Windows not recognizing onboard LAN controller. Driver issue.  

I recently upgraded my GPU and when I restarted the system after downloading the drivers my internet connection was down. I checked devices and there wasn't even a network adapter detected. I narrowed it down to a driver issue, but on the MSI installation disc there 6 options: Chipset, VGA, LAN, Audio, USB 3, and RAID drivers... unfortunately the LAN option is not highlighted. When I manually enter the install disc and access the Realtek driver folder it downloads but then says it could not find a network adapter to load to.

I've tried resetting my MoBo, purging drivers, switching RAM, and probably a dozen other things. Nothing seems to work. It's as if the LAN controller on my MoBo simply disappeared.

It's not my internet connection because I'm typing this from a laptop using the same CAT5 and same router as my CPU uses, and I really don't think I damaged the MoBo because everything is fine except for the LAN.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello there, welcome to sevenforums!

Could you tell me exactly your motherboard model? since you've already stated that MSI is the manufacturer.

I'm not sure how could it disappear, but things happen.. are you sure you're unable to find it inside Device Manager?

Thank you for the welcome.

It's an MSI 890gxm-g65. I recently installed a Sapphire 6870 GPU and that's when the problem started. CMD line ipconfig confrims there is no device detected.

Ok, it seems that your LAN is a Realtek 8111DL

What happens if you remove your video card? can you install the LAN driver?

And have you tried to download the driver from the Realtek website?

Here: Realtek

I've tried installing it with the card in and out.. .no difference. I even did a system restore to an earlier time and it still is not showing up.

Device manager looks like this:
Big Red (comps name)
-computer
-disk drives
-display adapters
-dvd/cd rom drives
-human interface devices
-IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers
-Imaging devices
-Keyboards
-Mice and other pointing devices
-Portable devices
-Ports
-Processors
-Sound, video, and game controllers
-System devices
-Universal Serial Bus controllers.

I installed the latest driver onto a USB device from my laptop and inserted it into my PC. It did the exact same thing as the MSI driver disc.

Push comes to shove I guess ill just buy a PCI adapter card or wireless adapter... but id rather not.

It seems weird enough for me.

If you check for "Hardware Changes" in Device Manager (using right click)? nothing shows up?

It could be that the LAN device somehow damaged itself. but i can't figure out why it would..

I guess the cheapest solution in that case would be buying a pci network card (which shouldn't be the solution)

Here: Newegg.com - NETGEAR GA311 Gigabit Adapter with Jumbo Frame support 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI 1 x RJ45

Although if your motherboard still has its warranty, you could ask for a refund/exchange.



EDIT: meh, even better.

Here: Newegg.com - ENCORE ENLGA-1320 Ethernet Card 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI 1 x RJ45

23$ is way too much for a network card, haha. 10$ is better

p5bdkw said:

Hello.
You said that you tried resetting the Mobo.
I would just make sure that the Onboard LAN Controller is enabled, before anything else.
Is it enabled?

Didn't think about that.. but, isn't the LAN device already enabled with the default/safe setting on the BIOS?