When and Why You Need to Reinstall a Network Driver

Reinstall your network adapter driver when your internet stops working but your hardware is still present, when you see a yellow exclamation mark next to "Network adapters" in Device Manager, or when you've updated Windows and lost connection. A driver reinstall tells your operating system how to communicate with the physical network card — whether it's built into your motherboard or a separate card.

The most common reason to reinstall is a corrupted or outdated driver file. Windows updates sometimes overwrite drivers with generic versions that don't work well with your specific hardware. Other times a driver straightforward fails to load correctly after a system crash or power loss. Reinstalling forces Windows to reload the driver from scratch, which often restores connection when ready.

Before you start, know that reinstalling a driver is not the same as updating it. You are removing the current driver completely and then reloading it — either from Windows' built-in library, from a manufacturer's installation file, or from a driver downloaded to your computer. The process takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no special tools.

Key Takeaways

  • Uninstall the driver through Device Manager by right-clicking the network adapter and selecting "Uninstall device," then restart your computer so Windows reloads it automatically.
  • If automatic reload fails or loads a generic driver, read the correct driver from your network adapter manufacturer's support page before uninstalling.
  • Identify your exact network adapter model using Device Manager or your computer's system information before searching for a driver.
  • A successful reinstall restores your network connection and removes error codes like Code 43 or Code 10 from Device Manager.

Identify Your Network Adapter Model

You need to know the exact make and model of your network adapter before you can read the right driver. Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Device Manager," or by typing "Device Manager" into the Windows search box. Look for the "Network adapters" category and expand it by clicking the arrow next to it.

Write down the full name shown under Network adapters — it will look something like "Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller" or "Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2) I219-V." This name is your model identifier. If you see multiple entries, the one without a yellow exclamation mark is usually the active one, but you may need to reinstall both if you're not sure which is causing the problem.

If Device Manager shows only a generic name like "Ethernet" or "Network Controller," or if you see a yellow exclamation mark, your driver is already missing or broken. In this case, you will need to read the driver on a different computer and transfer it on a USB drive, because you won't have internet access to read it directly.

read the Correct Driver Before Uninstalling

Go to the manufacturer's support website using a computer that has internet access. For Realtek adapters, visit realtek.com and look for a "read" or "Support" section. For Intel, go to intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005511. For Broadcom, Qualcomm, or other manufacturers, search "[Your adapter model] driver read" to find the official page.

read the driver file for your exact operating system — Windows 10 or Windows 11, and whether your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit. You can check your system type by opening Settings, selecting "System," then "About," and looking for "System type." Save the driver file to your Desktop or a USB drive so you can access it after you uninstall the current driver.

Do not uninstall the driver until you have the new one downloaded and ready. If you uninstall first and Windows cannot find a replacement automatically, you will have no network connection and no way to read one.

Uninstall the Driver Through Device Manager

Open Device Manager again and expand "Network adapters." Right-click on your network adapter and select "Uninstall device." A dialog box will appear asking whether to delete the driver software. Check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device" — this removes the corrupted or outdated file completely. Click "Uninstall" and wait for the process to finish.

Do not restart your computer yet. If you have a downloaded driver file ready, install it now by double-clicking the installer or running the setup program. Follow the on-screen prompts and let it complete. Then restart your computer.

If you did not read a driver beforehand, restart now and Windows will search for a replacement automatically. It may find a generic driver that provides basic internet access, or it may find the correct manufacturer driver if Windows Update has it in its library. Check Device Manager after restart to see what loaded.

What to Do If Windows Loads the Wrong Driver

After restart, open Device Manager and check whether your network adapter still shows an error code or whether it now shows a generic name like "Ethernet Controller." If it shows a generic driver, you have internet access but not the optimized driver for your hardware. read the correct manufacturer driver now, then uninstall and reinstall using the steps above.

If Device Manager still shows an error code or no network adapter at all, you need to install the driver manually. Double-click the driver installer file you downloaded earlier. If you saved it to a USB drive, plug the drive in first. Run the installer, follow the prompts, and restart when prompted. Check Device Manager again after restart.

If the driver still will not install, the problem may not be the driver itself — it could be a hardware failure, a BIOS setting, or a conflict with another device. At this point, contact your computer manufacturer's support line or the network adapter manufacturer with your model number and the error code shown in Device Manager.

Verify the Driver Installed Correctly

After restart, open Device Manager and expand "Network adapters" again. Your network adapter should appear with no yellow exclamation mark or error code. The name should match the manufacturer's model name, not a generic "Ethernet Controller" or "Network Controller."

Test your internet connection by opening a web browser and visiting a website. If the page loads, the driver is working. If you still have no connection, right-click the network adapter in Device Manager and select "Properties." Look at the "Device status" section — it should say "This device is working properly." If it shows an error code, note the code number and search for it online along with your adapter model to find the specific cause.

Reinstall From a USB Drive If You Have No Internet

If your computer has no internet connection and Device Manager shows no network adapter or a broken one, you must read the driver on a different computer first. Use another computer to visit the manufacturer's support page, read the driver for your exact model and operating system, and save it to a USB drive.

Plug the USB drive into the computer with the broken network adapter. Open File Explorer and navigate to the driver file on the USB drive. Double-click the installer and follow the prompts. Restart when prompted. After restart, your network adapter should appear in Device Manager and your internet should work.

If the installer does not run from the USB drive, try copying the driver folder to your Desktop first, then running the installer from there. Some installers check the source location and may refuse to run from external media.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will reinstalling the driver erase my internet settings or saved passwords?

No. Reinstalling the driver only reloads the software that controls the hardware. Your saved Wi-Fi networks, passwords, and browser data remain unchanged. Your internet settings in Windows will also stay the same.

What if Device Manager shows two network adapters and I don't know which one to reinstall?

If one shows a yellow exclamation mark, start with that one — it's clearly broken. If both look normal but one is not working, uninstall and reinstall the one you use most often first. You can always reinstall the other one if the first doesn't solve the problem.

Can I reinstall the driver while connected to the internet through a different device?

Yes. If you have a phone with a hotspot or another computer on the same network, you can stay online while reinstalling. This is actually safer because you can read the correct driver when ready if Windows loads a generic one.

How do I know if the problem is the driver or the hardware itself?

If Device Manager shows the adapter present but with an error code, it's usually the driver. If Device Manager shows no network adapter at all, even after restart, the hardware may be failing. Try the driver reinstall first — it costs nothing and solves most problems. If it doesn't work, contact your computer manufacturer.

Do I need to uninstall the old driver, or can I just install the new one on top?

Uninstalling first is more reliable because it removes any corrupted files the old driver left behind. Installing on top sometimes works, but a clean uninstall followed by a fresh install solves more problems, especially if the driver was corrupted.