TP-Link Powerline adapter Unidentified Network error [FIX]

Tashreef Shareef
by Tashreef Shareef
Windows & Software Expert
Tashreef Shareef is a software developer turned tech writer. He discovered his interest in technology after reading a tech magazine accidentally. Now he writes about everything tech from Windows to iOS and streaming services... Read more
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Powerline adapters are great little adapters that allow you to extend your WiFi internet connectivity throughout the house. However, at times the Powerline adapters may malfunction resulting in an unidentified network error.

Affected users notice the unidentified network message when connecting Powerline adapters to their PC. The error is not common for the Powerline adapters but not rare either.

If you are also affected by the error, here are a couple of troubleshooting tips you can try to resolve it.

 How do I fix Powerline Adapter Unidentified network error?

  1. Reset Winsock IPv4 / IPv6 Entries to Default
  2. Disable / Re-Enable Network Card
  3. Disable IPv6 for Network Properties
  4. Update/Uninstall Network Adapter
  5. Other Solutions to Try
  6. Factory Reset your Adapter

1. Reset Winsock IPv4 / IPv6 Entries to Default

Firstly, reset your PC, router/modem. Wait for approximately 20 seconds and turn everything on again. If that doesn’t help, continue with the troubleshooting.

In case your Winsock Catalog is corrupted, you can fix it by resetting the Winsock entries to installation default. Here is how to do it.

  1. Type cmd in the Cortana/Search. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
    Cmd as admin
  2. In the Command Prompt, type these commands one by one and hit Enter.
    netsh winsock reset catalog
    netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log
    netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log
  3. Close the Command Prompt window and reboot your system. After the restart, connect to the Powerline adapter and check for any improvements.

2. Disable / Re-Enable Network Card

If the problem is not due to Powerline adapters, it could be a problem with your network adapteron your PC. Try to disable and re-enable the network adapter to see if that resolves the error. Here is how to do it.

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type control and hit enter.
  3. In the Control Panel, click on Network and Internet.
  4. Click on Network and Sharing Center.
    Change adapter Settings - Network and sharing center - Network and internet - Windows 10
  5. From the left pane click on Change Adapter settings.
    Disable Network Adapater - Windows 10
  6. Right-click on the network adapter that is affected by the powerline adapter problem and select Disable option. The network adapter will be greyed out.
    Re-Enable network adapter Windows 10
  7. Right-click on the disabled network adapter and select “Enable”.
  8. Reboot your system and check for any improvements.

3. Disable IPv6 for Network Properties

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

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IPv6 is the successor to the popular IPv4. However, not all the devices are fully compatible with the IPv6 protocol and can cause issues with internet connectivity due to incompatibility.

You can try to disable the IPv6 protocol and see if that makes a difference.

  1. Press Windows Key + R.
  2. Type control and hit enter.
  3. Click on Network and Internet.
  4. Click on Network and Sharing Center.
    Change adapter Settings - Network and sharing center - Network and internet - Windows 10
  5. From the left pane, click on Change adapter settings.
  6. Now right-click on the problematic network and select Properties.
    Network Card Properties - Network and Sharing Center - Change Adapater Setting
  7. In the Properties window, uncheck “Internet Protocol Version 6(TCP/IPv6)”.
  8. Click OK to save the changes.
  9. Reboot your computer and check for any improvements.

4. Update/Uninstall Network Adapter

  1. Type Device Manager in the Cortana/Search and open it.
  2. In the Device Manager, expand Network Adapters.
    Update Ethernet driver
  3. Right-click on your ethernet card and select Update Driver.
    Update Ethernet driver - Search automatically for Driver
  4. Select Search and update the driver automatically. Windows will download install the driver automatically.

Check for any improvements. If not, do the following:

  1. Right-click on your ethernet adapter again and click Uninstall. Click Yes to confirm.
    Uninstall Network Adapter - Device Manager
  2. Once uninstalled, click on Actions and select Scan for hardware changes.
    device manager scan for hardware changes
  3. If the drivers are not installed after the hardware scan, reboot your system and Windows will install them automatically after the restart.

5. Other Solutions to Try

  • Avoid plugging the Adapter into any socket that is located near household appliances that consume a lot of power.
  • Plug the adapter directly to your wall socket without any extension. Using the extension can impact performance.
  • Try not to plug any other adapter like mobile charger or laptop charger to the same socket that has your Powerline adapter connected.

6. Factory Reset your Adapter

As a last resort, you can try to factory reset the Powerline adapter. The steps to factory reset adapters may differ depending on the maker of the adapter. The below steps are for TP-Link Adapters.

  1. Connect the Powerline adapter to a Windows computer.
  2. Download and install the TPLink Management Utility. You don’t need to download this utility if you have the source CD provided with the adapters.
  3. Open the Management Utility and go to System and click on “Reset Local Devices” button.
    TP-Link Powerline Adapaters Factory REset
  4. Once the reset process is over, disconnect the adapter and connect to the wall socket and check for any improvements.

If you have the Wireless Powerline adapter, you can reset it by pressing and holding the Reset button using a pin for 10 seconds.

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