---
title: "Adding the Loopback Adapter to Windows networking"
slug: "adding-the-loopback-adapter-to-windows-networking"
updated: 2024-12-17T08:07:51Z
published: 2024-12-17T08:07:51Z
canonical: "docs.telosalliance.com/adding-the-loopback-adapter-to-windows-networking"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.telosalliance.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding the Loopback Adapter to Windows networking

## Scope

Sometimes it may be desirable to have a network card installed on your Windows computer that is only used for loopback purposes. We will cover the steps to add the Windows loopback adapter in this document.

> [!WARNING]
> Windows 10 is used for this example; however, the process should be similar for other Windows operating systems.

## Installing the Windows networking loopback adapter

1. In Windows, open **Device Manager.** Click on the **Network Adapters** group, then select **Add legacy hardware** from the **Action** menu

![](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/ac9a3cfb-9aef-4752-a461-294bad581be6-2021-06-24-12-53-37.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)
2. Click **Next** on the **Welcome to the Add Hardware Wizard**

![Add Hardware Wizard next buttom](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/9673aeab-7a1b-4824-87e9-e774e884ca4b-2021-06-24-09-26-19.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)
3. On the box that asks, **"What do you want the wizard to do?"**, select **Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced)** and then click **Next**

![Install hardware selected manually](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/3f83885a-d0a6-48fe-9168-e101eeccd905-2021-06-24-09-26-38.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)
4. Scroll down and select **Network Adapters** from the **Common hardware types:** and click **Next**

![Pick Network adapters from the this list](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/43c1124e-ce28-4bd2-b9cb-f05e34c832fa-2021-06-24-09-27-04.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)
5. From the device driver selection window, select **Microsoft** from the Manufacturer list and select **Microsft KM-TEST Loopback Adapte**r from the Model list and click **Next**

![](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/3c5769d2-5364-4788-8474-b85780d3ceac-2021-06-24-09-27-49.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)
6. Click **Next** to begin the installation

![](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/161f3885-b13c-43bf-a146-8892f56ee263-2021-06-24-09-28-09.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)
7. Click **Finish** to complete the installation

![](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/3e1500d5-60f7-4eb8-87de-dce488f0b600-2021-06-24-09-28-25.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)

Confirm the addition of this network adapter using the Change Adapter Options in Windows. The Network Connections window shows all network adapters installed on your system.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/d0a4a02b-14ec-4468-97a9-361335b491b8-2021-06-24-10-55-00.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)

## Usage Examples

One use for this loopback adapter is using the Axia IP-Audio Driver as an audio card loopback. This is useful for streaming or when you do not need (or want) audio packets on other netoworks. In this example, pick the **Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter** from the **Livewire Network Card** selector.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/57e3cd80-d493-453c-9672-ad1b043dadc3/Images/Documentation/22afdbff-a13b-481d-af1b-d9fbee43b887-2021-06-24-09-29-01.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-07T18%3A20%3A32Z&se=2026-11-07T19%3A20%3A32Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=tvmuqan2SNnsTIWtBz9DsXEO4uQYp%2BOcSDC8LmhnNME%3D)

## Let us know how we can help

If you have further questions on this topic or have ideas about improving this document, please [contact us](https://www.telosalliance.com/support-request).