How to disable I217-LM completely

[khchuang]

Hi there,

I disable I217-LM at Windows Control Panel, but the I217-LM still links up at lowest speed with link partner.

Is there a way to disable I217-LM completely (no power off) or disable the transmitter of I217-LM ?

Thanks

[B_Y]

Hi @khchuang,

Thank you for posting in Intel Ethernet Communities.

May I know if this is an Intel system?

1) May we suggest to check and disable in bios because I217-LM should be an ethernet chipset integrated on motherboard.

Generally, the steps would be:

a) Go to BIOS >> Advanced >> integrated Peripherals >> On-board LAN Controller >> disable.

Or

b)Press F2 during boot to enter BIOS Setup.

-Go to Advanced > Devices > Onboard Devices.

-Uncheck the box to disable LAN.

-Press F10 to save and exit BIOS.

2) In case the I217-LM is a pcie adapter, please also boot into BIOS (depending on desktop model, it can be either F2 or F1), depending on which slot - we would advise contacting your computer manufacturer's support services for correct information regarding disabling it.

I hope the following information helps to answer your questions.

Best regards,

BY_Intel

Intel Customer Support

[khchuang]

Hi B_Y

Thanks for the reply.

It is a desktop "HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF" with integrated Ethernet chipset.

So there is no way to disable the Ethernet port completely at Windows so that we can easily disable and enable on the fly ?

[B_Y]

Hi @khchuang,

Thank you for the information. We would like to share the differences when it comes to disabling ethernet from following:

Disabling in BIOS:

Low-Level Control: When you disable a hardware component like the Ethernet port in the BIOS, you are essentially turning it off at the firmware level.

Operating System Independence: Disabling in the BIOS is OS-independent. This means that the Ethernet port will remain disabled regardless of which operating system you boot into (Windows, Linux, etc.), or even if no operating system is installed at all.

Disabling in Windows:

Software / driver -Based Control: When you disable the Ethernet port in Windows, you're doing it through software control. Windows sends a command to the network adapter driver to stop functioning temporarily. This is a higher-level, software-based operation. As you may notice, it is normal to see that the physical links (lights on the Ethernet port) on your network hardware (e.g., the router or switch) may still be lit even though the adapter is disabled in the operating system. Alternatively, physically disconnect the Ethernet cable from the computer. 

OS Dependent: The Ethernet port's status is tied to the Windows operating system. If you dual-boot with another OS or use live bootable systems (e.g., Linux from a USB drive), the Ethernet port will be enabled when you're using those systems unless you disable it through their respective controls.

Disabling the Ethernet transmitter (also known as Ethernet transmit functionality) specifically from within Windows is not a standard feature or option provided by the operating system. Windows typically provides options to disable or enable the entire Ethernet adapter, which affects both the transmitter and receiver but it should still retain the administration link because the disabling is not at the firmware level.

Best regards,

BY_Intel

Intel Customer Support

[B_Y]

Hi @khchuang,

I hope this message finds you well. I am just sending a follow up if you have any questions from the previous post. If so, please let us know. Thank you.

Best regards,

BY_Intel

Intel Customer Support

[B_Y]

Hi @khchuang,

Please be informed that we will now close this request since we haven't received any response from our previous follow ups. Just feel free to post a new question if you may have any other inquiry in the future as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

BY_Intel

Intel Customer Support

[hamidch]

To completely disable I217-LM without turning off the power or the transmitter, you can try going into your computer's BIOS settings and look for an option to disable the network adapter. This should prevent it from linking up with a partner, even at low speeds.