Wireshark Missing Ethernet 4 Interface: Troubleshooting Guide for Windows 10


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When Wireshark fails to display a network interface that's clearly present in Windows' Network and Sharing Center (like Ethernet 4 in this case), we're typically dealing with one of these scenarios:

  • NPcap/WinPcap driver installation issues
  • Interface binding conflicts
  • Permission restrictions
  • Virtual network adapter interference

First, let's verify the interface status at the system level:

# Run in PowerShell as Administrator
Get-NetAdapter -Name "Ethernet 4" | Format-List -Property *

This should return detailed interface information including its ifIndex value, which Wireshark uses internally. If the interface appears here but not in Wireshark, we've confirmed a Wireshark-specific issue.

Solution 1: Reinstall NPcap in Promiscuous Mode

  1. Uninstall NPcap/WinPcap from Control Panel
  2. Download the latest NPcap installer from nmap.org/npcap
  3. Run installer with these options: 
    ☑ Install Npcap in WinPcap API-compatible Mode
☑ Support raw 802.11 traffic (and monitor mode)
☑ Install loopback capture driver

Solution 2: Reset Interface Bindings

# Command to reset Winsock catalog (run as Admin)
netsh winsock reset

# Then restart the interface
Disable-NetAdapter -Name "Ethernet 4" -Confirm:$false
Enable-NetAdapter -Name "Ethernet 4" -Confirm:$false

If standard fixes fail, we can force Wireshark to recognize the interface:

# Create a registry key for the missing interface
$ifIndex = (Get-NetAdapter -Name "Ethernet 4").ifIndex
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\$ifIndex" /v "MonitorMode" /t REG_SZ /d "Disabled" /f

After making this change, restart the Npcap service:

sc stop npcap
sc start npcap

Check interface visibility in Wireshark's CLI version first:

dumpcap -D
tshark -D

If the interface appears here but not in the GUI, try launching Wireshark as Administrator or check for GUI-specific filters under Capture > Options.

Add these PowerShell commands to a startup script for persistent interface visibility:

# Ensure NPcap binds to all interfaces
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\npcap" -Name "Loopback" -Value 1
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\npcap" -Name "Dot11" -Value 1

When Wireshark fails to display a network interface that's clearly present in Windows' Network and Sharing Center (like Ethernet 4 in this case), we're typically dealing with one of these scenarios:

  • Missing WinPcap/Npcap driver compatibility
  • Insufficient user permissions
  • Interface binding conflicts
  • Wireshark service restrictions

The most common culprit is improper Npcap driver installation. First check if Npcap is properly installed:

# Run in Command Prompt as Administrator
npcap-uninstall.exe
npcap-1.71.exe /winpcap_mode=yes /loopback_support=yes /admin=yes

Key flags explanation:

  • /winpcap_mode=yes: Maintains backward compatibility
  • /loopback_support=yes: Enables loopback capture
  • /admin=yes: Grants administrative privileges

Windows prioritizes interfaces based on binding order. Reset this with:

netsh interface ipv4 reset
netsh interface ipv6 reset

Then reboot your system. This often reappears "hidden" interfaces in Wireshark.

If standard methods fail, manually verify raw socket access to the interface:

# PowerShell script to test raw socket capability
$interface = Get-NetAdapter -Name "Ethernet 4"
$socket = New-Object System.Net.Sockets.Socket(
    [System.Net.Sockets.AddressFamily]::InterNetwork,
    [System.Net.Sockets.SocketType]::Raw,
    [System.Net.Sockets.ProtocolType]::IP
)
$socket.Bind([System.Net.IPEndPoint]::new([System.Net.IPAddress]::Any, 0))
$socket.IOControl(-1744830452, [byte[]](0,0,0,0), $null)

This script tests whether your user account has permission to open raw sockets on the interface - a requirement for Wireshark capture.

For stubborn cases where the interface remains invisible, try this registry modification:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}]
"*PnPCapabilities"=dword:00000024

This forces Windows to expose all interfaces to capture applications. Remember to:

  1. Export your current registry key first
  2. Restart both the interface (disable/enable) and Wireshark after making changes

If all else fails, consider these workarounds:

  • Use dumpcap.exe directly from command line: 
    dumpcap -D
dumpcap -i 4 -w capture.pcapng
  • Create a virtual bridge interface that includes Ethernet 4
  • Use Microsoft Network Monitor as a temporary alternative