Ethernet Connection Issue After Windows Reinstall
Asked by
CuriousCoder92
Hey everyone! I recently gave my Legion Pro 5 16IRX9 laptop a fresh start by reinstalling Windows, but now I'm facing a frustrating issue: my Ethernet connection isn't working, and I can't even find an Ethernet option in Windows. I've tried the usual troubleshooting steps—unplugging and replugging cables, resetting my router—but to no avail. When I checked, I realized I didn't have the Ethernet driver installed, so I went to Lenovo's official site, downloaded it, but that didn't help either. I even tried getting the drivers from Realtek, no luck there either. I've followed several tutorials, most of which involved CMD commands, but nothing worked. I also checked the BIOS settings and everything looks good there. In a last-ditch effort, I did another clean install of Windows, but the problem persists. It's really odd because the Ethernet was working fine before the reinstall. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks a lot!
Answers
The LAN driver might actually be bundled with the chipset driver, so make sure to download that as well. Also, try using Lenovo System Update; it can automatically detect and install any missing drivers for you.
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If your laptop has a Thunderbolt port, you might want to consider getting an Ethernet adapter that connects through it. That could definitely solve your connectivity issues without having to figure out the driver problems.
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Have you checked the Device Manager to see if the Ethernet adapter is listed there, maybe under 'Other devices' or as a hidden device? If you find it, try installing the chipset and Intel Management Engine drivers from Lenovo’s site first. After that, reboot and then install the LAN driver. If it still doesn’t show up, get the hardware ID for any unknown devices, which could point you in the right direction for the missing driver.
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FriendlyTechie33: I checked Device Manager, and there are no hidden devices. I installed the chipset and Intel ME drivers, rebooted, but now I get an error saying, "The Realtek Network Controller was not found. If Deep Sleep Mode is enabled, please plug the cable."