Lose network connection on dock when creating virtual switch in Hyper-V

brguernsey · 05-20-2014, 07:30 PM

I am seeing an issue on the Dell XPS12 (Windows 8.1) and Dell Dock where if I create a virtual switch (network connection) within Hyper-V, the network connection from the dock loses its network connection. This affects the host and the VM. If I remove the virtual switch, the connection is restored to full functionality for the host. I have tried different versions of the display driver (network driver is included) with the same results up to version 7.5.

If memory serves, this was not the case for Windows 8 and upgrading to Windows 8.1 did not show this issue immediately as I have only been chasing this down over the past few months. Upgrading to Windows 8.1 upgrade 1 did not change behavior.

All drivers up to date. Can reproduce across same devices and docks.

Any help would be appreciated.

Smitty · 05-21-2014, 09:42 PM

I'm having the same issue with my Dell XPS 12 (Core I7-3537U, 8GB, Win8.1-Pro-64bit), Dell D3000 dock (DisplayLink), and Hyper-V virtual switch. The "Dell Gigabit Ethernet" device driver is listed as DisplayLink Corp. version 7.5.54496.0 dated 3/21/2014. The "Hyper-V Virtual Ethernet Adapter" device driver is listed as Microsoft version 6.3.9600.16384 dated 6/21/2006.

My Dell Gigabit connection changes to Enabled, and my Hyper-V connection goes to "Identifying" as soon as I setup the Hyper-V virtual switch, but it never changes to the domain name. Network connectivity to our domain is lost from then on - I don't even need to launch a Hyper-V virtual machine.

If I connect to our domain through a Cisco USB to Ethernet dongle (ASIX AX88772) attached directly to the Dell XPS12, it works just fine - the Cisco connection is listed as Enabled and the Hyper-V connection is listed with the domain name connection.

JamesH · 05-29-2014, 04:18 PM

Hi,

Thanks for flagging this - I've raised this internally for investigation.

Thanks,
James

Smitty · 05-30-2014, 07:18 PM

Thanks for looking into this. I've updated to the latest 7.6 driver (7.6.55049.0) with the same results. I have also reloaded the 4401 firmware version from the Targus website (at Dell Support's direction) with the same results.

gparker · 06-04-2014, 07:06 AM

I'm experiencing exactly the same issue. I'm using a Windows 8.1 HP laptop connected to a Kingston dock. The Kingston's NIC appears as a DisplayLink Ethernet adapter in Windows. HELP!

Wim · 07-21-2014, 11:14 AM

We have investigated this. To support Hyper V, the drivers need to be based on a newer version of Windows API than we are using. To support this, our Ethernet driver would need to be re-written to use the new API.

This is not something we are currently planning to do. Until our Ethernet driver moves to using the new API, this will not be supported.

Wim

Smitty · 08-30-2014, 05:42 PM

Very unfortunate.

I was running with another Ethernet adapter for a while, and then decided to move to VMware Player to solve my issue. The VMware option is pricey, but it adds a few marginally desirable features like multi-monitor support.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wim

We have investigated this. To support Hyper V, the drivers need to be based on a newer version of Windows API than we are using. To support this, our Ethernet driver would need to be re-written to use the new API.

This is not something we are currently planning to do. Until our Ethernet driver moves to using the new API, this will not be supported.

Wim

ggreiginsights · 10-07-2014, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wim

This is not something we are currently planning to do. Until our Ethernet driver moves to using the new API, this will not be supported.

Hyper-V is now a fundamental part of the operating system. While I appreciate development work always has to be prioritised, this issue is a complete blocker for some tasks on my Surface 3 as a developer - I would hope that this decision will be revisited really quickly.

scottws · 10-29-2014, 01:22 PM

I concur with ggreiginsights. I recently moved from a Dell Latitude laptop using a traditional laptop dock to a Dell XPS12 that uses a DisplayLink-based dock and discovered this problem almost immediately.

Hyper-V is a built-in, core component of Windows 8.1 and is used by many IT developers, systems administrators, and network administrators. DisplayLink absolutely needs to revisit the decision to not implement a driver that leverages the new Windows API included in Windows 8.1. People need to use Hyper-V on machines that use DisplayLink, but they also need the network to function!

I've currently resorted to using a different no-cost desktop virtualization product, but it has nowhere near the performance of Windows' built-in Hyper-V and doesn't do dynamic vRAM.

Wim · 10-30-2014, 12:26 PM

We are still looking into this. It may not be due to a newer Windows API, as we have tried to reproduce and Hyper-V has worked. When creating a virtual switch the Hyper-V virtual adapter was created, with the IP-address, MAC-address and so on of the DisplayLink network adapter.

We would like to check your network settings when this occurs. Could you share the Network Statistics.txt file that is created when you run our support tool:

http://kb.displaylink.com/269

Also, it looks like other users have had this issue, independent of DisplayLink:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com...w8itprogeneral

It is possible that some of the problems here are not directly due to DisplayLink.

Thanks

Wim

05-20-2014, 07:30 PM	#1
brguernsey Junior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 1	Lose network connection on dock when creating virtual switch in Hyper-V I am seeing an issue on the Dell XPS12 (Windows 8.1) and Dell Dock where if I create a virtual switch (network connection) within Hyper-V, the network connection from the dock loses its network connection. This affects the host and the VM. If I remove the virtual switch, the connection is restored to full functionality for the host. I have tried different versions of the display driver (network driver is included) with the same results up to version 7.5. If memory serves, this was not the case for Windows 8 and upgrading to Windows 8.1 did not show this issue immediately as I have only been chasing this down over the past few months. Upgrading to Windows 8.1 upgrade 1 did not change behavior. All drivers up to date. Can reproduce across same devices and docks. Any help would be appreciated.

05-21-2014, 09:42 PM	#2
Smitty Junior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 3	I'm having the same issue with my Dell XPS 12 (Core I7-3537U, 8GB, Win8.1-Pro-64bit), Dell D3000 dock (DisplayLink), and Hyper-V virtual switch. The "Dell Gigabit Ethernet" device driver is listed as DisplayLink Corp. version 7.5.54496.0 dated 3/21/2014. The "Hyper-V Virtual Ethernet Adapter" device driver is listed as Microsoft version 6.3.9600.16384 dated 6/21/2006. My Dell Gigabit connection changes to Enabled, and my Hyper-V connection goes to "Identifying" as soon as I setup the Hyper-V virtual switch, but it never changes to the domain name. Network connectivity to our domain is lost from then on - I don't even need to launch a Hyper-V virtual machine. If I connect to our domain through a Cisco USB to Ethernet dongle (ASIX AX88772) attached directly to the Dell XPS12, it works just fine - the Cisco connection is listed as Enabled and the Hyper-V connection is listed with the domain name connection. Last edited by Smitty; 06-27-2014 at 08:06 PM. Reason: computer specs. added

06-04-2014, 07:06 AM	#5
gparker Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 1	Me too... I'm experiencing exactly the same issue. I'm using a Windows 8.1 HP laptop connected to a Kingston dock. The Kingston's NIC appears as a DisplayLink Ethernet adapter in Windows. HELP!

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05-29-2014, 04:18 PM	#3
JamesH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,523	Hi, Thanks for flagging this - I've raised this internally for investigation. Thanks, James

05-30-2014, 07:18 PM	#4
Smitty Junior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 3	Thanks for looking into this. I've updated to the latest 7.6 driver (7.6.55049.0) with the same results. I have also reloaded the 4401 firmware version from the Targus website (at Dell Support's direction) with the same results.

07-21-2014, 11:14 AM	#6
Wim Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,561	We have investigated this. To support Hyper V, the drivers need to be based on a newer version of Windows API than we are using. To support this, our Ethernet driver would need to be re-written to use the new API. This is not something we are currently planning to do. Until our Ethernet driver moves to using the new API, this will not be supported. Wim

10-29-2014, 01:22 PM	#9
scottws Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 1	I concur with ggreiginsights. I recently moved from a Dell Latitude laptop using a traditional laptop dock to a Dell XPS12 that uses a DisplayLink-based dock and discovered this problem almost immediately. Hyper-V is a built-in, core component of Windows 8.1 and is used by many IT developers, systems administrators, and network administrators. DisplayLink absolutely needs to revisit the decision to not implement a driver that leverages the new Windows API included in Windows 8.1. People need to use Hyper-V on machines that use DisplayLink, but they also need the network to function! I've currently resorted to using a different no-cost desktop virtualization product, but it has nowhere near the performance of Windows' built-in Hyper-V and doesn't do dynamic vRAM.

10-30-2014, 12:26 PM	#10
Wim Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,561	We are still looking into this. It may not be due to a newer Windows API, as we have tried to reproduce and Hyper-V has worked. When creating a virtual switch the Hyper-V virtual adapter was created, with the IP-address, MAC-address and so on of the DisplayLink network adapter. We would like to check your network settings when this occurs. Could you share the Network Statistics.txt file that is created when you run our support tool: http://kb.displaylink.com/269 Also, it looks like other users have had this issue, independent of DisplayLink: https://social.technet.microsoft.com...w8itprogeneral It is possible that some of the problems here are not directly due to DisplayLink. Thanks Wim