbolt 3 hub, it becomes a USB NiC as well.
It’s usually wise to keep a USB NiC separate on its own USB Root Hub, since your laptop only has three USB ports and would benefit from giving each one its own slot.
However, using an all-in-one device with an attached USB HDD and Ethernet goes against this recommendation.
The model included with mine is rated 10/100/1000, as per the manual. I verified this on LG. Nonetheless, the second part of your response seems to indirectly address whether a USB 3.0 dongle would function. With RealTek controlling via USB, if it isn't stable, the adapter won't work. Therefore, I need an adapter that can manage it. Got it. Thanks for the reply.