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How To Enable Ethernet on Windows 11

Ethernet is required to use wired network connections. However, sometimes your Ethernet adapter might be disabled for various reasons. For instance, maybe you manually disabled the Ethernet to save power or your system disabled it automatically because of incorrect network settings or driver issues. In those cases, you have to enable ethernet manually to use wired network connections. Enabling Ethernet can significantly improve your network reliability. It also enhances internet experiences such as streaming, gaming, browsing, and working with large files, making them smoother and easier.

On Windows 11, you have three ways to turn on ethernet—using Settings, Control Panel, and Command Prompt (Terminal). In this tutorial, I will show these three methods step-by-step. Let’s get started.

Enable Ethernet Using Settings on Windows 11

  1. Open Settings with “Windows key + I.”
  2. Go to the “Network & Internet” page on the sidebar.
  3. Click the “Advanced Network Settings” option.
  4. Click the Enable button next to Ethernet under the “Network Adapters” section.
  5. With that, Ethernet is enabled on Windows 11.
steps to enable ethernet using settings in Windows 11

Enable Ethernet Using Control Panel on Windows 11

Important note: You need administrator rights to enable Ethernet using the Control Panel.

  1. Click the Start button on your taskbar.
  2. Search and open the Control Panel.
  3. Click the “Network and Internet” option.
  4. Click the “Network and Sharing Center” option.
  5. On the left sidebar, click “Change Adapter Settings.”
  6. Right-click on the Ethernet adapter.
  7. Select the “Enable” option.
  8. With that, the Ethernet adapter is enabled on Windows 11.
steps to enable ethernet using Control panel in Windows 11

Enable Ethernet Using Terminal on Windows 11

Important note: You need administrator rights to enable Ethernet using the Terminal.

  1. Right-click on the Start button on the taskbar.
  2. Select the “Terminal (Admin)” option.
  3. Run this command: netsh interface set interface "Ethernet" admin=enable
  4. Close the terminal window.
  5. With that, you’ve enabled Ethernet on Windows11 using Terminal (Command Prompt/PowerShell)
run netsh command to enable ethernet in Windows 11

Wrapping — 3 Methods to Turn On Ethernet on Windows 11

As you can see, whether you use the Settings app, Control Panel, or Command Prompt, turning on the Ethernet when it’s disabled is a fairly simple task. Do keep in mind that the Settings method doesn’t typically require admin rights to enable Ethernet. However, if your computer is part of a domain or organization, has specific group policies configured, or if you use the other two methods (Control Panel or Terminal), you will need administrator rights to change the state of your Ethernet adapter. Also, if your Ethernet keeps turning off after you turn it on, make sure your drivers are up-to-date and there are no devices that are in conflict with the Ethernet adapter.

If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.

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