How to Check Network Adapter in Windows 11 (Complete Guide 2026)
A network adapter is the hardware or virtual component that allows your Windows 11 PC to connect to a network. Depending on your computer, you may have a Wi-Fi adapter, Ethernet adapter, Bluetooth adapter, or several virtual network adapters.
Knowing how to check your network adapter can help when troubleshooting slow internet, Wi-Fi problems, Ethernet connection issues, missing drivers, or network configuration problems.
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| Learn how to check Wi-Fi and Ethernet network adapters, adapter status, drivers, MAC addresses, link speed, and hidden adapters in Windows 11. |
Windows 11 includes several built-in tools for checking network adapters. You can use Settings, Device Manager, Command Prompt, PowerShell, Windows Terminal, and System Information.
In this guide, you will learn how to check network adapters in Windows 11, identify Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters, check adapter status and drivers, find the adapter's MAC address, view hidden adapters, and troubleshoot common network adapter problems.
What Is a Network Adapter?
A network adapter is a hardware or software interface that allows a computer to communicate with a network.
Common examples include:
- Wi-Fi adapters
- Ethernet adapters
- USB network adapters
- Bluetooth network adapters
- Virtual network adapters
- VPN network adapters
- Virtual machine network adapters
A laptop may have both Wi-Fi and Ethernet capabilities, while a desktop PC may have only Ethernet unless a wireless adapter has been installed.
Windows 11 can also display virtual adapters created by virtualization software, VPN applications, or other networking software.
How to Check Network Adapter Using Device Manager
Device Manager is one of the easiest ways to identify the network adapters installed on your Windows 11 PC.
- Press Windows + X.
- Select Device Manager.
- Find Network adapters.
- Click the arrow next to Network adapters to expand the list.
You should now see the network adapters detected by Windows.
A typical laptop might display entries similar to:
Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX201 Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller Bluetooth Device
The exact names depend on your computer manufacturer and installed hardware.
Microsoft also recommends Device Manager as a way to determine whether a Windows device has a wireless network adapter.
How to Check if Your PC Has a Wi-Fi Adapter
To determine whether your Windows 11 PC has a Wi-Fi adapter:
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Network adapters.
- Look for an adapter containing terms such as Wi-Fi, Wireless, 802.11, or a wireless adapter model name.
For example:
Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211 MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 Realtek Wi-Fi Adapter
If no wireless adapter appears, check whether the adapter is disabled or whether its driver is missing.
How to Check if Your PC Has an Ethernet Adapter
To check for a wired Ethernet adapter:
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Network adapters.
- Look for an Ethernet or LAN controller.
Common names can include:
Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller Intel(R) Ethernet Controller Killer E3100 Ethernet Controller
The exact adapter name depends on your hardware.
How to Check Network Adapters in Windows 11 Settings
The Windows 11 Settings app provides a simple way to see network-related information.
- Press Windows + I.
- Select Network & internet.
- Review the available connection types.
You may see options such as:
- Wi-Fi
- Ethernet
- VPN
- Mobile hotspot
- Proxy
If Wi-Fi is available, Windows has detected a wireless networking interface. If Ethernet is available and configured, Windows can use a wired network interface.
Settings is useful for checking whether Windows recognizes a connection, while Device Manager provides more detailed information about the underlying adapter and driver.
How to Check Network Adapter Using PowerShell
PowerShell provides one of the most useful methods for checking network adapters in Windows 11.
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run:
Get-NetAdapter
The command displays basic network adapter properties, including adapter name, status, link speed, and MAC address.
A typical result may look similar to:
Name InterfaceDescription ifIndex Status MacAddress ---- -------------------- ------- ------ ---------- Wi-Fi Wireless Network Adapter 12 Up 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E Ethernet Ethernet Controller 7 Disconnected 11-22-33-44-55-66
The actual information on your PC will be different.
How to Show Only Physical Network Adapters
PowerShell can also be used to focus on physical adapters.
Run:
Get-NetAdapter -Physical
This is useful if your computer contains many virtual network interfaces.
Virtual adapters can be created by VPN software, virtual machines, Hyper-V, and other networking applications, so filtering for physical adapters can make the list easier to understand.
How to Show Hidden Network Adapters
Some network adapters may not appear in the normal list because they are hidden or currently inactive.
PowerShell can display hidden adapters with:
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden
You can also combine the options:
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden -Physical
Use this when investigating an adapter that seems to have disappeared from the normal list.
How to Check Network Adapter Status
PowerShell can quickly show whether a network adapter is active.
Run:
Get-NetAdapter
Look at the Status column.
Common states include:
- Up — the adapter is active and connected.
- Disconnected — the adapter exists but currently has no active connection.
- Disabled — the adapter has been disabled.
If a Wi-Fi adapter is present but disconnected, Windows may be detecting the hardware correctly even though it is not currently connected to a wireless network.
How to Check Network Adapter Speed
You can use PowerShell to view the reported link speed.
Run:
Get-NetAdapter
Look for the LinkSpeed column.
For example, an Ethernet adapter might report:
1 Gbps
while a Wi-Fi adapter may report a different negotiated connection speed.
Keep in mind that link speed is not the same as actual internet speed. Your real internet performance can also depend on your router, Wi-Fi conditions, ISP connection, server performance, and network congestion.
How to Check Network Adapter MAC Address
PowerShell can display the MAC address associated with each adapter.
Run:
Get-NetAdapter
Look for the MacAddress column.
You can also use:
getmac
or:
ipconfig /all
With ipconfig /all, the MAC address is normally listed as Physical Address.
For a complete guide, see:
How to Check MAC Address in Windows 11
How to Check Network Adapter with Command Prompt
Command Prompt provides several useful commands for network troubleshooting.
To display network configuration, run:
ipconfig /all
This shows information associated with network interfaces, including:
- Adapter description
- Physical address
- IPv4 address
- IPv6 address
- Subnet mask
- Default gateway
- DNS servers
- DHCP information
For adapter-related troubleshooting, this command is especially useful because it connects the physical adapter information with its current network configuration.
How to Check Network Adapter Driver
Device Manager can be used to inspect the driver associated with a network adapter.
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Network adapters.
- Right-click the adapter.
- Select Properties.
- Open the Driver tab.
You may see information such as:
- Driver provider
- Driver date
- Driver version
- Digital signer
This information can help determine whether the adapter driver is installed correctly.
How to Tell if a Network Adapter Has a Driver Problem
Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters.
Look for warning symbols or an adapter listed under an unexpected category.
A missing or incorrect driver can cause symptoms such as:
- Wi-Fi option missing
- Ethernet connection unavailable
- Network adapter not appearing normally
- Frequent connection problems
- Unknown device in Device Manager
If the adapter is not detected correctly, check the computer manufacturer's support page for the appropriate Windows 11 driver.
How to Disable a Network Adapter
You can disable a network adapter from Device Manager.
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Network adapters.
- Right-click the adapter.
- Select Disable device.
This can be useful when troubleshooting multiple adapters or when you temporarily want to prevent a specific interface from being used.
Be careful when disabling adapters. If you disable the adapter currently providing your internet connection, your connection will stop until the adapter is enabled again.
How to Enable a Disabled Network Adapter
If an adapter has been disabled:
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand Network adapters.
- Find the disabled adapter.
- Right-click it.
- Select Enable device.
After enabling the adapter, Windows should be able to use it again if the driver and hardware are functioning correctly.
How to Check Network Adapter Bindings
PowerShell can provide additional information about network adapter bindings.
Run:
Get-NetAdapterBinding
You can use this to inspect network components associated with an adapter.
For example, you can check TCP/IPv4-related bindings with:
Get-NetAdapterBinding -DisplayName "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)"
This can be useful when troubleshooting situations where a network adapter exists but a networking component is not functioning as expected.
How to Check All Network Adapters Quickly
If you want a compact PowerShell command, use:
Get-NetAdapter | Select-Object Name, Status, LinkSpeed, MacAddress
This gives you a quick overview of:
- Adapter name
- Connection status
- Link speed
- MAC address
This is particularly useful when a PC has Wi-Fi, Ethernet, VPN, and virtual adapters.
Why Do I See Multiple Network Adapters?
Seeing multiple adapters in Windows 11 is normal.
Your PC may contain:
- A physical Wi-Fi adapter
- A physical Ethernet adapter
- Bluetooth networking
- VPN adapters
- Virtual machine adapters
- Hyper-V virtual switches
- Other software-created interfaces
Do not automatically remove an adapter just because you do not recognize its name. Virtual adapters may be required by installed software.
Why Is My Wi-Fi Adapter Missing?
If the Wi-Fi option disappears from Windows 11, check Device Manager first.
Possible causes include:
- Disabled Wi-Fi adapter
- Missing driver
- Incorrect driver
- Hardware problem
- Recent Windows or driver change
- Airplane mode or wireless configuration
Open Device Manager and check whether a wireless adapter appears under Network adapters.
If it appears with a warning symbol, investigate the driver. If it does not appear at all, check hidden devices and the manufacturer's hardware documentation.
Why Is My Ethernet Adapter Not Working?
If Ethernet does not work, first check whether the adapter is detected.
Run:
Get-NetAdapter
Then check Device Manager.
If the adapter appears but is disconnected, check the Ethernet cable, router port, and network connection.
If the adapter is missing or has a driver warning, investigate the driver or hardware.
How to Restart a Network Adapter
PowerShell can be used to disable and enable a network adapter during troubleshooting.
First identify the adapter:
Get-NetAdapter
Then, for an adapter named Wi-Fi, you can use:
Disable-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi"
Afterward, enable it again:
Enable-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi"
Administrative privileges may be required.
Be careful to use the correct adapter name. Disabling the active adapter will immediately interrupt that network connection.
Network Adapter vs Network Connection
A network adapter is the interface that provides network connectivity, while a network connection describes how that interface is currently connected and configured.
For example, your PC may have a Wi-Fi adapter named:
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
That adapter can then connect to a wireless network and receive an IP address.
This distinction is useful when troubleshooting because an adapter can exist and function correctly even when the current network connection has a problem.
Network Adapter vs MAC Address
A network adapter and MAC address are also different.
The adapter is the network interface itself, while the MAC address identifies that interface at the data-link layer.
For example:
Adapter: Wi-Fi MAC: 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E
A computer with Wi-Fi and Ethernet can therefore have different MAC addresses for the two adapters.
Network Adapter vs IP Address
An IP address is part of the network configuration assigned to an interface.
For example:
Adapter: Wi-Fi MAC Address: 00-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.25
The MAC address and IP address serve different purposes, even though they are associated with the same network interface.
See our related guide:
How to Check IP Address in Windows 11
How to Troubleshoot a Network Adapter
If your network adapter is not working correctly, follow these steps in order.
- Check whether the adapter appears in Device Manager.
- Check whether it is disabled.
- Check the driver information.
- Run Get-NetAdapter in PowerShell.
- Check the adapter status.
- Check the Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi connection.
- Check the IP configuration with ipconfig /all.
- Test DNS settings if websites cannot be reached.
- Restart the adapter if necessary.
- Consider a network reset only after other troubleshooting steps fail.
A full network reset should generally be treated as a later troubleshooting step because it removes installed network adapters and resets their settings.
Quickest Way to Check Network Adapter in Windows 11
If you only need basic adapter information, use PowerShell.
- Press Windows + S.
- Search for PowerShell.
- Open Windows PowerShell or Windows Terminal.
- Run:
Get-NetAdapter
You will immediately see the available network adapters and their basic status.
If you prefer a graphical method, use:
Device Manager → Network adapters
Best Methods to Check Network Adapter
| Method | Best For |
|---|---|
| Device Manager | Hardware and driver information |
| Settings | Basic connection information |
| Get-NetAdapter | Adapter status, speed, and MAC address |
| ipconfig /all | Adapter and complete IP configuration |
| Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden | Finding hidden adapters |
| Get-NetAdapter -Physical | Finding physical adapters |
Related Articles
- How to Check Wi-Fi Signal Strength in Windows 11
- How to Check Internet Speed in Windows 11
- How to Check IP Address in Windows 11
- How to Check MAC Address in Windows 11
- How to Check DNS Settings in Windows 11
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my network adapter in Windows 11?
Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters. You can also open PowerShell and run Get-NetAdapter.
How do I find my Wi-Fi adapter?
Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, and look for an adapter with Wi-Fi, Wireless, or 802.11 in its name.
How do I find my Ethernet adapter?
Open Device Manager and look under Network adapters for an Ethernet or LAN controller. You can also use Get-NetAdapter.
What command checks network adapters in Windows 11?
The PowerShell command Get-NetAdapter displays basic network adapter information.
How do I see hidden network adapters?
Open PowerShell and run Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden. Device Manager can also display hidden devices through its View menu.
How do I check network adapter speed?
Run Get-NetAdapter in PowerShell and check the LinkSpeed column.
Why is my Wi-Fi adapter missing?
The adapter may be disabled, its driver may be missing or damaged, or Windows may not be detecting the hardware correctly. Start by checking Device Manager.
Can I restart a network adapter without restarting Windows?
Yes. PowerShell can disable and re-enable a network adapter using Disable-NetAdapter and Enable-NetAdapter.
Why does my computer have multiple network adapters?
A PC can have physical Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters as well as virtual adapters created by VPNs, virtualization software, and other networking tools.
Is a network adapter the same as a MAC address?
No. A network adapter is the network interface, while a MAC address is an identifier associated with that interface.
Final Thoughts
Checking your network adapter is an important step when troubleshooting Windows 11 networking problems.
For hardware and driver information, Device Manager is the most useful graphical tool. For quickly checking adapter status, speed, and MAC address, PowerShell's Get-NetAdapter command is extremely convenient.
If you need more complete network configuration information, use:
ipconfig /all
And if you suspect that a hidden or virtual adapter is causing confusion, PowerShell can help you identify additional interfaces with:
Get-NetAdapter -IncludeHidden
Understanding which network adapters are installed and how they are configured makes it easier to diagnose Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DNS, IP address, and internet connectivity problems in Windows 11.