Nexus 7 First Gen (2012) Upgrade to Andriod 5.0 (Lollipop) Breaks USB-Ethernet Support

Update: The latest Android version update for the Nexus 7 first gen (2012), version 5.1.1, has resolved this issue. If this version is not yet available over-the-air (OTA) for your tablet, you can download and install it manually from Google’s factory image website here. Use the “nakasi” image for regular WiFi devices, and “nagasig” for devices that can use cellular networks.

The recent over-the-air upgrade to Android 5.0 (Lollipop) on the Nexus 7 first gen (2012) tablet appears to have broken support for USB-Ethernet devices including Plugable’s USB2-E100 and USB2-OTGE100 USB to Fast Ethernet adapters. This is ironic, because the same upgrade on the Nexus 7 second gen (2013) has finally fixed support for these devices.

At Plugable, we are looking for a possible work-around, but even if one is found, it will likely require root access to the device. In the meantime, if you are using either adapter with a Nexus 7 first gen (2012) device and have not yet upgraded to Lollipop, we recommend staying with Android version 4.4 (KitKat) until this issue is resolved. Further updates to this issue will be reflected in this blog post.

If you have questions or useful information about this, please comment here or email us at support@plugable.com.

2 comments on “Nexus 7 First Gen (2012) Upgrade to Andriod 5.0 (Lollipop) Breaks USB-Ethernet Support”

  1. David Roberts

    Hi JJ,

    Thanks for asking. There is a lot of information on the internet about downgrading, but the process can be pretty messy. I can’t recommend any of them in particular.

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