Windows 11 does not have a built-in driver for the RD9700 chipset. When you plug the adapter in, it may show as an "Unknown USB Device" or fail to work with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. You must manually install the driver.
Because these adapters often arrive in .zip formats with an .inf file rather than an automatic installer, follow these steps to install them manually: RD9700 USB2.0 To Fast Ethernet Adapter - DriverMax
If your adapter is not working immediately after plugging it in, follow these steps to manually install the driver: Important Note for Windows 11 Windows 11 does
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| Code 52 (Unsigned driver) | Secure Boot + missing signature | Use driver from Realtek site (signed). Or temporarily disable Secure Boot in UEFI. |
| Code 10 (Device cannot start) | Incompatible driver version | Uninstall driver → Delete device → Scan for hardware changes → Reinstall 3.0.0.0+ driver. |
| No media / Cable unplugged | Power management | Device Manager → Properties of RD9700 → Power Management → Uncheck “Allow computer to turn off this device”. |
| Driver installs but no traffic | Windows 11 network stack reset | Run: netsh int ip reset and netsh winsock reset (admin). Reboot. |
DriverMax: Provides a wizard-based setup file and automated update utility. Uninstalling any existing drivers for the adapter Disabling
Some RD9700 adapters work with the old Realtek RTL8150 driver (included in Windows 11). In Device Manager:
Installing RD9700 USB2.0 to Fast Ethernet Adapter Drivers on Windows 11 Important Note for Windows 11 Windows 11 does
Method 3: Use Device Manager