Use OpenVPN/Tap-Adapter to replace Windows Network Bridge functionality?

[feudalnate]

I'm looking for a way to bridge two network adapters without using Windows built-in network bridge or ICS. This might be a strange question but my issue is, in Windows 8/8.1 there is a bug in the Windows networking driver (ndis.sys) that does not free memory after allocation for packet pass-through - it is a serious bug that can and will consume all system memory over time and cannot be freed without restarting the operating system. This bug existed in Windows 10 for a while as well until they finally patched it but it still has yet to be addressed in Windows 8/8.1

https://msfn.org/board/topic/178096-win ... mory-leak/

All I'm looking to do is bond two network adapters on my PC to behave as though they are bridged. I do not want to setup any sort of VPN, just simply routing my local adapters together. I have searched for a while for alternate drivers or software that can do this without the use of the ndis.sys Windows driver and haven't had any luck.

Any advice would be appreciated

[TinCanTech]

Thank you for the informative thread .. it is always nice to see Microsoft is crap

With regard to your question: "Can TAP-Windows adapter replace a network bridge?"

The answer is no because the driver is a NIC emulator, it does not do what a bridge does.

For alternatives,

• Use Linux instead ..
• Give Microsoft even more money (which they do not deserve) and update Windows.

[feudalnate]

Thanks for the reply, I kind of figured the answer was no but wasn't 100% certain and I have yet to find any information on how to fix this, a way to work around it or a method of replacing the functionality altogether. It's an unfortunate bug that I'm sure is just a simple mistake of not calling free/delete on a handle and would be an easy fix for Microsoft but I assume it doesn't affect enough users to warrant a fix for Win8

Again, thanks for the reply - if a moderator is reading this, feel free to close the thread