In the era of ultra-thin laptops and tablets, many manufacturers have ditched the traditional RJ45 Ethernet port in favor of wireless connectivity. This has led to a massive market for USB-to-Ethernet adapters. Among the most common—and often most confusing—chips found in these affordable adapters is the Corechip Semiconductor chip (often branded as Corechip RD9700).
If you have plugged a USB network adapter into your Windows 11 computer and found it doesn't work immediately, or if it shows up as an "Unknown Device" or a generic "USB 2.0 10/100M Ethernet Adapter," this guide is for you. We will cover everything from identification to installation and troubleshooting the "Top" issues users face on Windows 11.
Go to the official Corechip website or a trusted repository (e.g., StationDrivers). Look for the SR9900 Windows 11 Driver (this usually works for SR9800/SR9910 as well).
Pro tip: Look for version 1.0.29.0 or newer. Older versions will be blocked.
If your adapter is from UGREEN, CableCreation, Plugable, etc., their website provides a Corechip-based driver tested for Windows 11.
Once your CoreChip driver is installed, you may notice it is not achieving full 100 Mbps speeds. Here are top optimization tips: