USB network adapter intermittently fails after attaching to VMware [Windows 7]

[SteveRobbins]

I have two USB wireless network adapters -- NetGear WG111v3 and TP-Link TL-WN725N -- that I often attach (one at a time) to a VM.  The NetGear works flawlessly.  The TP-Link will sometimes work but other times it generates an error and becomes unusable -- even by the host OS.  The only remedy I have found is to un-plug / re-plug it.

I am using VMware Workstation 12 Player, version 12.5.0 build-4352439.  Both the host and guest OS are Windows 7, 64 bit.  The TP-Link is hardware version 2.

When the TP-Link fails, it no longer shows up in the host OS Device Manager.  On vague advice from Stack Overflow, I have disabled "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" on the TP-Link USB Adapter Properties.  This had no effect.  I have contacted TP-Link and they have apparently reproduced the issue but are directing me to vmware.  So: is this something I can fix or work around with vmware settings?

Thanks,

-Steve

[RDPetruska]

Not sure what to suggest for changing any settings, but you may want to update to the latest build - I believe 12.5.9 is the latest 12.x version - for any bugfixes and security updates.

[SteveRobbins]

Thanks!  I should have checked the version -- I didn't realize mine was out of date.  I have now updated VMWare and was able to perform the connect/disconnect cycle about 10 times in a row, so I'm cautiously optimistic that this will indeed fix it!  Thanks again!!

[SteveRobbins]

FWIW: the incidence of the problem has dropped dramatically -- but not to zero.  😞

In case this happens to someone else: TP-Link advised me that the TP-Link v2 hardware can actually use a newer driver that was published for the v3 hardware.   I'll be trying that next.