SP3 Docking Station Network Adapter Disappears

Hi BaoT,

Please check the following:

• With the Surface connected to the Docking Station and network, unplug the Docking Station from the power outlet, leave it unplugged for 30 seconds to a minute, then plug it back and see if the network is recognized.
• After, please check for Windows updates one last time, while the Docking Station is connected to the Surface.
• Do you have the possibility to test a different Surface Pro Docking Station? If you have a Microsoft Store in your area, please try to do so. This is the best way to determine if the issue is indeed with the Docking station or hardware related.

 Additionally, please read the following support article:

• Troubleshoot Docking Station for Surface Pro
• Install Surface and Windows updates
• If Surface Pro isn't charging while docked
• If you have trouble connecting Surface to the Docking Station
• If you have problems with audio and sound while docked
• If you have a problem with a wireless accessory while docked

If the issue persists after the performing the previous steps, we highly suggest you contact our Technical Support Team for further help and options.

Depending on what is most convenient for you, you can:

1. Open a service request yourself, using our **Online Service Center**
2. Contact our Technical Support team**here**

We hope this helps!

Best Wishes,

Have you tried disabling the Selective Suspend option under the Ethernet adapter properties? That seems like a possible solution.

I had the problem after upgrading to Windows 10, the dock Ethernet had problems connecting but just applied all the windows 10 updates and the problem went away.

Hi everyone, I have had a very similar problem with multiple Surface Pros and docks. The Ethernet connection would connect, identify, disconnect in an endless loop and never deliver a stable active connection.

I found a suggestion elsewhere that I tried and for me, it worked. What I did was to go to the Properties of the Surface Pro Ethernet adapter, hit 'Configure' for the 'Surface Ethernet Adapter' and then on the 'Advanced' tab disable 'Energy Efficient Ethernet'. I did this on three SP2 / docks and the Ethernet has been 100% stable since making the change.

Hope this helps someone, because it drove me mad ! Cheers.

But I can say that plugging it in killed the ethernet connection in the docking station, so the adapter is going in the drawer and isn't connecting to the SP3 any more ...

OK. On another forum when I originally had this problem, someone said "I have a bunch of these docking stations in service and have had no problems - return it and get a replacement, it's defective."

I should have listened.

After my post above about it being the external USB ethernet adapter - I factory reset the SP3 (fourth time in three days) and reinstalled everything without ever connecting the USB ethernet adapter - and the problem came back!

Last Friday I bought another full SP3 setup - SP3, type cover, and docking station.  It was being configured for another of my users but today, just on spec, I took the other dock and connected it to the same ethernet cable and port, dropped in my SP3 - and bingo, a solid connection.

Contacted a Microsoft Store rep on chat - they said "oh, only 30 days warranty on accessories, we can't do anything for you" but then suggested I phone technical support.

Tech support set me up with a walk in appointment at my local Microsoft Store (luckily there are two in the city in which I live) and my dock was exchanged for a replacement.

Returned to the office, connected the new dock, and immediately got another solid connection.

If you're struggling with the same issues of occasionally but rarely getting a network connection, you might want to consider whether there could be a few bad apples in the bunch of docks out there (and mine was from the original first release in August 14 but the replacement dock is from the same lot, 1433).

With any luck, this will be my last post on this thread!

Hi David Brinkman & Bill_Ru,

On behalf of the Microsoft Community we welcome you and thank you for posting in our forums! We value the time you have taken to consult this issue with us as well as the positive feedback provided. I’m sorry to hear your Ethernet connection drops randomly while the Surface Pro 3 is on the Docking Station. I can certainly see how this can be very inconvenient and annoying, so please know I will do my best to assist and guide you towards a viable solution.

In this case, it is imperative that you make sure and verify that all and latest Windows Updates have been installed, and that they were applied while the Surface was connected to the Dock.

With Surface on and docked, manually check for updates and install all that are available:

**Desktop> Swipe for Charms> Settings> Control panel> Windows update> check for updates> install.**Restart between layers of updates, even if not prompted to.  Restart twice after the last update installs.

Additionally, please see the below support article:

• Troubleshoot docking stations for Surface Pro

Please keep us posted and let us know of your results.

We are here to help!

Best Wishes,