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Network Adapters
A PC often has several network adapters: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, VPN adapters and virtual adapters for Hyper-V, WSL, Docker or VirtualBox. Settings → Network adapters decides which ones the meter and the "counted" totals include.
Counts every connected physical adapter: Ethernet, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband. Virtual adapters are skipped. WinSpeed recognises VPN clients (WireGuard, OpenVPN/TAP, Wintun, Tailscale, ZeroTier, NordLynx, Cisco AnyConnect, FortiClient, GlobalProtect…), Hyper-V/WSL vEthernet, VMware, VirtualBox, Docker, loopback and tunnel adapters.
When a VPN is on, the same traffic passes through two adapters: the encrypted stream on your Wi-Fi/Ethernet, and the decrypted stream on the VPN adapter. Counting both would roughly double your numbers. Counting only the physical adapter gives the real amount of data on your line.
Tick Also count virtual adapters if you really do want them included.
Choose exactly which adapters count. Adapters that aren't connected right now are still listed (marked [not present] if they've been removed), so a USB dongle or hotspot keeps its selection.
Typical uses:
- Track only a mobile hotspot for a data cap while ignoring home Wi-Fi.
- Monitor only the VPN adapter to see how much goes through the tunnel.
- Exclude a virtual machine's adapter.
- Overview → Network adapters shows live speeds per adapter and a ✓ for counted ones.
- Connection → Network adapters shows full details: type, link speed, MAC, IPs, gateway, DNS and totals.
- Data usage → Adapter filters history by any single adapter, so history is kept for every adapter, counted or not.
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