Unexpected relationship is identified between Device Manager and the Local Area Connections

When you install Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 on a system that has two identical network adapters that are installed, the association between the network adapters that are identified in Device Manager and the Local Area Connections that are identified in Network Connections may be reversed. For example, network adapter number 1 may be associated with Local Area Connection 2 and network adapter number 2 may be associated with Local Area Connection 1.

During Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 installation, hardware detection is performed during the initial portion of GUI-mode Setup. The order in which devices are detected is not guaranteed, and the order can change to optimize any platform or for any other reason that affects the timing. A device in a higher-numbered slot on a PCI bus can be enumerated prior to an identical device in a lower-numbered slot on the PCI bus. In the case of network adapters, the net class installer assigns the friendly name that is shown in Device Manager in the order that the devices were enumerated.

The Network Connection Manager assigns the names of Local Area Connection 1 and of Local Area Connection 2 when Windows Explorer loads them during the first boot. The Network Connection Manager calls the SetupDiEnumDeviceInfo function to get the list of devices, and then the Network Connection Manager assigns names to the devices in the list. This problem occurs because Plug and Play sorts the returned list of devices in one order and the SetupDiEnumDeviceInfo function sorts the returned list of devices in a different order. This leads to an unexpected relationship.

To work around this problem, rename the Local Area Connections that are listed in Network Connections.