How to fix USB tethering not working in Windows (Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device)

When USB tethering from an Android phone does not work in Windows, the phone usually shows up as a "Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device" that does not start or gets no internet. Most often the fix is on the phone or the cable. If the adapter is there but broken, pick Microsoft's Remote NDIS driver by hand in Device Manager.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2, read against Microsoft Learn, Microsoft Q&A and Android Help.

What the Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device is

Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device is the name Windows gives a phone that shares its mobile data over a USB cable. Remote NDIS (RNDIS) is a Microsoft protocol that lets a USB device act as a network card. So when tethering works, a new wired network adapter simply appears in Windows and the PC goes online through it.

The same adapter shows up under several names, depending on the phone and the driver Windows picked. All of them are the same tethering link:

• Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device, often with a number such as #2 or #3 when you have tethered more than one phone or port.
• Remote NDIS Compatible Device, the second Microsoft model in the driver list.
• USB RNDIS Adapter or USB RNDIS6 Adapter, older names in the same list.
• UsbNcm Host Device, on Windows 11 when the phone uses the newer USB NCM protocol instead of RNDIS.

Why USB tethering does not work in Windows

Most often the problem is on the phone side: USB tethering was never switched on, the cable only charges, or a hub or front panel port drops the data link. Less often Windows loads the right adapter with a driver that does not start, and choosing the Microsoft driver by hand fixes it. Rarely the adapter's registry entry lacks three values, or the carrier blocks tethering.

How to fix USB tethering not working in Windows

Fix 1 solves most cases and takes two minutes. Fixes 2 to 4 repair the Remote NDIS driver when the adapter is there but broken. Fixes 5 to 7 are for an adapter that looks fine but gives no internet.

Fix 1. Switch on USB tethering on the phone with a data cable in a direct port

2 minutesNo riskNo new network adapter appears in Windows, or you are not sure tethering is actually on.

Plugging the phone in only charges it or opens file transfer. Android shares its connection over USB only after you switch on USB tethering, and only through a cable that carries data.

1. Unlock the phone and connect it to the PC with the cable that came with it, in a USB port on the PC itself, not a hub or a front panel port.
2. Check that the phone has working mobile data: open a web page on it.
3. On the phone, swipe down from the top of the screen.
4. Touch and hold Hotspot. If it is not there, tap Edit and drag Hotspot into Quick Settings.
5. Turn on USB tethering. On older Android versions the path is Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > USB tethering.
6. On the PC, press Win + X, select Device Manager and expand Network adapters. A Remote NDIS adapter should appear within a few seconds.
7. If it does not, try another cable and another port, then restart both the phone and the PC.

Fix 2. Pick the Microsoft Remote NDIS driver by hand in Device Manager

5 minutesLow riskThe Remote NDIS adapter is listed, but with a yellow warning mark, Code 10, or no connection.

Windows sometimes binds the phone to a driver model that does not start. This is the method a Microsoft Community support specialist gives for this exact device: choose the Microsoft Remote NDIS model from the full list.

1. Keep the phone connected with USB tethering on.
2. Right-click Start and select Device Manager, then expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device and select Update driver, then Browse my computer for drivers.

   

4. Select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
5. Clear the Show compatible hardware box.
6. Under Manufacturer select Microsoft, under Model select Remote NDIS Compatible Device, and select Next.

   

7. Confirm the warning about compatibility with Yes, then restart the PC and the phone.

Fix 3. Uninstall the Remote NDIS adapter and let Windows add it again

5 minutesLow riskFix 2 did not help, or tethering worked before and stopped after an update.

Windows keeps one adapter entry for every phone and port you have tethered, which is why numbers like #2 and #3 appear. Removing the entry makes Windows set up the adapter from scratch with its built-in RNDIS driver.

1. Connect the phone and switch on USB tethering.
2. Open Device Manager and expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device and select Uninstall device, then Uninstall (or Yes).

   

4. Remove the other numbered Remote NDIS entries the same way. Select View > Show hidden devices to see the ones of phones that are not connected.
5. Select Action > Scan for hardware changes.
6. Wait until the adapter appears again under Network adapters.

The general steps, with Windows 11 screenshots, are in Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.

Fix 4. Add the missing interface values to the Remote NDIS adapter in the registry

15 minutesRead the warningFixes 2 and 3 did not help, and the adapter stays "cable unplugged" or has no network type.

Windows reads the interface type of each network adapter from three values in its registry key. A Microsoft Community support specialist gives these values for the Remote NDIS adapter when they are missing, so Windows treats it as a normal Ethernet link.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run this command. The space after start= is required:

   sc.exe config netsetupsvc start= disabled

   

2. Do Fix 3 once more: uninstall the Remote NDIS adapter and select Action > Scan for hardware changes.
3. Press Win + R, type regedit, press Enter and go to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

4. Open the numbered subkeys (0000, 0001 and so on) until DriverDesc reads Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device. There may be several; do each one.
5. In that subkey, right-click an empty area, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and create *IfType, *MediaType and *PhysicalMediaType.
6. Set *IfType to 6, *MediaType to 0 and *PhysicalMediaType to e with Hexadecimal selected, which is 14 in Decimal.

   

7. Close Registry Editor and turn the service back on:

   sc.exe config netsetupsvc start= demand

8. In Device Manager, right-click the Remote NDIS adapter, select Disable device, then right-click again and select Enable device.

The value field does not accept 0xe. That is why users on Microsoft Q&A could not type it: enter e in Hexadecimal, or 14 in Decimal. If the three values already exist with these numbers, leave them as they are.

Fix 5. Check the tethering adapter in Network Connections

5 minutesNo riskThe adapter looks fine in Device Manager, but there is no internet or Windows keeps using Wi-Fi.

The tethering link is just another Ethernet adapter. If it is disabled, gets no address, or loses to a Wi-Fi network without internet, tethering looks broken while the driver is fine.

1. Press Win + R, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.
2. Find the adapter whose description reads Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device. It is usually named Ethernet with a number.
3. If it is greyed out, right-click it and select Enable.
4. If it shows a red X or Network cable unplugged, turn USB tethering off and on again on the phone.
5. To test, turn off Wi-Fi on the PC, so the tethering adapter is the only connection.
6. Open Command Prompt, run the command below and look for an IPv4 address under the tethering adapter:

   ipconfig

Fix 6. Reset the Windows network stack

10 minutesLow riskThe adapter is connected, but it gets no valid address or no page opens.

A damaged Winsock or TCP/IP setting stops every adapter, including the tethering one, from getting an address. The commands clear it without touching the RNDIS driver, which is why this comes after the driver fixes.

1. Open an elevated command window. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin), or type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
2. Flush the DNS cache. Type the command below and press Enter. Windows forgets the website addresses it looked up earlier and asks for them again.

   ipconfig /flushdns

3. Reset Winsock. Type the command below and press Enter. It returns the Windows sockets catalog to its default state.

   netsh winsock reset

4. Reset TCP/IP. Type the command below and press Enter. If you entered an IP address or DNS server by hand, note it first: you may need to enter it again.

   netsh int ip reset

5. Get a new IP address. Run these two commands one after the other. The connection drops for a moment between them.

   ipconfig /release
   ipconfig /renew

6. Restart the PC. Restart Windows so the Winsock and TCP/IP resets take effect, then test the connection. If it still does not work, continue with the network reset below.

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and later. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Reset the network and flush DNS

Fix 7. Install Windows updates and optional driver updates

15 minutesLow riskTethering stopped after a Windows update, or the PC has not been updated for a long time.

The RNDIS and NCM class drivers ship with Windows and are updated through Windows Update. The USB controller drivers that carry the link also come from there or from the PC maker.

1. Restart. Restart the PC. Windows detects the device again and installs a driver for it.
2. Check optional driver updates. Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates. If driver updates are listed, tick the ones you need and select Download & install.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and later. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver

Install the chipset and USB drivers from the PC or motherboard maker as well. Avoid third-party driver updater programs, and do not download a "Remote NDIS driver" from a download site.

If USB tethering still does not work

Device Manager tells you the most. Right-click the Remote NDIS adapter, select Properties and read Device status on the General tab, then the Events tab for the last driver install.

• What to tell support. The phone model and Android version, your Windows version, the adapter name and status from Device Manager, and whether tethering works on another PC.
• When it is hardware. A cable that only charges, a worn phone port, or a dead USB port on the PC. If no USB device works in that port, it is the port.
• A newer protocol. Microsoft recommends USB NCM over RNDIS. If your phone offers an NCM mode, Windows 11 drives it with its built-in UsbNcm.sys; Windows 10 has no such driver.

How to keep USB tethering working

If tethering breaks again after a Windows update, Fix 3 is usually the quickest way back: remove the adapter and let Windows set it up again. Turn tethering off on the phone when you are done to save battery.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device?

It is the network adapter Windows creates when a phone shares its internet connection over a USB cable. Remote NDIS (RNDIS) is a Microsoft protocol that lets a USB device work as a network card. Windows loads its built-in driver, Rndismp.sys, automatically. The adapter appears under Network adapters in Device Manager and as an extra Ethernet connection in Network Connections. You do not need to install anything for it.

Why is my Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device not working?

Most often USB tethering is not switched on on the phone, or the cable only charges. If the adapter appears with a yellow mark or Code 10, its driver did not start: pick the Microsoft Remote NDIS Compatible Device model by hand, or uninstall the adapter and scan for hardware changes. If it looks fine but has no internet, check it in Network Connections and reset the network stack.

Where do I download the Remote NDIS driver for Windows 10 or Windows 11?

You do not need to. Microsoft Learn lists the RNDIS class driver among the drivers built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. They are installed automatically and updated through Windows Update. If the adapter fails, the fix is to choose the built-in Microsoft model by hand in Device Manager (Fix 2) or to reinstall the adapter (Fix 3). Avoid download sites that offer RNDIS driver packages.

Why does Windows show Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device #2 or #3?

Windows keeps a separate adapter entry for each phone and each USB port it has tethered through. The second one becomes #2, the third #3. That is normal and not a fault. Old entries can get in the way, though: in Device Manager, select View > Show hidden devices, uninstall the extra Remote NDIS entries, and scan for hardware changes with the phone connected.

How do I fix USB tethering not working in Windows 11?

The steps are the same as in Windows 10. Switch on USB tethering on the phone with a data cable in a port on the PC itself. In Device Manager, check the Remote NDIS adapter: if it has a warning mark, pick the Microsoft Remote NDIS Compatible Device driver or reinstall the adapter. Windows 11 also has a built-in USB NCM driver, so phones that use NCM may show as UsbNcm Host Device.

What is the difference between Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device and Remote NDIS Compatible Device?

Both are Microsoft driver models for the same RNDIS adapter, and both appear in the Microsoft list when you clear Show compatible hardware. Windows picks one automatically. When tethering fails, switching to the other model by hand is a known fix from Microsoft's community support. If one does not work, try the other. Neither is a separate download.

Does USB tethering work on a Mac?

Not with an Android phone. Google's Android Help states that Mac computers cannot tether with Android by USB. On a Mac, use the phone's Wi-Fi hotspot or Bluetooth tethering instead. This page is about Windows, where Android USB tethering works through the Remote NDIS adapter once the phone side and the driver are right.

Why does Network Connections say the cable is unplugged during USB tethering?

The tethering adapter is a wired Ethernet adapter to Windows, so when it gets no link it reports a network cable unplugged. That usually means USB tethering was switched off, the phone was locked or asleep when you connected, or the driver is not working. Turn tethering off and on again on the phone. If it stays unplugged, try Fixes 2 to 4.

Why do I see this page when I searched in another language?

People also search this problem in their own language, for example Spanish ("no funcionó"), Russian, Polish or French. This page answers it in English. In short: switch on USB tethering on the phone with a data cable, then check the Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device in Device Manager. The fixes work the same in every language version of Windows.