A truly bizarre networking problem

[Shinta]

Okay, so this is truly some bizarre stuff.

Here's the problem. My computer, mostly new components, can't access the network/Internet (Win2K displays "network cable unplugged" icon). Not using one particular ethernet cable, anyway. The same cable, by the way, that's plugged into the laptop that I'm using to post this (I also plugged it into my roommate's Mac with no problems).

Yes, the cable is fine, the port on the router is fine, and as far as I can tell, the onboard ethernet on my Abit AN7 is fine (I plugged it into the network using the cable that normally goes into my HTPC and it worked perfectly).

I tried switching this cable (the one I'm using now) into different ports on the router, with no luck.

To recap:
Main PC does not work using Long Cable plugged into the router (regardless of port used).
Other PCs work using Long Cable.
Main PC works using a different cable plugged into the same router.

Any ideas? This require a sacrifice of a chicken or a goat? Does it need to be a virgin goat (if so, how do I tell)? Please help!

Sys info:
BEFSR41 router
Abit AN7 mobo, using built in ethernet controller
Windows 2K, fresh install, no SPs
2400+ XP, stock speed
768 MB PC2100
350W Enermax
2 HDDs
1 DVD+/-RW

 

[AFB]

LOL, pick up a FAR NIC on Sunday and try that.

 

[Shinta]

Yeah, gonna pull a NIC from the remains of my old rig. And I'm assuming it'll work ('cause it did before), but there's just a note of defeat to that route that saddens me a little.

Plus it's such a quirky, stupid little problem to admit defeat to....

 

[n0cmonkey]

Maybe it's a quirk with that cable and your cheap NIC?

 

[Shinta]

The cable and the onboard ethernet on my AN7.

I dunno, maybe they were divorcees in a past life or something.

Yes, I've entirely given up any explaination that's not in some way supernatural.

 

[Cheetah8799]

Could be that the cable and the nic just don't fit properly together. I've seen it happen before. Cable might fit better and get better contact in other nics, just not this one.

 

[LordOfAll]

Is the e-net card gigabit? If so it uses all of the lines (8) where 10/100 use only 4. Maybe summin is wrong with 1 of the other 4? Also I think macs and some e-net cards auto detect normal/crossover cables. Maybe you have a crossover?

 

[spidey07]

is the cable home made? If so then that's the problem.

If not then try another NIC.

 

[ndehmer]

Is your Network port turned on in the bios. My Epox board disables the onboard nic by default

 

[Shinta]

Hm, interesting points all. Thanks for the input.

Answering y'all in order:

Cheetah: didn't think about the fit. I guess I'll try jiggling the cable around a little bit, see if I can get a better connection.

Lord: No, I'm pretty sure it's not gigabit ethernet. At least I think I'd remember if that was a benefit to the board....

Spidey: I forget if the cable's homemade. I know I didn't make it, at any rate, though I did buy Cat5 from a fellow ATer a year or so back....

ndehmer: Yup, the NIC is enabled in the BIOS. One of the first things I checked, in fact.

Assuming jiggling the cord doesn't help, I'm going to start sacrificing creatures. I think I saw a mouse running around the apartment last week....

 

[LordOfAll]

Bah

A mouse will only get you about a day of no computer problems. a chicken is good for a week, a goat a month. Virgins are good for a year, but since they are so hard to find I keep mine for hunting unicorns.