How to Check SMB Multichannel in Windows 11

Saturday, September 26, 2026

Learn how to check SMB Multichannel in Windows 11 using PowerShell, inspect network interfaces, active channels, and SMB connections.

SMB Multichannel is a Windows networking feature that can allow an SMB connection to use multiple network connections between a Windows 11 computer and an SMB server. This can be useful when a computer or server has multiple network interfaces, multiple suitable network paths, or network adapters that support features such as RSS or RDMA.

However, simply having SMB Multichannel enabled does not necessarily mean that a particular SMB connection is actively using multiple channels. Windows must identify compatible network interfaces and establish an SMB connection that can use them.

In this guide, you will learn how to check SMB Multichannel in Windows 11 using PowerShell, verify the SMB client configuration, inspect SMB network interfaces, check active SMB connections, and confirm which Multichannel connections are actually selected.

What Is SMB Multichannel?

SMB Multichannel is a feature of the Server Message Block protocol that allows SMB to use multiple network connections between a client and server when the network configuration supports it.

For example, a Windows 11 computer might have more than one network interface available. An SMB server may also have multiple network adapters. When the requirements are satisfied, SMB can create multiple channels for an SMB connection instead of relying on only one network path.

SMB Multichannel can be particularly useful in environments where high-speed file transfers are important. Depending on the network hardware and configuration, it can work with technologies such as Receive Side Scaling (RSS) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA).

For normal home networking with a single Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter, SMB Multichannel may not provide a noticeable benefit. Nevertheless, checking the configuration can be useful when troubleshooting SMB performance or verifying a multi-interface network.

Why Check SMB Multichannel?

Checking SMB Multichannel can help determine whether Windows 11 is configured correctly and whether the feature is actually being used by an SMB connection.

Verify whether SMB Multichannel is enabled.
See which network interfaces SMB can use.
Check whether RSS is available on network adapters.
Check whether RDMA capability is detected.
Inspect active SMB connections.
See which Multichannel interface pairs are selected.
Identify connections that are not selected.
Troubleshoot slow SMB file transfers.
Compare SMB client and server network configurations.
Verify a multi-NIC SMB deployment.

The important distinction is between configuration and actual connection usage. A computer can have SMB Multichannel enabled without an existing SMB connection using multiple channels.

Open PowerShell as Administrator

Start by opening PowerShell on your Windows 11 computer.

Open the Start menu.
Type PowerShell.
Right-click Windows PowerShell.
Select Run as administrator.
Select Yes if User Account Control appears.

Most of the commands in this guide are designed for viewing and troubleshooting configuration. Using an elevated PowerShell window is recommended because some related networking commands and configuration operations require administrator privileges.

Check Whether SMB Multichannel Is Enabled

The first check is the SMB client configuration.

Get-SmbClientConfiguration | Select-Object EnableMultichannel

A typical result looks similar to:

EnableMultichannel
------------------
True

If the value is True, SMB Multichannel is enabled in the SMB client configuration.

You can also display the setting using:

Get-SmbClientConfiguration | Format-List EnableMultichannel

This is only the first step. It tells you whether the SMB client is configured to use Multichannel, but it does not prove that an active SMB connection is currently using multiple channels.

Check the SMB Client Network Interfaces

The next step is to see which network interfaces SMB identifies on the Windows 11 client.

Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface

This command provides information about network interfaces that the SMB client can use.

Depending on your system, the output can contain information such as:

Interface index
Network interface name
IP address
Link speed
RSS capability
RDMA capability
Other SMB-related interface information

This is particularly useful when a computer has multiple Ethernet adapters, multiple network paths, or a combination of supported network technologies.

Display SMB Network Interfaces in a More Readable Format

If the default output contains more information than you need, select specific properties.

Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface |
Select-Object InterfaceIndex, InterfaceAlias, IPAddress, LinkSpeed, RSSCapable, RDMAEnabled

Property availability can vary depending on the Windows version and network hardware, so do not assume that every computer will display exactly the same fields.

You can also use:

Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface | Format-List

This is useful when you want to inspect all properties returned by the command.

Check the Network Adapter Itself

SMB Multichannel depends on the capabilities Windows detects from the network adapters. Therefore, checking the standard Windows network adapter configuration can provide additional information.

Get-NetAdapter

For more detailed RSS information, use:

Get-NetAdapterRSS

If your environment uses RDMA-capable adapters, you can also check:

Get-NetAdapterRDMA

These commands are useful because SMB Multichannel depends not only on SMB settings but also on the capabilities and configuration of the underlying network interfaces.

Check Active SMB Connections

After checking the configuration and network interfaces, verify that Windows has an active SMB connection.

Get-SmbConnection

This command displays SMB connections from the local computer to remote SMB servers and shares.

If there are no active SMB connections, there may be nothing for SMB Multichannel to use at that moment.

To create an SMB connection for testing, open a shared folder from another computer or SMB server using a path such as:

\\ServerName\ShareName

You can also access an SMB share using its IP address:

\\192.168.1.20\ShareName

Replace the example address and share name with the actual SMB server and share in your network.

Check SMB Multichannel Connections

Once an active SMB connection exists, run:

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection

This is one of the most important commands for verifying SMB Multichannel.

The command retrieves SMB connections between client network interfaces and server network interfaces. It can show how SMB pairs network interfaces and which interface pairs are selected for the SMB connection.

For example, the output may include information related to:

Server name
Client interface
Server interface
Client IP address
Server IP address
Selected status
RSS capability
RDMA capability
Client link speed
Server link speed
Current channels
Maximum channels
Failure information

Check All Multichannel Candidates

By default, Get-SmbMultichannelConnection focuses on the connections that are being used. To include interface pairs that were not selected, use:

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -IncludeNotSelected

This can be especially useful when troubleshooting.

For example, Windows may detect multiple interfaces but select only some of them. Including unselected connections can help you determine whether an interface was detected but excluded from the active Multichannel configuration.

Check SMB Multichannel for a Specific Server

If your computer connects to multiple SMB servers, you can filter the results by server name.

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -ServerName "FileServer"

Replace FileServer with the name of the SMB server you are investigating.

You can also include unselected connections:

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -ServerName "FileServer" -IncludeNotSelected

This is useful in environments with several NAS devices, file servers, or Windows computers providing SMB shares.

Check Which Channels Are Currently Active

The Multichannel output contains information that can help determine how many channels are currently being used.

One useful approach is:

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection |
Select-Object ServerName, ClientInterfaceFriendlyName, ClientIpAddress, ServerIpAddress, Selected, CurrentChannels, MaxChannels

The exact properties available can depend on the Windows version and SMB implementation.

The Selected property is particularly useful when examining which client/server interface pairing SMB has selected.

CurrentChannels can help show the number of active channels associated with the connection, while MaxChannels indicates the maximum supported or available number for that connection.

Check SMB Multichannel During a File Transfer

For a meaningful test, it is useful to inspect Multichannel while an SMB connection is actively transferring data.

Connect to an SMB share.
Start a large file transfer between the Windows 11 client and SMB server.
Keep the transfer running.
Open PowerShell as administrator.
Run Get-SmbConnection.
Run Get-SmbMultichannelConnection.
Run Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -IncludeNotSelected.

A long-running file copy provides an active SMB session that you can inspect while traffic is occurring.

This is generally more useful than checking Multichannel when the computer is idle because the active connection gives Windows an actual SMB workload to manage.

Check the SMB Server Side

SMB Multichannel involves both the client and the server. If you control the SMB server, inspect its configuration and network interfaces as well.

On the SMB server, run:

Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select-Object EnableMultichannel

Then inspect the server-side SMB interfaces:

Get-SmbServerNetworkInterface

You can also inspect the server's network adapters:

Get-NetAdapter
Get-NetAdapterRSS
Get-NetAdapterRDMA

Checking both sides is important when diagnosing Multichannel problems. The Windows 11 client may be configured correctly while the server has a network interface, driver, RSS, RDMA, or SMB configuration issue.

For a deeper look at the server configuration, see How to Check SMB Server Configuration in Windows 11.

SMB Multichannel and SMB Client Configuration

Your Windows 11 SMB client configuration can be checked with:

Get-SmbClientConfiguration

To focus specifically on Multichannel:

Get-SmbClientConfiguration | Select-Object EnableMultichannel

This provides the configuration-level check.

The next level is the network-interface check:

Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface

Finally, inspect the active Multichannel connection:

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection

These three checks answer different questions:

Command	What It Tells You
`Get-SmbClientConfiguration`	Whether SMB Multichannel is enabled on the client
`Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface`	Which network interfaces SMB can use
`Get-SmbConnection`	Which SMB connections are currently active
`Get-SmbMultichannelConnection`	How SMB Multichannel is pairing and using network interfaces
`Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -IncludeNotSelected`	Shows selected and unselected Multichannel interface pairs

How to Troubleshoot SMB Multichannel

If SMB Multichannel does not appear to be working as expected, avoid changing multiple settings at once. Start by checking the configuration and capabilities.

1. Verify SMB Multichannel Is Enabled

Get-SmbClientConfiguration | Select-Object EnableMultichannel

If the client is not configured to use Multichannel, investigate the SMB client configuration before continuing.

2. Check the Client Network Interfaces

Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface

Verify that the expected network adapters are visible to SMB and that their IP addresses and capabilities are appropriate.

3. Check the Network Adapter

Get-NetAdapter
Get-NetAdapterRSS
Get-NetAdapterRDMA

Look for disabled adapters, unexpected link speeds, missing RSS support, or RDMA configuration issues where RDMA is expected.

4. Confirm an SMB Connection Exists

Get-SmbConnection

If there is no active SMB connection, there may be no Multichannel connection to inspect.

5. Check Selected Connections

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection

Review the server, client interface, server interface, selected state, and channel information.

6. Include Unselected Connections

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -IncludeNotSelected

This can reveal interface combinations that Windows detected but did not select.

7. Check the Server

If the client appears correct, inspect the SMB server configuration and network interfaces. The server must also have a compatible configuration for Multichannel to operate as expected.

8. Check the Basic Network First

SMB Multichannel troubleshooting should not replace basic network troubleshooting. Verify the network profile, network discovery where applicable, file and printer sharing, firewall rules, permissions, and SMB connectivity.

You can review the network profile with How to Check Network Profile in Windows 11 and network discovery with How to Check Network Discovery Settings in Windows 11.

For firewall troubleshooting, see How to Check Windows 11 Firewall Settings.

SMB Multichannel vs SMB Connections

It is useful to distinguish SMB connections from SMB Multichannel connections.

Get-SmbConnection tells you about the SMB connection between your Windows 11 computer and a remote SMB server or share.

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection provides more detailed information about the network-interface relationships used by SMB Multichannel.

Therefore, seeing a result from Get-SmbConnection does not automatically mean that multiple channels are being used.

For example, a Windows 11 PC can have one normal SMB connection over one network interface. SMB Multichannel can be enabled in the configuration, but there may be no reason or capability for Windows to create multiple channels for that particular connection.

SMB Multichannel and Network Performance

SMB Multichannel can help in environments designed for high-throughput SMB workloads, but it should not be treated as a universal solution for slow network file transfers.

A slow SMB transfer can be caused by many other factors, including:

Slow Ethernet or Wi-Fi link speed
Weak wireless signal
Network congestion
Slow storage on the client
Slow storage on the SMB server
CPU limitations
Network adapter driver problems
Firewall or security inspection
SMB signing or encryption overhead
Server configuration
Share permissions
File system performance

For this reason, measure the network and storage environment before concluding that SMB Multichannel is responsible for a performance problem.

Check SMB Sessions, Connections, and Open Files

SMB Multichannel is only one part of the SMB environment. Other PowerShell commands can provide additional information.

To check SMB sessions on an SMB server, use:

Get-SmbSession

To check SMB client connections, use:

Get-SmbConnection

To check files currently opened through SMB, use:

Get-SmbOpenFile

These checks can be combined when investigating an active network file-sharing problem.

See How to Check SMB Sessions in Windows 11, How to Check SMB Connections in Windows 11, and How to Check Open SMB Files in Windows 11 for more detailed guides.

Useful SMB Multichannel PowerShell Commands

Command	Purpose
`Get-SmbClientConfiguration`	Check SMB client configuration
`Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface`	Check network interfaces recognized by the SMB client
`Get-SmbConnection`	Check active SMB connections
`Get-SmbMultichannelConnection`	Check active SMB Multichannel interface pairs
`Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -IncludeNotSelected`	Include interface pairs that are not selected
`Get-SmbServerConfiguration`	Check SMB server configuration
`Get-SmbServerNetworkInterface`	Check SMB server network interfaces
`Get-NetAdapter`	Check Windows network adapters
`Get-NetAdapterRSS`	Check RSS configuration
`Get-NetAdapterRDMA`	Check RDMA configuration

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check SMB Multichannel in Windows 11?

Start with Get-SmbClientConfiguration | Select-Object EnableMultichannel. Then use Get-SmbClientNetworkInterface and Get-SmbMultichannelConnection to inspect the interfaces and active Multichannel connections.

How do I know if SMB Multichannel is actually being used?

Check Get-SmbMultichannelConnection while an active SMB transfer is running. The output provides information about selected interface pairs and channel usage.

Does SMB Multichannel require multiple network adapters?

Not necessarily. SMB Multichannel can use multiple suitable network paths or connections depending on the network configuration and capabilities. The exact behavior depends on the available interfaces and SMB environment.

Why does EnableMultichannel show True but I see only one connection?

Enabling Multichannel does not guarantee that every SMB connection will use multiple channels. Windows evaluates the available interfaces and connection conditions before selecting the channels to use.

Can SMB Multichannel improve file transfer speed?

It can improve throughput in suitable multi-interface or high-performance network environments, but the actual benefit depends on the client, server, network adapters, storage, drivers, and network configuration.

How do I check SMB Multichannel on the server?

On the SMB server, use Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select-Object EnableMultichannel and Get-SmbServerNetworkInterface. You can then compare the server-side information with the Windows 11 client.

What is the difference between Get-SmbConnection and Get-SmbMultichannelConnection?

Get-SmbConnection shows active SMB client connections, while Get-SmbMultichannelConnection provides detailed information about SMB Multichannel connections between client and server network interfaces.

Final Thoughts

Checking SMB Multichannel in Windows 11 is more than running one PowerShell command. The most useful approach is to check the feature configuration, inspect the SMB client network interfaces, verify an active SMB connection, and then examine the Multichannel connection itself.

The basic workflow is:

Check EnableMultichannel.
Check SMB client network interfaces.
Check Windows network adapters.
Establish an active SMB connection.
Run Get-SmbMultichannelConnection.
Use -IncludeNotSelected when troubleshooting.
Compare the client with the SMB server.
Check the network, firewall, permissions, and SMB configuration if problems remain.

This approach gives you a much clearer picture of whether SMB Multichannel is merely enabled or is actually being used by an SMB connection. It is especially useful when troubleshooting high-speed file transfers, multi-NIC systems, NAS devices, Windows file servers, and other advanced SMB environments.