Fix Hyper-V Network Dropouts on Broadcom Adapter

When trying to access my Hyper-V virtual machines, I experienced a network outage. After a little investigation, I stumbled upon a message that said ‘Miniport NIC ‘Microsoft Hyper-V Network Adapter’ restarted.’ This basically means that the network adapter used by your virtual switch restarted, which caused you to notice a network dropout. This is not what you want to happen in a production environment. In this post, we will talk about this issue and see how to deal with Hyper-V Network Dropouts on Broadcom Adapter.

Miniport NIC ‘Microsoft Hyper-V Network Adapter’ restarted

Source: Hyper-V-Netvsc

Event ID: 11

Why does my Hyper-V virtual machine keep losing network connectivity?

If your Hyper-V Virtual Machine keeps on losing network connectivity, check if there is some issue with the host network and if it is experiencing the drop as well. If there is no network drop at the host end, follow the solutions mentioned hereinafter to resolve your issue. But if the host is losing connectivity, reboot the network device, and make sure that all the cables are plugged in firmly.

Hyper-V Network Dropouts on Broadcom Adapter

If you experience Hyper-V Network Dropouts on Broadcom Adapter, follow the solutions mentioned below.

1. Check if NetworkStateChangeTask is running
2. Create another switch and add it to your VM
3. Disable Virtual Machine Queue of the host network adapter
4. Use a static IP address
5. Update Network Drivers

Let us talk about them in detail.

1] Check if NetworkStateChangeTask is running

If you do not want the NIC or Network Interface Card allow your computer to connect to the network. If it restarts, your computer will lose the connection. In order to facilitate the network switch, there is a task called NetworkStateChangeTask in the Task Scheduler on your host computer which turns off NIC. If the tasks are scheduled and triggered, the network change will happen and there will be a network dropout. To confirm this, we recommend the task. So, open the Task Scheduler, find NetworkStateChangeTask, right-click on it, and select Disable. Once done, check if you are noticing network dropouts.

2] Create another switch and add it to your VM

There is a possibility that your virtual switch is corrupted or has some glitches due to which you are experiencing network dropouts. In order to resolve the issue, we will have to create a new switch and add it to our virtual machine. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.

• Open the Hyper-V Manager.
• From the Actions section, click on the Virtual Switch Manager.
• Select New virtual network switch, then choose “External” (you can select Internal or Private as well if you know what you are doing), and then click on Create virtual switch.
• Give the switch a name and click on Apply > Ok.

Once you have created the new switch, we will remove the current switch that your VM is using and add the new one.

• Right-click on the virtual machine and select Settings.
• Go to the Network Adapter tab, and then from the drop-down menu associated with Virtual Switch, select the switch we created.
• Finally, click on Apply > Ok.

After setting up the system, reboot the computer, and launch your VM, hopefully, it will start working.

3] Disable Virtual Machine Queue of the host network adapter

Virtual Machine Queue (VMQ) helps improve network performance in virtualized environments. However, at times, VMQ has been caught causing issues with the virtual machine’s network. Since it is not a must-have feature, we can go ahead and disable it. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below on your host and virtual machine.

1. Open the Device Manager by Win + X > Device Manager.
2. Now, look for Network adapters and expand it.
3. Right-click on the network adapter (since there are multiple adapters, you need to look for the one that has VMQ) and select Properties.
4. Go to the Advanced tab, select Virtual Machine Queue from Property, and then select Disabled from Value.
5. Click on Ok.

Finally, reboot your host machine and then see if the issue is resolved.

4] Use a Static IP address

Using a static IP address when working with virtual machines has various benefits. It provides network consistency and can help prevent abrupt network dropouts. So, we recommend you set a static IP on your host machine and then check if the issue is resolved.

5] Update Network drivers

You should also update network drivers as if they are outdated, you will encounter various compatibility issues. Follow any one of the methods mentioned below to update your driver.

1. Navigate to the manufacturer’s website to update your driver.
2. Update your drivers from the Device Manager.
3. Download a free driver update tool to keep your drivers updated.

After updating the driver, check if the issue is resolved.

Hopefully, you will be able to resolve this issue using the solutions mentioned in this post.

Read: Hyper-V No internet access in Windows

How do I disable Vmq on my Broadcom network adapter?

To disable VMQ, you can open the Device Manager, expand the Network adapters, right-click on the Broadcom network adapter, go to Properties > Advanced, look for Virtual Machine Queue, and set it to Disabled. Alternatively, run the Disable-NetAdapterVmq command in either Command Prompt or PowerShell (as an admin).

What is Event ID 11 in Event Viewer?

Event ID 11 in the Windows Event Viewer typically indicates that a driver has detected a controller error. This error often points to a problem with a disk controller or a malfunctioning hardware component.

Read: Can’t Connect to Hyper-V Virtual Machine on Windows.