Dell Latitude CPx & Xircom RBEM56G-100 trouble

[jxdesign]

This is on a Dell Latitude CPx 650/XP Home with a xircom cardbus ethernet 10/100+modem RBEM56G-100


I have connected my desktop and laptop together on a ethernet network, cat5e cable (not crossover)from ethernet port on desktop to port 1 on a Gigafast switch. Cat 5e cable from port 2 on Gigafast switch to Xircom cardbus 100+modem 56 PCMCIA card in my laptop. Laptop generates "network cable unplugged message" and has a red "x" through the LAN. Desktop LAN appears to be fully functional. Port 1 shows link light, port 2 shows nothing.
Solutions tried;
Tried switching cables
switching cable direction
reseating Xircom card
uninstalling/reinstalling Xircom card
switching ports on switch
replacing switch with D-Link Router
updating to Xircom's final release of drivers for this product
adjusted driver properties page, by choosing the configure tab, and setting the duplex and speed (reset after that failed)
disabled ics (re-enabled after that failed)
Modem is fully functional on this card LAN simply distributes "network cable unplugged message"

Have I tried it all??? Can I rule the card bad?
Thanks for any input

 

[jlipsig]

Just an FYI on a similar problem I encountered with the XIRCOM RBEM56G-100 modem's LAN connection.

PROBLEM: LAN connection not working(no lights) or intermittent.

Steps I took to find or fix problem:
1. Commercial store bought cable did not work at all.
2. Made up my own cable which worked OK at first. Later it developed an intermittent connection problem. Pushing it into and holding in the XIRCOM port allowed it to work.
3. I tried cleaning the XIRCOM contacts and even moving them slightly to improve the physical connecion. No apparent difference.
4. Tested all cables on my cable tester. All tested OK.
5. My final solution was to put a wedge between the release tab and the body of the connector and tapeing the wedge in place. (Note you have to isert the connector into the socket first). This, although not my first choice because you can't remove the connector, gave a clean solid connection.

Note II to allow portability I created a short cable with an inline connector. Which by the way works perfectly with every other cable I connect that to.

Conclusion: Some or all of the XIRCOM RBEM56G-100 LAN sockets do not have sufficient tolerance to allow all physical connecions to make good electrical contact.