Network Cable Unplugged Error When It’s Not

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I have a Sharpe UM32W notebook (WinXP Pro SP-1) that I am trying to connect to the DSL account I have on my desktop computer. The network card I have in the notebook is Realteck RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC. Device Manager says that it is working properly.

When I disconnect from my desktop computer the LAN cable that connects it to my DSL modem and connect it to the notebook, Control Panel | Network Connections says that the network cable is unplugged (when it is not). Also, the Ethernet light on my modem does not light up. I

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Do you have the most current drivers for the NIC? What happens if you shutdown the notebook (power off), then attach the network cable, and last restart the notebook?

Joe

--Joe

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Hi Joe,

I assume that I have the correct drivers. It is a Realtek driver dated 7/2/02 that came with the computer in the System32 folder. This morning I reformatted the hard drive and reinstalled WinXP Pro SP1 from the 2 Product Recovery CDs. Now I want to use my DSL to update everything on it.

When I unplug the cable and power off, then plug the cable in again and then power on, the problem persists. When I uninstall the network card and then reboot, Windows recognizes the new hardware and says it is working properly, but the problem persists.

Thanks for your reply.

Robert

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There are two types of Ethernet connector. The NICs in your notebook and deskttop expect to be connected to a Router, hub or switch.

If you connect two PCs directly with a standard Ethernet cable then it will connect Transmit on one PC to Transmit on the other (and receive to receive). You need a cross over cable (which reverses the transmit and receive wires at one end) to do this job.

StuartR

Edited by StuartR to add
I think I may have misunderstood you. Are you connecting the Laptop to the router or to the desktop. If you are connecting it to the router then ignore the above.

You might want to check that both ends of this connection are configured for the same speed and duplex (e.g. 100M full duplex) as this could cause the symptoms you describe. This is usually a setting on the Advanced tab for your NIC setup.

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Careful, Stuart. He’s connecting either/or computer directly to his DSL modem and didn’t say anything about a router.

For RJSTORMS: However, is it possible that the DSL account with the ISP is “expecting” to see the desktop and therefore refusing to work from the laptop without re-authenticating by the ISP? I know that many cable ISPs do this but I’m not sure about DSL providers.

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That’s an interesting thought. Many DSL router/modem devices allow you to change their hardware ID so that you can get past this.

StuartR

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You can get the most current drivers at Realtek – Downloads. So you can eliminate a hardware problem, do you have access to another NIC to try? Are you running any firewall that might be blocking access? Does your DSL provider require any software to be installed?

Joe

--Joe

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Thanks for the replies.

I downloaded the newest driver

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Is the notebook still under warranty?

Joe

--Joe

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Unfortunately, no! Do you think it’s a lost cause?

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Not necessarily. Just would make getting the hardware checked out much easier. Have you removed and reinserted the NIC?

Joe

--Joe

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I think you have confused your systems.

First – I think you should get your firewalls back up ASAP (only one per machine – preferably NOT Windows FW – although since it only blocks incoming, it might be useful while troubleshooting).

I assume your computers obtain their IPs dynamically from the DSL modem. If you are swapping the data cable from the modem from PC to PC, then I suspect your modem is freaking out as it keeps seeing a different MAC address. Your DSL modem will not keep 2 IPs in its tables and it will not assign the same IP to two different MAC addresses. And you may be confusing your computers by continually having to get a new IP.

I highly recommend you go buy a cable modem – most come with a 4-port (or more) switch. Then the router will pick up the
IP address from the modem. You then attach both your PC and your laptop to the router’s switch – you now have your own LAN. The router will assign each a unique IP. You will then need to add at least the router to your firewall trusted and Internet zones. Router’s are cheap – under $50 and worth it. EVERYONE on high-speed 24/7 Internet should have a router – even with only one computer. Just make sure you see either “NAT” or “Network Address Translation” somewhere on the box – this works as an excellent hardware type firewall.

In the meantime, you probably have to do a complete reset every time you swap out computers – that is power down your computers (since the power supply keeps +5Vsb voltage on the motherboard ALL THE TIME for such things a “Wake on LAN”, you must also remove power from (unplug) the PC. Also power off your modem (my ISP says for 2 minutes).

Then power on your DSL modem – wait about 30 seconds then power up the PC – then do the same for the laptop.

You may have to force your laptop to release it’s old IP assignment with ipconfig. You may also have to uninstall the laptops NIC driver again too.

Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom isn't free!

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