Question How do I get my hard wired ethernet working during clean install of Win11 Home?

Lil'John

Senior member
Dec 28, 2013
287
31
91
Title is basically it.

I am doing a fresh install of Win11 Home on my new computer(12100F + AS Rock MB). I get to the "Let's connect you to a network" and the only option it is giving me is for wireless. To put it bluntly, monkeys will be flying out my rear before I let a desktop go wireless. I AM hooked to a working port. Lights are on at both ends of the cable(motherboard and switch) so I am certain my wiring is good.

At no point previously during the install has Win asked me for a driver disk. Nowhere on the screen is there an option to do anything... the next button is grayed out.

Any thoughts beyond telling me I probably just wasted a bunch of money on this.
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
6,799
1,100
126
Connect to the network with wifi first. After installation is completed then do Windows update or find the driver for your wired network card then install it.

After that then disable the wifi adapter.

Windows will never ask for any driver unless it can't recognize any disk during installation.

==

Or read the installation manual / paper that came with the motherboard.
 
Last edited:

OlyAR15

Senior member
Oct 23, 2014
982
242
116
Assuming you have another pc, go to asrock site and download the lan driver. If it is zipped, unzip it. Copy the driver to your install usb. When it asks you to connect to network, press shift-f10 to open command prompt. Navigate to the lan driver and run the executable. It will install the driver, then you can continue on.

But the easiest way is just to use the wireless connection for setup. Then install the lab driver afterwards and use that.
 

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
17,574
9,262
136
On a new Win11 laptop I've just ordered, my usual technique of disconnecting network while it says 'checking for updates' didn't work so I tried mxnerd's suggestion of Shift+F10, oobe\bypassnro which seems to have done the trick. It then gives the option of "I don't have network" followed by "limited setup".