Windows 10: Microsoft Network Hosted Virtual Adapter Driver uninstalled

The other day I went to start up my VPN Virtual AP for my Chromecast and iPad to connect to via my Windows 10 Machine using the following commands (have done this several times before and it has worked fine):
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=NETWORKNAME key=PASSWORD
netsh wlan start hostednetwork
But to my nasty surprise, I was responded with:
The hosted network couldn’t be started.
The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested operation.
Now I've looked everywhere online for a solution to my problem here. The underlying issue appears to be that my Microsoft Network Hosted Virtual Adapter Driver is missing in Device Manager (when showing hidden drivers). This appears to be a result of an update to my WLAN Adapter (Will list spec at end). Here are the following things I have tried:

• Looked for Microsoft Network Hosted Virtual Adapter Driver in Device Manager as a Hidden device - Not there.
• Disabled WLAN Adapter and Enabled to refresh drivers
• Scanned for Hardware changed in DM
• Tried rolling back WLAN Adapter to oldest version - 09/2015
• Updated WLAN Adapter to latest version - 23/08/2016
• Searched the Lenovo website for their default WLAN Adapter driver, downloaded and installed - but was the same one I had as my updated version
• Looked for older editions of the adapter, but they either installed but didn't have the Network Hosted Virtual Adapter, or weren't compatible with my machine.
• Restarted my machine after every change made to the network adapters
• Uninstalled LAN Adapter and reinstalled.

What I've read is that some of the new WLAN Adapters have stopped including the Network Hosted Virtual Adapter in their installation package. Not sure how true this is but it would explain the sudden uninstallation of it.
I think that's pretty much everything. Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Machine Model: Lenovo 100-15IBD
WLAN Network Driver: Realtek PCI-E Wireless LAN Driver version 2023.37.0616.2016

:)

 

how to install microsoft hosted network virtual adapter

Problem:

1. When I want to create WIFI hotpot by windows 10, there is the problem for missing Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter.

2. In the Device Manager, the Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter is uninstalled (I can't find it by view hidden).

3. When I try to find the driver from Microsoft Driver community, I can't find, it doesn't exit here.

Question:

How to install the Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter manually or automatically?

 

How to download Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter Driver

I couldn't find Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter under Network Adapters in Device
Managerwhich is essential for creating a Wi-Fi Hotspot. From where could I download Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter Driver?

 

How about the NDIS Virtual Network Enumerator? I am not sure whether this is the droid one you are looking for in the device manager, but it shows up for me in Windows 10?
Maybe you can try to manually add it in the following way.
In the device manager, right click on your computer name (on top) and select Add Legacy Hardware, in the second window select "Install the hardware that I manually select from a list" click next.
In the Common Hardware types select "System Devices" and click Next.
In the left window, chose Microsoft and in the right window chose the NDIS Virtual Network Enumerator and click Next.
I hope this will solve the problem.

Cheers
Tom

 

Hi Tom, thanks for the suggestion. It is definitely the Microsoft Network Hosted Virtual Adapter that I am missing. Unfortunately I had already tried your suggestion of Adding Legacy Hardware, it would be a Network Adapter and couldn't find it.

I was able to 'solve' it by rolling back the latest installation of Windows 10. For some reason it removed that particular Adapter. Smart!

 

Check the bottom of this page to run the Force Start commands:
About the Wireless Hosted Network (Windows)

 

You didn't read the OP, did you?