Determine Network Adapter Type via WMI

Question

I\'m using WMI (Win32_NetworkAdapter) and trying to get the details of attached physical network adapters either wired or wireless and avoid virtual adapters, etc.

R

Answer 1

You can use new WMI class MSFT_NetAdapter in 'root\StandardCimv2' namespace. This class was introduced in Windows 8.

We can use property ConnectorPresent to filter only to physical adapters. Next we must eliminate Wi-Fi adapters (which is present among physical adapters), we can use InterfaceType and/or NdisPhysicalMedium properties.

InterfaceType is defined by the Internet Assigned Names Authority (IANA) and for all ethernet-like interfaces is value ethernetCsmacd (6) (see https://www.iana.org/assignments/ianaiftype-mib/ianaiftype-mib).

In NdisPhysicalMedium is for ethernet adapters values 0 or 802.3 (14).

So my solution for this in C# is:

try
{
    var objectSearcher = new ManagementObjectSearcher("root\\StandardCimv2", $@"select Name, InterfaceName, InterfaceType, NdisPhysicalMedium from MSFT_NetAdapter where ConnectorPresent=1"); //Physical adapter

    int count = 0;
    foreach (var managementObject in objectSearcher.Get())
    {
        //The locally unique identifier for the network interface. in InterfaceType_NetluidIndex format. Ex: Ethernet_2.
        string interfaceName = managementObject["InterfaceName"]?.ToString();
        //The interface type as defined by the Internet Assigned Names Authority (IANA).
        //https://www.iana.org/assignments/ianaiftype-mib/ianaiftype-mib
        UInt32 interfaceType = Convert.ToUInt32(managementObject["InterfaceType"]);
        //The types of physical media that the network adapter supports.
        UInt32 ndisPhysicalMedium = Convert.ToUInt32(managementObject["NdisPhysicalMedium"]);

        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(interfaceName) &&
            interfaceType == 6 &&       //ethernetCsmacd(6) --for all ethernet-like interfaces, regardless of speed, as per RFC3635
            (ndisPhysicalMedium == 0 || ndisPhysicalMedium == 14))   //802.3
        {
            count++;
        }
    }

    return count;
}
catch (ManagementException)
{
    //Run-time requirements WMI MSFT_NetAdapter class is included in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
}