A "ton" of Network Adapters!

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  1. Posts : 591
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit; Windows 10 TP; KDE Neon
       #1

    A "ton" of Network Adapters!


    Hello,

    First of all, pardon me IF my inquiry has been already addressed. I did not have time to search.

    After clean-installing Windows 10 Pro, yesterday, many new Network Adapters have appeared on my Device Manager.


    A "ton" of Network Adapters!-n.png

    Does anyone have any idea what all these are?
    Is it safe to remove them, and if so, how?

    I'd like to add that, as I always do, I already had the appropriate Network driver on my USB stick, where I keep all the necessary drivers and install them in every clean installation. This time, though, Windows already had the "most appropriate driver" for my network, and it did not allow me to install my LAN driver. This happened despite the fact that I performed my clean install without an Internet connection. My modem-router was powered off during the installation. How did Windows get the most appropriate driver?

    Thank you.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 1,471
    Win10 Home x64 - 1809
       #2

    Hey Joanne,
    1. WAN Miniport Adapters - They are virtual adapters installed and used by windows ... I would not worry about or remove them.
    2. LAN Driver - Windows Driver Store does a pretty good job handling drivers these days.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 591
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit; Windows 10 TP; KDE Neon
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I see, okay thank you.

    I have never seen all these adapters before, though. Is this some new thing with Fall Creators Update? Before clean-installing it, I had already updated my system and those adapters were not there. Neither have I seen them in a previous clean-installation of mine. Is this a new feature or something?

    To be precise: only the "Killer E2200" is the adapter I need. The rest of them, first time I see!
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 1,471
    Win10 Home x64 - 1809
       #4

    I have never seen all these adapters before, though. Is this some new thing with Fall Creators Update? Before clean-installing it, I had already updated my system and those adapters were not there. Neither have I seen them in a previous clean-installation of mine. Is this a new feature or something?
    They have always been there, but are usually hidden in Device Manager (view / show hidden devices) ... In Windows 1709 the Remote Access Connection Manager startup type was changed to Automatic. You can go into Services and change it's startup type to Manual. Reboot PC and they would/should be hidden in Device Manager again.

    Remote Access Connection Manager - Manages dial-up and virtual private network (VPN) connections from your computer to the Internet or other remote networks. Remote Access Connection Manager - Windows 10 Service - batcmd.com
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 107
    Windows
       #5

    You can get rid of them by going to:

    Control Panel > Network and Sharing Centre > Change Adapter Settings (on the left side of the window) > Right Click on your Ethernet / WiFi Adapter > Uncheck whichever ones you aren't using or don't want active.

    If my theory's right, then your active internet connection (or whatever you use that adapter for), won't make use of them. Just remember you disabled them though, for future reference.

    However, most programs you install that need them will usually reactivate them for you.

    Hence why this forum exists...
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 2,716
    Windows 10
       #6

    They have always been there, leave them be. You are mistaken.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 8,057
    windows 10
       #7

    A lot are there if you have ipv6 as it's not normally used it creates adapters to tunnel it out via ipv4
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 591
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit; Windows 10 TP; KDE Neon
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Eagle51 said:
    They have always been there, but are usually hidden in Device Manager (view / show hidden devices) ... In Windows 1709 the Remote Access Connection Manager startup type was changed to Automatic. You can go into Services and change it's startup type to Manual. Reboot PC and they would/should be hidden in Device Manager again.

    Remote Access Connection Manager - Manages dial-up and virtual private network (VPN) connections from your computer to the Internet or other remote networks. Remote Access Connection Manager - Windows 10 Service - batcmd.com
    Thank you very much, sir!

    A "ton" of Network Adapters!-ok.png


    PS: No, they were not there, it is the first time -ever- I am seeing them.

    Marked as solved, thank you.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 4,224
    Windows 10
       #9

    If you ever find yourself plagued by truly extraneous devices, which usually appear after you click the "Show Hidden Devices" in Device Manager's View menu, you can turn to Uwe Sieber's excellent Device Cleanup Tool to make them go away. This won't remove the IPv6 interfaces you show in your original screenshot because they're considered part and parcel of the Win10 networking environment.
    HTH,
    --Ed--
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 4,173
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #10

    @EdTittel, I know that this is an old post, but it's something I just came across in a search. This the second time I've discovered a nifty utility based upon your recommendation.

    I have a feeling that you have a library of really cool utilities.
      My Computers


 

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