I am utilizing Intel or now ASUS NUCs as my lab machine for Windows Server and Azure Arc, running Windows Server 2025 and Hyper-V. A common inquiry is the installation of the Asus Intel NUC Windows Server Network Adapter driver, given the absence of specific drivers for Windows Server 2025 operating system. In this blog post we are going to have a look at how you can install the network driver for your 13 generation Asus Intel NUC for the Windows Server 2025 operating system.
In my case I am using a ASUS NUC 13 Pro Kit NUC13ANHi5 (Intel Core i5-1340P)
Btw if you want to learn how to install Windows Server 2025 on the Intel NUC check out my blog on how to create a Windows Server 2025 USB drive.
Here are the simple steps you can follow to install the Asus NUC Windows Server 2025 Network Adapter (NIC) Driver:
Download the latest Networking Drivers for Windows 11 on the ASUS Intel NUC (Intel Ethernet (LAN) Driver for Windows 11 for Intel NUC 13 Pro Kit / Mini PC) support site. This driver can also be forced to use with Windows Server 2025. (Keep in mind it is not recommended to do this with production systems)
Copy the drivers to your ASUS Intel NUC and extract driver zip file and you will see the following files:
Open Device Manager right click on Ethernet Controller and select Update Driver.
Select “Browe on my computer for driver software”, and select “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”, now you can select Network Adapter.
Click on “Have Disk…” enter the following path where you extracted the drivers to.
Now select Intel Ethernet Connection I225-LM
Now you are done and you will be able to use the network adapter of the Asus Intel NUC with Windows Server 2025.
Tags: ASUS NUC, Azure, Hyper-V, Intel, Intel NUC, Microsoft, Virtualization, Windows Server Last modified: October 2, 2024
This is such a helpful walkthrough. NUCs have basically become the standard for home labs because of their footprint, but the lack of official Windows Server driver support is a recurring frustration. I really appreciate you highlighting the “Have Disk” workaround specifically for the Intel I225-LM; I’ve definitely spent way too much time in the past trying to trick Windows into accepting consumer drivers for lab environments.
I actually ran into a similar connectivity hurdle with my own NUC setup recently. Since my main network core is located in a different part of the house, I had to bridge the gap using a fiber optic run to avoid signal degradation over a long distance. I ended up using a compact media converter https://serverorbit.com/network-devices/media-converter/fiber-optic to link the NUC’s copper port to the fiber line. It’s been rock solid for my VM traffic, but getting the initial networking handshake right can be a bit of a dance when you’re mixing consumer hardware with more “enterprise” backhaul solutions like that.
Do you find that the I225-LM stays stable under heavy Hyper-V loads once you’ve forced the driver, or have you noticed any occasional resets?