How to Find and Install Ethernet Drivers for Your Computer

There is probably no other driver problem that is as frustrating as a missing, corrupt, or out-of-date Ethernet driver.  After all, you update drivers by downloading them online.  When you need a new Ethernet driver to get on the internet, but can't get a new driver because getting it requires getting on the internet, you're stuck in a very frustrating catch-22.

That means that if you're reading this article about Ethernet drivers, there is a very good chance you're doing so from a different computer than the one you want to fix.  Well, you've come to the right place.  We want to make your Ethernet driver update just as quick and painless as possible.

Hold Up Here--Just What is an Ethernet Driver, Anyway?

As you may or may not already know, a driver is a bit of software that connects your newly-installed hardware to your computer's operating system.  If this driver is missing or drastically out-of-date, your computer's operating system (Windows on most PCs) will very likely not even know the new hardware exists!  At the very best, it will know the new hardware exists, and just not be able to work with it.

Where to Get New Drivers

Fortunately, nearly all hardware manufacturers keep a variety of information on their website for use with their products.  This includes software, documentation, and, yes, drivers for all of their currently supported products.

(The following example is from Intel, one of the largest Ethernet adapter manufacturers.)

Clicking that link will bring you to the Support page, where you should click on "Browse":

From there, you can search for Ethernet drivers:

As long as your hardware is still supported by its manufacturer, it should be relatively easy to find the driver your need.  If given the choice, you should select "Save" instead of "Run".

How to Install a Recently Downloaded Driver

Once you've downloaded the driver and put it on transferable media, all that's really left to do is plug the storage device into your computer and double-click the driver icon. 

When a "warning" window pops up and asks you if you really want to run the software, go ahead and press "run".

Most drivers' installation software will then start an install Wizard and you should be safe from there.

What if You Can't Find the Right Driver?

Sometimes, finding drivers isn't so easy.  This can be especially true for Ethernet drivers because if you don't remember who manufactured it, and don't have your product packaging or documentation down, you may spend a lot of time downloading the wrong drivers just so you can hit the right one by chance.

It's even worse in the case that the manufacturer no longer supports your hardware.  You shouldn't despair, because the driver is likely out there on a "free driver" site.  In fact, it's probably on one of many such sites. 

Just make sure you're careful where you download.  Some of these sites are resources created by genuinely good-willed tech enthusiasts.  But some are rife with spyware, adware, viruses and worse. 

If you can't download a new driver directly from the manufacturer's website, just make sure you're very selective of any other place you may find it!

Automatically Update Your Drivers