Realtek LAN Driver Fix
Complexity: Easy | Time: 5 min
If you are using WiFi instead of Ethernet, and attempt to play EasyAntiCheat-based games, you may start to experience stutters and frame drops in-game. This is because the AntiCheat software struggles to get an "all good" ping back from the Realtek Ethernet driver at a reasonable timeframe.
As a workaround, we can disable your ethernet driver. Affected games should then work perfectly fine, and hopefully a future update for Windows, drivers, or EasyAntiCheat fixes this for good!
01/02 - Update: This issue is now confirmed to also affect games using Vanguard, such as Valorant.
Why Should I Disable My Ethernet Drive?
An issue has been observed where some PC gamers experience in-game stuttering or sudden frame drops when playing games that use Easy Anti-Cheat, particularly when connected via Wi-Fi rather than a wired Ethernet connection.
This appears to be caused by Easy Anti-Cheat failing to receive a timely “healthy” response from the system’s Realtek Ethernet network driver. When this response is delayed or inconsistent, the anti-cheat software can negatively impact game performance, even if the Ethernet connection is not actively being used.
As a temporary workaround, disabling the Ethernet network adapter can resolve the issue, allowing affected games to run normally over Wi-Fi. This is not a permanent fix, but it should help until a future update to Windows, network drivers, or Easy Anti-Cheat addresses the underlying behaviour.
Steps to Disable Ethernet Drive
Navigate to Device Manager
• Right click the Start Menu button, and select Device Manager from the quick menu
Locate and Disable the Ethernet Device
• Expand the Network Adaptor drop-down, and look for the Realtek Gaming 2.5GbE Family Controller
• Once found, simply right-click and disable the device
What's Next?
After disabling the Ethernet drive, test the games again to see if the issue is solved.
If you need further assistance or have any questions, feel free to reach out for additional support - we're always happy to help!
