To use a VirtIO network card on Windows Server, switch the VPS from an emulated adapter and install the matching Windows driver before testing the connection. On Windows Server 2022, the change usually takes about 10–15 minutes when you keep Virtualizor console access available.
Prerequisites
- A VPS running Windows Server 2022, with administrator access through RDP or the VPS console.
- Access to the VPSLake client area and the VPS control panel (Virtualizor), including its VNC/console and ISO controls.
- A second way into the server: open the Virtualizor console before changing the adapter because your RDP session can disconnect.
- The server’s current IP, gateway, and DNS settings, recorded before the change. This matters if Windows treats the VirtIO adapter as new hardware.
- A VPSLake Windows RDP server with administrator rights if you need an environment for this procedure.
Step 1: Record the current network configuration
Save the adapter details first so you can compare the new interface or re-enter a static address if Windows does not carry it over.
Open Start → Windows PowerShell → Run as administrator and run:
Get-NetAdapter | Format-Table Name,InterfaceDescription,Status,LinkSpeed
Get-NetIPConfiguration -Detailed
ipconfig /allWrite down the active adapter name, IPv4 address, prefix or subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers. A healthy current adapter normally shows Up and an IPv4 configuration with a default gateway.
Name InterfaceDescription Status LinkSpeed
---- -------------------- ------ ---------
Ethernet Microsoft ... Ethernet Adapter Up 1 GbpsMicrosoft’s Get-NetIPConfiguration documentation explains the cmdlet’s interface, address, route, and DNS output.
Step 2: Open a recovery console and mount the VirtIO ISO
The console keeps you in control if the server temporarily has no network after the virtual hardware changes.
In the VPSLake client area, open the server’s VPS control panel (Virtualizor). Open VNC/Console in one browser tab. In another, open CD-ROM/ISO, select the available virtio-win driver ISO, and select Mount.
Wait for the panel to report that the virtual CD-ROM is mounted. Do not change the network card yet if the ISO is still mounting. If no VirtIO ISO is listed, leave the current adapter in place and ask VPSLake support which signed driver media is available for the server.
Step 3: Change the virtual network card to VirtIO
The adapter switch exposes the paravirtualized network device, which Windows Server 2022 can use after its NetKVM driver is installed.
In Virtualizor, open Settings → Network Card, choose VirtIO, and select Change Network Card or Save, depending on the panel label. Confirm the operation if prompted, then wait for the VPS to finish applying the hardware change.
Return to the open VNC/Console session. It is normal for RDP and internet access to stop briefly while Windows detects the new device. If the existing RDP session remains connected, keep the console open until the verification step succeeds.
Step 4: Install the Windows VirtIO network driver
Installing from the mounted media lets Windows choose the compatible signed NetKVM driver instead of relying on a driver intended for a different Windows release.
In the console, open Start → Device Manager. Expand Other devices and look for Ethernet Controller, or find the device with a yellow warning icon under Network adapters.
Right-click the device, select Update driver, and choose Browse my computer for drivers. Select the drive letter assigned to the mounted VirtIO CD-ROM, enable Include subfolders, and select Next. Windows should locate the Server 2022 x64 network driver below the ISO’s driver folders and report that the driver was installed successfully.
If Windows asks for a location instead, browse to the root of the mounted ISO and leave Include subfolders enabled. Do not select an older folder by guesswork; the recursive search allows Windows to match the operating system and architecture. The upstream virtio-win driver project publishes the Windows paravirtualized drivers and their source.
After installation, select Close, then open Device Manager → Network adapters. The VirtIO adapter should have no yellow warning icon. Windows may briefly refresh the adapter while it applies the driver.
Step 5: Restore the IP settings if Windows created a new adapter
Windows may retain a static configuration on the old emulated adapter rather than transferring it to the new VirtIO interface.
Open elevated PowerShell in the console and identify the new interface:
Get-NetAdapter | Format-Table Name,InterfaceDescription,Status,MacAddress
Get-NetIPConfiguration -DetailedIf the new adapter already has the expected address and gateway, do not add another address. If the server uses DHCP, renew only the new interface after substituting its actual name:
ipconfig /renew "YOUR_ADAPTER_NAME"For a static configuration, use the GUI instead of guessing values. Open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network Connections, right-click the connected VirtIO adapter, select Properties → Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties, and enter the exact address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS values recorded in Step 1. Select OK → Close.
Do not assign the old address to the new adapter until you have confirmed that it belongs to this VPS. An incorrect gateway or duplicate address can make the server unreachable.
Verify the VirtIO adapter and connectivity
The conversion is complete when Windows identifies the adapter, shows it as up, has the expected IP configuration, and can reach an external HTTPS endpoint.
Run these checks in elevated PowerShell:
Get-NetAdapter | Where-Object Status -eq "Up" | Format-Table Name,InterfaceDescription,Status,LinkSpeed
Get-NetIPConfiguration -Detailed
Test-NetConnection -ComputerName 1.1.1.1 -Port 443
Resolve-DnsName www.microsoft.comThe first result should identify a VirtIO or Red Hat VirtIO Ethernet Adapter interface with Status set to Up. The final checks should show a successful TCP connection and a DNS answer:
Name InterfaceDescription Status LinkSpeed
---- -------------------- ------ ---------
Ethernet Red Hat VirtIO Ethernet Adapter Up 1 Gbps
ComputerName : 1.1.1.1
RemotePort : 443
TcpTestSucceeded : TrueReconnect through RDP using the server’s normal address. Once RDP and these checks work, return to Virtualizor and open CD-ROM/ISO → Unmount/Eject. Leaving driver media mounted is unnecessary and can make later reinstall or boot operations confusing.
Troubleshooting
RDP disconnected after changing the network card
The new adapter has no driver, no IP address, or the expected static settings stayed on the old adapter. Use Virtualizor → VNC/Console, finish Step 4, and compare Get-NetIPConfiguration -Detailed with the values recorded in Step 1. Keep the console session open until an external Test-NetConnection succeeds.
Ethernet Controller still has a yellow warning icon
Windows did not find a compatible driver in the selected location. Open the device’s Properties → Details → Hardware Ids, confirm that it is the VirtIO network device, then repeat Update driver → Browse my computer from the mounted ISO root with Include subfolders enabled. If the ISO contains no matching Server 2022 x64 driver, unmount it and request the correct signed VirtIO media rather than disabling driver-signing checks.
The adapter is up, but there is no internet access
An active link does not prove that the address, route, or DNS values are correct. Compare the new adapter’s IPv4 address, default gateway, and DNS servers with Step 1, then correct them through the IPv4 properties page. If the address is correct but the test still fails, check any upstream firewall or security rule in the VPS control panel.
ipconfig /renew returns an error
The server may use a static address, or the command may target the old adapter name. Run Get-NetAdapter and Get-NetIPConfiguration -Detailed; use DHCP renewal only when the VPS is actually configured for DHCP. For a static VPS, re-enter the assigned values on the new VirtIO adapter instead.
Hardening after the switch
- Keep Windows Defender Firewall enabled and review inbound rules after the adapter change; do not solve connectivity problems by disabling the firewall.
- Remove or disable the old, disconnected emulated adapter only after confirming that no service or static route still references it.
- Keep the VirtIO ISO unmounted after the driver is installed and retain console access for future network changes.
- Install Windows updates and reboot during a maintenance window if Device Manager reports a pending restart.
FAQ
What does VirtIO change on a Windows VPS?
VirtIO presents a paravirtualized network device designed for virtual machines instead of an emulated legacy adapter. Windows still uses the normal TCP/IP stack, but it needs the matching VirtIO network driver to communicate with the device.
Will switching to VirtIO change my public IP address?
Changing the virtual NIC should not change the address assigned to the VPS, but Windows can treat the new NIC as a separate interface. If the old static settings are not present on the new adapter, re-enter the same provider-assigned values rather than choosing a new address.
Can I switch back if VirtIO does not work?
Yes. Use the VPS control panel’s Settings → Network Card menu from the console workflow and select the previous emulated adapter. Restore the original adapter only as a recovery measure, then install the correct VirtIO driver before trying again.
Do I need to install every driver on the VirtIO ISO?
No. For this change, Windows needs the network NetKVM driver. The Device Manager update process with Include subfolders enabled selects the compatible network driver; storage, balloon, guest-agent, and display drivers are separate components.
