Configuring NIC (Network Interface Card) Teaming in Windows Server 2019 allows you to combine multiple physical network adapters into a single logical interface for increased bandwidth, load balancing, and fault tolerance.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to configure NIC Teaming using both Server Manager (GUI) and PowerShell:

✅ Prerequisites

• Windows Server 2019 (Standard or Datacenter)
• Two or more physical network adapters (NICs) connected to the same network segment (ideally to the same switch or switch stack that supports LACP if using that mode)
• Administrative privileges

🖥️ Method 1: Using Server Manager (GUI)

1. Open Server Manager
   • Click Start → Server Manager
2. Open Local Server
   • In the left pane, click Local Server
3. Enable NIC Teaming (if not already enabled)
   • Look for NIC Teaming: Disabled under Properties
   • Click on Disabled to open the NIC Teaming window
4. Create a New Team
   • In the NIC Teaming window:
     • Under Teams, click Tasks → New Team
     • Enter a Team name (e.g., Team1)
     • Select the Member Adapters you want to include (e.g., Ethernet, Ethernet 2)
     • Click OK
5. Configure Team Settings (Optional)
   • After creating the team, you can right-click it and choose Properties to adjust:
     • Teaming Mode:
       • Switch Independent (default, works with any switch)
       • Static Teaming (requires switch config but no LACP)
       • LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol – requires switch support)
     • Load Balancing Mode:
       • Address Hash (default)
       • Hyper-V Port (for Hyper-V environments)
     • Standby Adapter (optional for failover)
6. Assign IP Address
   • Go to Network Connections (ncpa.cpl)
   • You’ll see a new connection named after your team (e.g., Ethernet Team)
   • Configure its IP address as needed (DHCP or static)

💻 Method 2: Using PowerShell

1. View Available NICs

powershell

Get-NetAdapter

2. Create a NIC Team

powershell

New-NetLbfoTeam -Name “Team1” -TeamMembers “Ethernet”, “Ethernet 2” -TeamingMode SwitchIndependent -LoadBalancingAlgorithm TransportPorts

Parameters Explained:

• -Name: Name of the team
• -TeamMembers: List of physical adapter names (use names from Get-NetAdapter)
• -TeamingMode: SwitchIndependent, Static, or LACP
• -LoadBalancingAlgorithm: Dynamic, HyperVPort, IPAddresses, or TransportPorts

3. Verify the Team

powershell

Get-NetLbfoTeam

Get-NetAdapter

4. (Optional) Assign Static IP

powershell

New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias “Team1” -IPAddress 192.168.1.10 -PrefixLength 24 -DefaultGateway 192.168.1.1

Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias “Team1” -ServerAddresses “8.8.8.8”,”8.8.4.4″

5. Remove a Team (if needed)

powershell

Remove-NetLbfoTeam -Name “Team1”

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⚠️ Important Notes

• Switch Configuration: If using LACP or Static Teaming, your physical switch must be configured accordingly (e.g., as a port channel or LAG).
• Hyper-V Consideration: In virtualized environments, NIC Teaming is often done at the Hyper-V Virtual Switch level instead of the host OS. Microsoft recommends using Switch Embedded Teaming (SET) with Software Defined Networking (SDN) in newer deployments.
• Legacy vs Modern: Windows NIC Teaming (LBFO) is considered legacy. For new deployments with Hyper-V or SDN, consider Switch Embedded Teaming (SET) via PowerShell (New-VMSwitch -EnableEmbeddedTeaming $true).

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🔍 Troubleshooting Tips

After teaming, the individual NICs lose their IP configuration—only the team interface holds the IP.

Ensure all team members are connected and active.

Avoid mixing NICs from different vendors if possible (driver compatibility).