I'm having a strange issue with some Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen4 laptops in our corporate office. We've got a mix of Dell monitors with built-in docks and Lenovo Thunderbolt 4 Universal docks. After setting up 20 new machines via Windows 11 autopilot, I've run into a problem where the Ethernet connection doesn't appear at the login screen when using the Lenovo docks. This is a hassle because our Wi-Fi uses certificate-based authentication that requires user login to create the cert. The Ethernet works fine on the Lenovo dock once a user logs in, but before that, it's like the connection just disappears. When I use a Dell monitor dock, the Ethernet shows up immediately on the login screen. I've made sure the Ethernet drivers are installed during setup, but it seems that after Windows updates and the system reboots, the dock Ethernet is no longer recognized until a user logs in again. I've also ensured that all firmware is up to date. Any thoughts on why this is happening?
7 Answers
If you're working with Cisco gear, a reboot might be necessary. Don't forget to check for firmware updates for the docks as well. Additionally, make sure the P14s aren’t defaulting to Realtek drivers over Intel, as updating those drivers might fix some issues too.
It can also be helpful to disable Thunderbolt security in BIOS or modify any Thunderbolt-related settings. Sometimes, that extra layer can interfere with how devices initialize before the login screen.
It sounds like Windows might be suspending the dock NIC until the user context loads the driver stack. Try disabling selective suspend; also, you might want to lock the driver version to prevent autopilot from overwriting it. We faced something similar, and it really helped clear up the mysterious 'no cable' issue at the login screen.
I remember needing to flip a BIOS switch to enable Thunderbolt device support before login. If you have other peripherals like a keyboard or mouse plugged into the dock, do they work before logging in? That might give you a clue about the dock's initialization.
You might want to explore BIOS settings. There could be a configuration related to dock or boot settings that needs adjustment. This can sometimes impact the recognition of Ethernet before the user logs in.
First, I recommend checking the event viewer for any logs. It can provide insights into network connections or disconnections. Also, take a look at the dock's Ethernet light; if it's lit, it means the dock has negotiated the connection, but there might be an issue with the driver not passing this to Windows.
Have you considered a few things? 1. Some Lenovo docks require a user session to load full functionality, so they might need proper drivers installed from the start. 2. If fast startup is enabled, that could prevent the drivers from initializing until after the login. 3. Lastly, the Intel Ethernet I219/I225 might have power-saving features that are preventing it from fully initializing before login.
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