How do you create a virtual network interface on Windows?

Question

On linux, it's possible to create a tun interface using a tun driver which provides a "network interface psuedo-device" that can be treated as a regular network interface. Is there a way to do this programmatically on windows? Is there a way to do this without writing my own driver?

Answer 1

Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter

not sure if that can be done programatically, but for manually setup: you can use a "Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter" on windows 11 (works on older windows versions, too, i guess)

1. right click start button -> Device manager
2. select your PC at the top (otherwise menu item will be missing)
3. menu "Action" -> "Add legacy hardware"
4. next -> "install the hardware that I manually selectron from a list (Advanced)" -> next
5. select "network adapters" -> next -> wait until list is loaded
6. In the Manufacturer list, select Microsoft. In the Model list, select Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter
7. next -> finish
8. can be found where the other network adapters are. It is usually called "Ethernet 2" or something like that.
9. can be uninstalled in the device manager

source: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/content/en-us00693656/

Answer 2

You can do this on XP with the Microsoft Loopback Adapter which is a driver for a virtual network card.

On newer Windows version: Installing the Microsoft Loopback Adapter in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012

Answer 3

In the Singularity project, Microsoft research communicates with the singularity VM through a "loopback" adapter. Maybe that'd help?

Running it is easy so it may be something fun to do anyway. :)

http://research.microsoft.com/os/Singularity/

Answer 4

@Tim
Depending on the licensing you might be able to use the TUN/TAP driver that is part of OpenVPN, see here for details.