Any way to know if a NIC is faulty even if it shows up ok in device manager?

[Yoyo77]

Is there any way to found out for sure rather a NIC is faulty even though under device manager the status of the device is ok.

In a scenario where if I set to obtain IP auto or force IP, I'm still getting the generic 169.xxx.xxx.xxx. Could this be a issue of a bad NIC, even though the NIC is still showing up as working under device manager?

Any test or commands that I can ran to test the NIC?

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[VirtualLarry]

Most NICs do, or did, come with some DOS-based diagnostic software, that would send raw ethernet test frames between two machines running on that brand of NIC card. If it wasn't included, that software is probably still available at the web site of the card maker or chipset OEM.

If your only diagnostic options are within MS Win, then I would set up two machines with static IP addresses on the same subnet, and connect a crossover cable between them, or run them both into a hub (or switch), and ping each other. If that much gets through, then you know that you are having some sort of software or DHCP server configuration issues.

You can also use the various options of 'ping' to check for packet-loss.

 

[JackMDS]

Actually most of the NICs that go ?Bad? will not show anything in the device manger or the drivers.

NICs cost less then $5 and it one of these items (including few feet of commercial made CAT5e) that any one who use the Network part of the computer should have handy as a spare.

:sun:

 

[VirtualLarry]

JackMDS, I agree, although I have had some NICs go bad in the past, due to the PHY cutting out (ESD damage?). The NIC showed up properly in Device Manager, nothing indicated wrong by the host, but either the xmit or rcev was busted. I was suggesing that under the possibility that that something similar had happened, and therefore the NIC was not able to send or recieve the DHCP broadcasts over the local LAN to get an IP address. They are mostly disposable these days, I always keep a spare or two around. (And a USB one too, great for diag work on a machine, without having to open up the case.)