Odd Device Manager Entry . . .

I have a Windows 7 Pro machine on an Intel board, Q77 chipset, I7 3770 processor.

I noticed the other day my router is showing up in Device Manager as a System Device? Not only does it show up, it shows the name I changed it to a while back. I checked my other Win 7 machines, and a Win 10 I am testing, and this phenomena does not appear anywhere else.

Under properties it shows it as an internet gateway with an IP address in my LAN. I uninstalled it from System Devices, and it seemed to affect nothing. It did reappear after a few days . . . so now I disabled it, and it has remained that way for a while. Again, no loss of functionality apparent.

The only thing I have changed about my LAN or the internet recently is a new modem . . .

I have never seen this occur before, and am at a loss at this point. Poked the OS with the usual security sticks and found nothing thus far. This is a recent fresh install of Windows 7 (system had been acting up with odd errors, so I wiped it and started from scratch).

Ideas? Anyone else see this type of entry before?

 

FWIW, I just looked on this W10 system and my router is listed under Network Infrastructure Devices with my network name.

You said it shows the IP address? What address? The IP address assigned to your network by your ISP, or the IP assigned to your computer by the router?

Understand networks typically use several "discrete" network devices including a 4-port Ethernet switch, router, modem and WAP (wireless access point). While these are totally separate (discrete) devices, they may be integrated into a single box. Four discrete devices that just happen to share the same case, circuit board and power supply. A "wireless router" is such an integrated device sans the modem.

I mention that because you said it shows "router", then you said "internet gateway", then you said modem. So I am just trying to figure out what you have.

 

Sorry for the confusion . . . I was pondering it while going to sleep.

The name I gave my router months ago appears in Device Manager under System Devices.

Under "Properties," that entry is identified as an Internet Gateway and shows the IP of my router.

The modem mention I made was that a new modem is the only change in my overall LAN recently. The router and modem are separate devices. The router is a wireless Linksys with 4 LAN ports, and the computer in question is hardwired to the router or a switch, as are the other desktops on my LAN. Portable devices use the wireless of course.

The new modem didn't have a like effect on other computers on the same LAN, so I doubt that variable is suspect. I checked a Windows 10 PC I have on the same LAN, and the router does not show up anywhere. I will look again - I'm a bit new to 10.

The entry remains disabled, and again there has been no apparent loss of functionality.

 

If you are saying the IP address shown is something like 192.168.1.1 (the default IP for most home routers, including Linksys) then that is fine. If you see the IP address assigned by your ISP (which is what the rest of the world sees) then that would not be right.

"Or a switch"? As plodr is noting, routers and switches are not the same thing. I have, for example, a Linksys router with an integrated 4-port Ethernet switch. I also have two Netgear 4-port Ethernet switches connected to two of the Ethernet ports on my router's 4-port switch. This computer plugs directly into another one of the 4 Ethernet ports on the back of my router. Other computers in the house plug into the Netgear switches.

Note a router connects (or isolates) two networks and has just 1 input and 1 output! However, most home routers have an integrated 4-port Ethernet switch built in with the router. So if you are saying you have the computer in question hardwired to one of the 4 ports on the back of the router, what you are really saying is you have that computer connected via Ethernet to one of the 4-port Ethernet "switch" ports on the back of the router.

If you are saying you have your computer connected to a separate switch which then is connected to the back of your router, then you are talking about two totally "discrete" pieces of network hardware.

If you are familiar with audio equipment, think of a stereo or surround sound "receiver". A receiver is really an integrated device that includes a preamplifier, amplifier, and AM/FM tuner in one box. Audiophile "purists" would have 3 separate pieces of equipment taking up lots of space and costing a lot more money than a receiver with one chassis and one power supply.

Clear as mud, huh? But using the proper terminology helps ensure we are all getting a clear picture of your network and that we are all on the same page.

What is the model number of your Linksys router?

 

It's probably down to the current combination of networking Services running and some 'new' chipset driver (Intel IME/AMT?) that's showing extra details; at the other extreme, I'm online from W7x64 but Windows doesn't show that I have a connection ('Not connected - No connections are available'), Intel's spyware is uninstalled and disabled in DevMan and I limit Windows (and 3rd party) Services to those that I (probably) need.

 

Again I wasn't clear enough . . . The PC in question is connected to the wireless 4-port router, via one of the 4 ports. The other computers on my LAN are connected to the wireless 4-port router via one of the remaining ports, or via a gigabit speed network switch. The router is a Linksys WRT320N.

The entry in System Devices does show the default home router IP. I am familiar with networking devices, but not in describing them it seems, lol

I have a CCTV system connected directly to the Router via one of the 4 ports . . . the two computers in my den that I make primary use of are also connected to my router via two of the 4 ports. The last port on the router is connected to a gigabit speed 5-port network switch (not a hub). My wife's PC upstairs is connected to that switch. My Linux based server in the basement is hooked to the switch, as is a PC in the guest room. I have an open port on the switch that I use when building or repairing a computer. All this has been in this configuration for a number of years, with the only change being the addition or subtraction of a PC here or there . . . and the aforementioned new modem (separate from the Linksys wireless 4-port router).

I'm not sure exactly when the entry appeared in Device Manager > System Devices . . . I found it while checking something else out. Just seemed odd as in all the computers I have worked on, built, or bought I have never seen a router listed so. The fact that the other computer in the den that is "hardwired" via one of the 4 router ports does not show the entry makes me think it is something unique to that one computer - like Satrow said some new driver or other software issue, perhaps.

I've been on an away for a few days and haven't had a chance to check further. Thanks everyone for all the replies. I appreciate it.

 

Thanks for that. Since it is the default 192.168.... IP address you see, and since clearly you are not clueless or careless, I see no reason to worry.

 

I was finally able to get back to it. Seems the UPnP on my router was enabled - I had disabled it when I got the device, but I did upgrade the firmware at some point after that, but long before the entry appeared in Device Manager > System Devices. I disabled UPnP again and the entry vanished. I've done the things I normally do with the PC and there does not seem to be any loss of function on my LAN. Just odd.