Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adaptor

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Will Windows 7 (bootcamp) recognize a thunderbolt ethernet adapter?

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7 Answers from the Community

  • Best Answer

    The previous "yes" answer is correct, it does indeed work under Wndows 7 Bootcamp, but the answer is a bit light on detail for a couple of the steps. Here's a fuller explanation:

    1) download the driver per the instructions in the previous answer
    2) unzip the drivers to a temporary folder on your hard drive
    3) connect the adaptor to the thunderbolt port
    4) reboot Windows

    Windows should automatically detect the adaptor now and install it. You may need to point the installer at the location where you unzipped the drivers.

    If Windows doesn't automatically install the device...

    1) go to Start > Control Panel > Hardware & Sound and open Device Manager
    2) click the name of your computer at the top of the device tree
    3) click Action at the top of the window and choose Add Legacy Hardware
    4) Click Next
    5) Select "Install hardware that I manually select..."
    6) Choose Network Adaptors
    7) Choose "Have Disk"
    8) Browse to the location of the drivers you unzipped earlier.
    9) Click the .inf file
    10) Select Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet from the list of drivers available
    11) OK and install

    You may need to reboot again with the adaptor plugged into the Thunderbolt port to finish the job,

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  • Yes...

    Google "broadcom driver windows netxtreme".
    Select the netxtreme I Desktop/Mobile driver.
    Install via device manager (select location where you unzipped driver).
    Note, the PCI ID for this device 14e4:1682 is not listed in Broadcom's web page list of supported IDs. However the driver's .inf does include the requisite matching for the new device ID.

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  • I successfully installed the driver in Window 7 per Benjamin C's instructions. Yes the Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter does work in Windows 7 Boot Camp, however the SLEEP MODE is disabled after installing the driver. (I am using MacBookPro-Retina)

    Somehow Windows complains that the firmware does not support (S3) Sleep mode.
    It's unreasonable for a notebook not to be able to quickly go into sleep mode and wake up from it. Hibernate just takes too long.

    Apple, please respond to this issue.

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    19 of 20 people found this useful

  • Only half way- using either the Broadcom driver or the driver that installs within the package from Lion (BC4.0), the adapter will work so long as you boot Windows 7 fresh with the adapter installed.

    If you:
    1) Insert the adapter after booting,
    2) Unplug and attempt to re-insert the adapter without rebooting

    ... the adapter does not work. Fairly useless for a laptop. Use the USB->Ethernet adapter instead, its the same price although does limit to 100Mb.

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  • I have followed all the instructions here on my new MacBook Air, i7 and the ethernet gets up and going but I have no internet access for some reason on it. I was trying to sync my dropbox faster than it taking a week and use Gigabit Ethernet.

    Disabling and enabling resulted in a massive slow down, then I shut down, which froze, then BSOD. Restarted and it's up and running fine, I am on the network. But no internet.

    I have a Gigabit switch with 8 ports so that is working, it's just not getting the internet from the ADSL router. Has turned in to a real pain.

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    7 of 9 people found this useful

  • Followed the same steps provided by Benjamin C and it works, but I need to reboot everytime I connect the adapter in windows. It does not get recognized if I plug it after my windows is loaded.

    Is there anyway to get the adapter recognized automatically when I plug it after windows is loaded?

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    0 of 0 people found this useful

  • No

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    14 of 46 people found this useful

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