nic has no lights - internet not working

[mkal]

Not sure if this is the right place to post, if not please let me know where to go.

My problem:
Have a Dell Inspiron E1705 w/Windows XP sp3 installed. All drivers are up to date from Dells website.

When I am at work I can plug into our network with no problems (I've used other network connections as well from other places)but when I am at home and plug in the NIC has no lights and I get the message "...cable is unplugged...

However, my home desktop computer can use my home connection no problem and so can other computers.

So why does the laptop work in my work environment but not at home?

No firewall is installed on the Dell.

My home ISP is Clearwire.

Thanks

 

[skip555]

bad cable at home ?

can you unplug the cable from the laptop and have it work in the desktop ?

 

[tnphoneman]

Make sure you are not using a cross over cable.

Signature===========================================

http://www.greatwhitetechnologies.com

Aastra Authorized Reseller

 

[lopes1211]

x2. Maybe work and other places have auto-xover detection. Maybe home router/switch/hub does not.


-CL

 

[wires]

Laptops are different than desktops. A laptop will try to put all "unused" devices to "sleep" whenever possible to save power. Since desktops are plugged in the usually leave stuff like the network card on.

My guess is that your home network has low signal level on the TX pins and it does not "wake" your laptop's network card. What sort of network equipment do you have at home?

 

[mkal]

All good suggestions and with the exception of wires they have all been tried. The really weird part is that this laptop used to work at home.

I have a clearwire modem. The Cat cable run from the modem to where it enters my house is a fairly long run.

However, I just re-staged my daughters laptop last night and was able to plug in the cable and it worked no problem. Works fine for the desktop too...plug in my laptop and nada. Got to work this morning plugged in my laptop and it is working fine.

I will however get a shorter piece of cable and try that. One other thought is there a way to tell the NIC not to sleep?

Will let you know how it goes later tonight.

Thanks to all!

 

[skip555]

depends on OS Im using xp and in control panel thee is a icon for the NIC

you have the option to turn this feature on or off

also tells you the current status

 

[mkal]

I have Windows XP (Pro) as well but "Control Panel" does not show and icon for my NIC...there is one for Network Connections but that's it.

Did you mean "Device Manager"?

 

[skip555]

mine is under controll panel

"Internal NIC configuration"



if you have it in device manger than look at power settings

 

[wires]

I have a clearwire modem" If it is just a modem then do yourself a favor and get a router. How can you tell? If a connected PC has a private IP address like 192.168.x.x then it is a router. If the connected PC has a public IP address the Clearwire box is just a modem. In XP running IPCONFIG /ALL in a CMD box will tell you your network settings.

Te advantage of getting a router is twofold. First it will regenerate the network link and provide a good signal to the LAN side connected machines. This could solve your laptop problem. Second it will provide a layer of protection from the wild and wooly Internet.


"you have the option to turn this feature on or off"

On a Dell laptop the power status of a NIC is usually controlled with a Dell program called Quickset. Look in your Programs section of the Start menu.

The other place to look is by pressing the Configure button on your Local Area Connection Properties page. The settings are on the Power management tab.


All things considered fixing the problem is better than working around it. The problem is most likely low signal level coming out of your Clearwire box. A router, switch or hub should fix this problem.

 

[mkal]

I do have an older hub, I'll try that as well when I get home.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Hopefully one if them will work.

 

[lopes1211]

Or is the laptop set 100/F instead of auto/auto? maybe the home device is 10MB/half?

-CL

 

[buitenhek]

did you- log on in safe mode and run a virus check?

Hackers love to disable laptop communication with the SNAFU virus.

Regards
Peter Buitenhek
ProfitDeveloper.com

"Never settle for a job well done...always look for cost cutting measures

 

[mkal]

I have Sophos anti-virus that the company installed. I have not done a manual scan recently but scans are run automatically. However, that would not explain why it works here at work but not at home.

 

[ignatkarobkin2]

Is that possible that you are connecting using wireless connection at work and not realizing it?

http://aaa-avad.com

 

[mikeydidit]

In XP running IPCONFIG /ALL in a CMD

Also try ipconfig/release
Then ipconfig/renew

Sometimes this will kick start the nic and pull up an IP address for you.


"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969), Inaugural Address, January 20, 1953

For the best response to a question, read faq690-6594

 

[DallasBPF]

Ok... if you have more than your personal laptop at your house, you really need to go and buy a home router (~$60), normally has wireless, 4 port switch, and will do DHCP for your home network... also, take that 'Hub' of yours and throw it out lol... they are nothing but ancient and collision master minds. Switches are way to cheap now to be keeping hubs around...


------------------------------------
Dallas, Texas
Telecommunications Tech
CCVP, CCNA, Net+

CCNP in the works

 

[wires]

take that 'Hub' of yours and throw it out lol... they are nothing but ancient and collision master minds. Switches are way to cheap now to be keeping hubs around..."

Not true.

In a small network there is little advantage to using a switch, but a switch has the downside of complexity. Small cheap switches are notorious for "taking a break" and requiring a power cycle. This problem is unheard of with a hub.

Additionally with a hub you can see and participate in all network traffic. This makes network monitoring and troubleshooting a piece of cake. I usually keep a small hub handy for inserting near the router and/or servers to see where all the traffic is coming from. While you can do this with port mirroring that feature is not available on cheap un-managed switches and mirrored ports are generally listen only.

If a network is large enough for a switch then it would usually benefit from a managed switch.

 

[SYQUEST]

When you get a LINK then your NIC will have lites!! The lack of lites is a physical layer problem...

....JIM....

 

[mkal]

My apologies to all who answered but I've been very busy and this thread just slipped my mind.

Here's what I know. My laptop works fine when connected to any hub, switch, router that is on any LAN/WAN/Wireless network.

It does not however work connected to my Clearwire modem (and yes I've tried many different cables even cut and crimped a new one myself) and not just my Clearwire modem any Clearwire modem. And when I say connected I mean directly from the Clearwire moden into my NIC with a very short piece (2feet or less) of CAT cable.

So how is this possible I thought NIC hardware was an IEEE standard working at the Physical and Data link layers of the OSI model. How can it work with all other devices but not a Clearwire modem?