Thunderbolt G4 NIC disappears after disconnecting / reconnecting devices

[StuartCS]

I've run across an odd problem that I originally thought was related to LAN security in my office but has been isolated to my HP Thunderbolt G4 dock. I'm connecting an HP Elite X2 1013 G3 and an HP Elite X360 1040 G10 to the dock.  If I connect either device to my dock in the morning (after nothing has been connected overnight) the laptop connects to the wired LAN in the dock without issue.  If I unplug that laptop and then immediately plug one of the devices back in (including the laptop I just unplugged) the LAN adapter isn't activated (and 99% of the time the LAN adapter isn't visible in the list of network adapters).  If I reset the dock (unplug the  USB-C cable from the laptop, the ethernet cable and the power cable from the dock, depress the dock power button for 30+ seconds, wait for > 1 minute, plug the power cable back in wait 10-15 seconds, then plug the ethernet cable, then plug the USB-C cable back into a laptop) OR wait for some period of time with no laptop plugged into the dock (I haven't tested this extensively but I think at least 10 minutes and certainly overnight works) then whatever device I connect will activate the LAN adapter and connect to the wired LAN.  I've ensured that the dock firmware is current and the drivers for the ethernet adapter are current on both laptops.  Both laptops are set to pass through their MAC .  What am i missing?

[banhien]

@StuartCS 

Please install firmware and software from the following link

          https://support.hp.com/au-en/drivers/hp-thunderbolt-dock-120w-g4/model/2101085540?sku=4J0J0AA

Regards

[StuartCS]

Banhien, thank you for the suggestion.  Unfortunately, I had already updated the dock to the current firmware and even the newest drivers for the NIC available from the Intel website don't resolve the issue.  

[StuartCS]

I've done a little more testing.  The following is reproducible:  at about 2 minutes after disconnecting a device the dock emits a soft "whoosh" as if a fan briefly starts then stops.   At about 3 minutes the dock will allow a newly connected laptop to see the NIC and activate the LAN.  If I try to connect either the same or a different laptop before 3 minutes have elapsed it will not see the NIC on the dock.