What network drivers do and why you need them

A network driver is the software that lets your computer talk to your internet connection — whether that's Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or a mobile hotspot. Without it, your operating system doesn't know how to use your network hardware. You'll see this most often when you buy a new computer, add a network card, or do a fresh Windows install and suddenly have no internet.

Your computer came with drivers already installed, so most people never think about them. But if your internet drops randomly, won't connect at all, or runs much slower than it should, a missing or outdated driver is often the culprit. Installing or updating the right driver usually fixes it.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows usually finds and installs network drivers automatically through Windows Update, but you can force a manual check in Device Manager if that fails.
  • If automatic installation doesn't work, you'll need the driver file from your computer manufacturer's support website, not from the device maker.
  • On a Mac, network drivers are built into macOS and update through System Settings — you rarely need to install them separately.
  • The safest way to download a driver is from your computer's manufacturer (Dell, HP, Lenovo, Apple) rather than from the network card maker or a third-party site.

Finding your network hardware information

Before you can install a driver, you need to know what network hardware you have. On Windows, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Device Manager" from the menu. Look for a section called "Network adapters" and expand it by clicking the arrow next to it.

You'll see one or more entries — common names are "Realtek Ethernet Controller", "Intel Wireless-AC", or "Broadcom WiFi". Write down the exact name. If you see a yellow exclamation mark next to it, that means Windows recognizes the hardware but doesn't have a working driver for it yet.

On a Mac, click the Apple menu, select "System Settings", then go to "Network". You'll see your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). Click "Details" to see the hardware name, though you usually won't need it since macOS handles drivers automatically.

Installing drivers on Windows through Windows Update

The easiest path on Windows is to let the system find and install the driver itself. Open Device Manager again, right-click on your network adapter, and select "Update driver". Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software". Windows will check its online database and install a match if it finds one.

This works about 80 percent of the time for common hardware. If Windows finds and installs a driver, restart your computer and test your connection. If it doesn't find anything, or if you still have connection problems after the update, move to the manual installation method.

Installing drivers manually from your manufacturer's website

If automatic installation didn't work, you'll download the driver file manually. The key is to use your computer manufacturer's support site, not the network card maker's site. If you have a Dell laptop, go to Dell's support page. If it's an HP desktop, use HP's site. This matters because manufacturers often customize drivers for their specific hardware combinations.

Go to your manufacturer's support or downloads page, enter your computer model number (usually on a sticker on the bottom or back), and look for "Drivers" or "Software". Find the network driver — it might be labeled "Ethernet", "WiFi", "Wireless", or "LAN". Download the file to your computer, usually to your Downloads folder.

Once downloaded, double-click the driver file. It will usually open an installer that walks you through the setup. Follow the prompts and restart your computer when it asks. After restart, check Device Manager again — the yellow exclamation mark should be gone and your connection should work.

What to do if you can't download the driver

If your network isn't working, you can't download a driver on that computer. Use another device — a phone, tablet, or different computer — to download the driver file to a USB flash drive. Plug the USB drive into the computer that needs the driver and run the installer from there.

Alternatively, if you have a phone with a mobile hotspot, you can connect your computer to it temporarily, download the driver, and then switch back to your regular network once the driver is installed.

Updating drivers on Mac

macOS includes network drivers as part of the operating system itself, and they update automatically through System Settings. Click the Apple menu, go to "System Settings", then "General", then "Software Update". If updates are available, macOS will download and install them, including any network driver updates.

You almost never need to manually install a network driver on a Mac. If your Wi-Fi or Ethernet isn't working, the problem is usually a hardware issue, a network configuration problem, or a macOS bug — not a missing driver. Restart your Mac first, then check your network settings to make sure you're connected to the right network.

Troubleshooting after installation

After you install or update a network driver, restart your computer. This lets the operating system fully load the new driver. Once restarted, test your connection by opening a web browser and visiting a website.

If you still don't have internet, open Device Manager again and check for yellow exclamation marks or red X marks next to your network adapter. If one appears, the driver didn't install correctly. Try downloading the driver again from your manufacturer's site, or contact their support team with your computer model number and the exact name of your network hardware.

If the connection works but is slow or drops frequently, the driver may be outdated even though it's installed. Check your manufacturer's support site again — there may be a newer version available than what you installed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to uninstall the old driver before installing a new one?

Not usually. The new driver installer will overwrite the old one automatically. If you want to be thorough, you can right-click the network adapter in Device Manager, select "Uninstall device", restart your computer, and then install the new driver. Windows will re-detect the hardware on restart.

Is it safe to download drivers from the network card manufacturer instead of my computer maker?

It's usually safe, but your computer manufacturer's version is more reliable because it's tested with your specific hardware. If your manufacturer doesn't have a driver available, the network card maker's site is your next best option. Avoid third-party driver download sites — they sometimes bundle unwanted software.

What if Device Manager shows "Unknown Device" instead of a network adapter name?

Windows doesn't recognize the hardware yet. Right-click "Unknown Device", select "Update driver", and let Windows search automatically. If that doesn't work, you'll need to find the driver from your computer manufacturer using the model number, then install it manually.

Can a driver update break my internet connection?

Rarely, but it happens. If your connection stops working right after a driver update, restart your computer first — that fixes most issues. If restarting doesn't help, go back to Device Manager, right-click the network adapter, and select "Roll back driver" to return to the previous version.

Why does my network driver keep disappearing?

This usually means the driver file is corrupted or Windows is having trouble loading it. Download the driver again from your manufacturer's site and reinstall it. If it keeps disappearing, there may be a hardware problem with your network card, and you should contact your computer manufacturer's support team.