How do you check the current duplex value of a network card set to Auto negotiate in Windows?

Question

I would like to know what duplex (half or full) my network card has negotiated with a switch when they are both set to auto configuration in Windows.

Answer 1

Without looking at the switch, the only way it seems possible is if the windows driver for your NIC reports this information. To see if it does, go to Control Panel --> Administrator Tools --> Event Viewer. You then want to look at the System logs (in Windows7 this is under the Windows Logs tree). Once you found the System logs, click on Source at the top to use as the sorting criteria. Now look for your NIC driver, mine for example is b57nd60a. Scroll through all the entries that your NIC driver has made and if you're lucky you'll see what speed it negotiated at in the event report.

Answer 2

Some cards (Intel for example) have a diagnostic suite that shows this information. This software is often not installed. Usually just the driver is installed and the diagnostic/management app is not. I believe the Intel app is called ProSet

Answer 3

The easiest way I can think of is to get a switch that has lights on the front or a management interface and simply take a look.

Other than that, I am not really aware of any software able to tell you.

Answer 4

There is no software-way to report the duplex mode negotiated(especially with a switch) because all of those things happen on the physical layer.

You will need some kind of measurement device to diagnose that electronically.