You can disable a specific network adapter or even all network adapters using Windows PowerShell. For example, the following command disables the adapter named “Ethernet 2” with no confirmation prompt displayed:
PS C:\> Disable-NetAdapter -Name "Ethernet 2" -Confirm:$false
To disable all network adapters on the server, you can use this command:
PS C:\> Disable-NetAdapter -Name *
Note that all remote connectivity with the server will be lost if you do this.
To enable any network adapters that are disabled, you can use the Enable-NetAdapter cmdlet.
Mitch Tulloch is a nine-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award and a widely recognized expert on Windows administration, deployment and virtualization. For more information see http://www.mtit.com. This tip was excerpted from his latest book Training Guide: Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012 from Microsoft Press.