Windows 7 ethernet goes to sleep! [solved]

Question. Hello! I have a problem with my network connection in Windows 7. Everything works great until the computer has been at rest for a while, then my ethernet connection drops out! As soon as I move my mouse or keyboard the ethernet comes back on. My laptop is NOT in sleep/hibernate mode when all this occurs! Please help!?

Answer. Great question :-). Here’s a potential solution for your Ethernet woes 😉

  1. Go to Control Panel -> Network and Internet -> View network status and tasks -> Adapter settings
  2. Double click on the network connection that is giving you problems. In this example the “Local Area Connection” which is the Intel82567LM Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
  3. Click the “Properties” button
  4. Click the “Configure” button
  5. Go to the “Power Management” pane
  6. Uncheck the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”

Screenshot of Windows 7 power management pane for Ethernet controller

Hopefully that will do the trick for you!

PS one more Control Panel area to checkout:

Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Power Options\Edit Plan Settings

And then the “Change advanced power settings” option, there you will find a plethora of power related settings that you may want to adjust, especially the “wireless adapter settings”:

Windows 7 ethernet power/performance options

One comment

  • Chris

    My Ethernet adapter sleeps even when “allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” is unchecked and only comes on when it is physically connected to another device. I want it to stay on even when it is not physically connected. Please Help

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