Windows doesn't detect my raspberry pi zero w as a rndis ethernet device

Question

I want to configure my raspberry pi zero w as a headless device so I don't have to buy keyboards, mice, and adapters. To do so I want to ssh into it, turn on vnc server so I can control it from where I fancy at a time.

I have read many tutorials, forums, and questions here; basically this is where I got so far:

• Flashed raspbian stretch in the sd.
• Edited cmdline.txt and config.txt.
• Created a blank ssh file with no extension.
• Plugged the pi into my tv to check if it boots, which it does.

The problem is that when I plug the raspberry into my PC (running windows 10, up to date). When I plug it, a message appears that an RNDIS/ ethernet device is being installed, but when it's done, another message tells me that the USB COM device is ready. In the device manager it doesn't appear as an RNDIS device either (see the screenshot below). And I tried anyway to connect to the Raspberry via ssh but the host doesn't exist.

I connect the RPi with two usb, one for power and one for data (I read somewhere that windows might give up recognizing the device if it hasn’t booted up when plugged). First I connect the power USB and when the led does not blink I connect the data USB. Windows is supposed to recognize the RPi as an RNDIS Ethernet device, and people seem to succeed, but I can’t. I have tried different computers, even a Mac, and different RPis with the same luck. Can anyone help me?

Thank you

Update:
The output of dmesg on Ubuntu (what changed after rpi was plugged):

[ 1003.463748] usb 1-2: new full-speed USB device number 3 using ohci-pci
[ 1003.955907] usb 1-2: config 2 interface 1 altsetting 0 endpoint 0x81 has invalid maxpacket 512, setting to 64
[ 1003.955909] usb 1-2: config 2 interface 1 altsetting 0 endpoint 0x1 has invalid maxpacket 512, setting to 64
[ 1003.967644] usb 1-2: config 1 interface 1 altsetting 1 endpoint 0x81 has invalid maxpacket 512, setting to 64
[ 1003.967646] usb 1-2: config 1 interface 1 altsetting 1 endpoint 0x1 has invalid maxpacket 512, setting to 64
[ 1003.991203] usb 1-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0525, idProduct=a4a2
[ 1003.991206] usb 1-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 1003.991207] usb 1-2: Product: RNDIS/Ethernet Gadget
[ 1003.991208] usb 1-2: Manufacturer: Linux 4.9.80+ with 20980000.usb
[ 1004.826953] cdc_subset: probe of 1-2:1.0 failed with error -22
[ 1004.835520] cdc_subset 1-2:1.1 usb0: register 'cdc_subset' at usb-0000:00:06.0-2, Linux Device, 5e:d1:97:be:10:65
[ 1004.836005] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_subset
[ 1004.875153] cdc_ether: probe of 1-2:1.0 failed with error -16
[ 1004.875166] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether
[ 1004.932576] cdc_subset 1-2:1.1 enp0s6u2i1: renamed from usb0
[ 1005.496548] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): enp0s6u2i1: link is not ready
[ 1005.496800] cdc_subset 1-2:1.1 enp0s6u2i1: kevent 12 may have been dropped
[ 1022.527364] sched: RT throttling activated

Answer 1

I got an RNDIS driver from a musical website and it worked fine. I also shared it on the blog. It's the driver issue for Windows 10 (it's not getting installed automatically). Even many people commented that it worked very well for them too. You can get the driver and how to install it on the Pi Zero W - Raspberry Pi Zero W Headless setup – Windows 10 RNDIS Driver issue resolved

This method is called as Ethernet over USB method as Pi Zero W doesn't have an Ethernet port. This driver makes the USB as an Ethernet for our applications.

Answer 2

https://github.com/dukelec/mbrush/tree/master/doc/win_driver#readme

Readme.md PrinCube Windows USB Driver (No driver required for MacOS and Linux.)

Download the RNDIS Driver: mod-duo-rndis.zip, Extract the downloaded zip files.

This article is referenced from:

https://www.factoryforward.com/pi-zero-w-headless-setup-windows10-rndis-driver-issue-resolved/ https://forum.moddevices.com/t/rndis-driver-for-windows-10/299 Open Device Manager and you can see the PrinCube is detected as USB Serial Device at COM port under the PORTS & LPT. Right click on it and select “Update Driver Software”.

Select ‘Browse my computer for driver software’.

Choose the location where you extracted the driver files on your PC.

Now you can able to see the PrinCube as RNDIS in Network adapters.

https://github.com/dukelec/mbrush/blob/master/doc/win_driver/mod-duo-rndis.zip