Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter

[JohnHarvis]

Okay, so I was browsing through the adapter settings in windows 7 and came across a Wiresless Conenction 2 which is a Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter. I don't remember seeing this on the list before, and it suddenly seems to have appeared. Has anyone else experienced this problem??

TIA

 

[aem]

Have ypu installed any VMware product, Xpmode, Virtual PC?

 

[JohnHarvis]

Yeah iv got Virutal PC 2007 installed, but im sure this shouldn't show up in adapter settings.

 

[RedBirdDad]

I saw that on one one of my daughter's laptops.

I did a search and came up with this:

Windows 7 adds native Virtual WiFi technology from Microsoft Research - istartedsomething

 

[aem]

Hmm not sure, it could well be that. To test, just delete the adapter, un-install VPC and see for yourself.

 

[JohnHarvis]

I saw that on one one of my daughter's laptops.

I did a search and came up with this:

Windows 7 adds native Virtual WiFi technology from Microsoft Research - istartedsomething

I read that article way before windows 7 RTM'd! ... but iv never seen this adapter until recently. I only ever had 2 adapters installed on windows 7 (Ethernet and wireless) until I checked it today.

Right after uninstalling the adapter from device manager and immediaitely scanning for any changes just installs Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter again! Also uninstalled Virutal PC aswell, this had no effect on it either. The adapter was still present after uninstalling VP2007.

 

[RedBirdDad]

According to what I found, it isn't related to VPC. It's something that MS installs by default. A new technology but not used yet. It's possible it came in through Windows Update. I don't remember seeing it on my kids laptops either until yesterday.

At this point it looks to be harmless so I'd just leave it. I discovered it was on both my kids laptops have it and I just ignore it.

 

[JohnHarvis]

Hmm good to know its not just me! Cant remember seeing this in windows update, as I have set it to manually prompt me before it installs any updates

Well keep on eye on this! Anyone else seeing similar behaviour on thier windows 7 network adapter settings?

 

[aem]

Well MS would not be installing it by default. It's a feature of the the wireless adapter or driver. I do not have it on my laptop. As RedBirdDad said, it won't harm if you leave ir OR disable it in Device Manager.

 

[RedBirdDad]

Well MS would not be installing it by default. It's a feature of the the wireless adapter or driver. I do not have it on my laptop. As RedBirdDad said, it won't harm if you leave ir OR disable it in Device Manager.

Agreed!

 

[JohnHarvis]

I do know what this virutal adapter does and that it could be a feature of the adapter or driver, but its weird to see it just randomly appear in the network adapter settings area as this was never there until recently. And iv had this same wireless network driver ever since windows 7 RTM'd without the virutal adapter ever being present. But looks as if disabling it is the only way dealing with this issue for the time being!

 

[RedBirdDad]

It's definitely a recent addition.

 

[NoN]

I've got this Virtual Wifi one adapter either and it works well!

"Everybody wants to be a Wifi Hotspot" says the song...!

Here:
How to: Create Wireless Hosted Networks in Windows 7 - www.wi-fiplanet.com

and here:
About the Wireless Hosted Network (Windows)

 

[magicdave26]

Old thread I know, but this just happened to me, and it was "Connectify" that was creating the Virtual WiFi Miniport

 

[ngoyab]

i had a bad experience about this Microsoft Virtual Wifi miniport adapter..,
everytime it appears i can hardly connect to wifi networks..i keep doing system restore after it appears in my system coz i cant really remove it..it installs automatically..i got it from several program installs
- avg update/upgrade
- windows update
- atheros driver update
-etc..grrrr..how can i get rid of this thing!

 

[Phukit]

Hi,

I found this post in looking for the answer, and I know its old but I thought I would post how to disable this feature.

To disable this function and restore your wifi

open cmd with admin privlages and type this in

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow

this will stop and remove the wifi miniport adapter!!!

 

[The Morgue]

this the way to disable Microsoft Virtual Wifi Miniport Adapter
in cmd as admin "netsh wlan stop hostednetwork" no quotes.
then stop the service by typing "netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow" also no quotes
just did this after reading other forums and it works