OptiPlex 3040/3030 AIO / Inspiron 5458 and other systems with the Realtek PCIe GBE Family Network Controller randomly disconnecting

The OptiPlex 3040/3030 AIO, Inspiron 5458 and other system equipped with thenRealtek PCIe GBE Family Network Controller may experience an issue with the network device randomly disconnecting. Follow the steps provided in this article to resolve the issue.

Network Controller randomly disconnecting

The OptiPlex 3040/3030 AIO and Inspiron 14 5458 systems may experience dropped or intermittent network connections using the Realtek PCIe GBE Family Network Controller. The network device will show as disabled in the system tray, and is unable to connect to any available networks. The issue is random in nature and may disappear after a subsequent reboot of the system.

Configure the Advanced properties of the Realtek PCIe GBE Family Network Controller driver to resolve the issue

To resolve the issue, follow the steps below to update the Realtek PCIe GBE Family Network Controller and configure the Advanced properties of the driver with the suggested changes:

1. Download and install the latest drivers for the Realtek PCIe Ethernet Controller from Dell Support / Drivers & Downloads under the Network category.
2. Open the Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel.
3. Click Change adapter settings on the left menu.
4. Right click the Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (Local Area Connection) and select properties, then click the Advanced tab (Figure 1):

   
   Figure 1: Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller Advanced properties

5. Find the following properties within the list and change to the appropriate Value below:
   • Auto Disable Gigabit > Relink Battery or AC
   • Green Ethernet > Disable
   • Energy Efficient Ethernet > Disable