I have four identical computers, each equipped with a Delock PCI Express x4 Network Card using the Realtek RTL8125B chipset. All of them are running Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 24H2 (OS build 26100.7623) on a B860 motherboard. The problem I'm facing is quite frustrating: after assigning static IPs to each network port (for instance, 169.254.81.1 for Test 1, 169.254.82.1 for Test 2, etc.), the interfaces get scrambled after every reboot. For instance, Test 2 will sometimes be reassigned as 'Ethernet 5', causing confusion and connectivity issues. I've tried various drivers, including the latest ones directly from Realtek and older ones from the manufacturer, but nothing seems to help. I'm at a loss and would appreciate any suggestions or insights!
2 Answers
Have you checked the Device Manager for hidden devices? Sometimes old network interfaces can cause issues even if they seem to be gone. I've had similar problems with ghost NICs in the past, particularly with VMs on Windows servers. You might need to clean up any lingering entries in the registry or use PowerShell to remove those old configurations altogether to see if that helps.
Have you tried testing with a Linux live CD? It could help determine if this issue is specific to Windows. You wouldn't need to save any settings, just check if the interface names align with their MAC addresses. Sometimes, these problems behave differently across operating systems.
That's a good idea! I might give that a shot after trying some more drivers and settings changes.
Yeah, I found a bunch of ghost entries! I’m currently dealing with 'Ethernet 16' and several others. Have you ever scripted the deletion of those entries? It sounds tedious but may be worth the effort.