UPDATE – 03 Dec 2013:  Apparently Microsoft has relented somewhat and you can now use the wired Ethernet device on Surface tablets, both Surface PRO as well as Surface 2 (RT version).  Specific instructions to follow soon. (:-))

UPDATE – 09 Jul 2013:  The Ethernet device works just fine with Windows RT on my Surface RT.  However, in the Windows 8.1/RT Beta release, which I recently installed on my Surface RT, Microsoft has disabled the ability to use the driver.  In the Beta, the driver is still present from my previous load, however, Microsoft indicates it cannot trust the driver and automatically disabled it with no mechanism for me to over-ride.  So for now, under Windows 8.1, if the Beta release carries forward to GA (scheduled for October), the ability to use wired Ethernet is now non-existent. (:-((

ORIGINAL ENTRY – 24 Nov 2012:  This is the first in a series of reports on the Microsoft SURFACE tablet running Windows RT.  It is based on my personal experiences in using a SURFACE tablet (32GB, type keyboard).

SURFACE has a single USB 2.0 port…wondering if a USB to Ethernet dongle can work under Windows RT (it most certainly can do it with Windows 7 or Windows 8, but RT is the ARM-based processor).

A little research found a lot of USB to Ethernet dongles, but only one concerning Windows RT and adapter from Plugable based on the ASIX AX88772 chipset and only for 10/100 Fast Ethernet (no luck with gigabit Ethernet yet) and available from Amazon for a nice $14.95.

Here is the link to the article and it has the links on downloading the driver and installation:

http://plugable.com/2012/11/16/usb-ethernet-microsoft-surface

The whole process takes a few minutes – you need to install as admin – and works just fine.

ED