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What Ethernet link speed and duplex tell you
Link speed is the rate negotiated between your computer’s Ethernet adapter and the device at the other end of that connection, usually a router or switch port. A value such as 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps describes that local link; it does not measure the throughput your internet provider delivers. A speed test measures a different part of the connection and cannot, by itself, show what Ethernet rate was negotiated. TP-Link’s Ethernet speed guide explains the operating-system link-speed display.
Duplex describes how data can travel over the link. Full duplex allows sending and receiving at the same time. The current link’s duplex value may be shown separately from speed, depending on the operating system, adapter, and driver.
Check Ethernet speed and duplex in Windows
Read the current link speed
- Press Windows + R, type
ncpa.cpl, and press Enter. - Right-click the active Ethernet connection and select Status.
- Read the Speed value. This is the reported link rate for the connection, not an internet speed-test result.
Windows labels and menus can vary somewhat by release. The procedure is documented in TP-Link’s guide.
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Inspect adapter properties and duplex options
To look for a duplex field or driver-specific speed/duplex setting, open the Ethernet connection’s Properties, select Configure, and inspect the Advanced tab. The available property names and choices depend on the adapter and its driver; not every adapter exposes the same Duplex field.
Do not confuse a configurable Speed & Duplex property with the current negotiated speed shown in Status. Inspecting a setting is different from changing it. Microsoft documents the advanced-property view and its PowerShell equivalent in Get-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty.
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Read adapter details in PowerShell
To list basic network adapter properties, open PowerShell and run:
Get-NetAdapter
To inspect advanced properties exposed by a particular adapter, run:
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Get-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty -Name "Ethernet"
Replace Ethernet with the adapter alias shown on your computer. These commands inspect information; avoid using a configurable speed/duplex option just to find the current link rate. Microsoft’s references cover Get-NetAdapter and Get-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty.
Check Ethernet speed and duplex in macOS
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings > Network.
- Select the Ethernet service and open Details.
- Choose Hardware and read the displayed speed and duplex values.
The exact labels can vary with macOS version and adapter. The cited TP-Link guide illustrates a 1000baseT, full-duplex connection; that is an example, not a result every Mac or adapter will show.
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Check Ethernet speed and duplex in Linux
Find the interface and query it
If you do not know the Ethernet interface name, list interfaces with:
ip link
Interface names vary across machines and distributions. Use the actual Ethernet interface name in this read-only query; for example:
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ethtool enp3s0
Replace enp3s0 with your interface. In the output, check Speed, Duplex, and Auto-negotiation. The ethtool manual documents the query command and separate options that can change link settings.
Understand other reported modes
Depending on the adapter and driver, output may also include supported, locally advertised, or peer-advertised link modes. Linux kernel documentation describes link-mode information that includes current speed and duplex, autonegotiation status, and these supported or advertised modes. See the Linux kernel ethtool netlink documentation.
If a field is unknown or unavailable, the output alone may not identify why: the adapter, driver, link state, or permissions can affect what is reported. There is no single explanation that applies to every missing value.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to check if the link rate is lower than expected
A low negotiated rate is a symptom to investigate, not a diagnosis. Check these items in order:
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- Compare port capabilities. Check the supported rates of the computer’s Ethernet adapter and the router or switch port it connects to. The link cannot be assessed against a rate that one of those ports does not support.
- Inspect adapter properties. Confirm which adapter and driver are active, and review the driver’s available properties without changing them merely to see the current rate.
- Check the cable and port path. Inspect the cable and the ports in the connection. A cable may be worth replacing if it is damaged or unsuitable, but a new cable is not a guaranteed fix.
- On Linux, compare modes. If reported, review supported and advertised modes alongside the current speed and duplex to see what the adapter and link partner advertise.
A throughput problem alone does not prove there is a duplex mismatch. Avoid casually forcing speed or duplex: the correct configuration depends on adapter support and the link partner, and changing settings is different from checking them. The ethtool manual describes commands that change speed, duplex, and negotiation behavior; Windows advanced properties can also expose configurable driver settings, as documented by Microsoft.
Quick Recap
How the checking methods differ
| Operating system | Where to check | What it can show | Read-only check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Ethernet connection > Status | Reported link speed. Duplex or a configurable Speed & Duplex property may be available in the adapter’s driver-specific Advanced properties. | Status and the PowerShell inspection commands read information. Changing an Advanced property changes configuration. |
| macOS | System Settings > Network > Ethernet > Details > Hardware | Speed and duplex values, where provided for the service and adapter. | Reading Hardware details does not change link settings. |
| Linux | ethtool <interface> |
Current speed, duplex, autonegotiation status, and potentially supported or advertised modes. | The ordinary query reads values. Separate ethtool options can change configuration. |
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