• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Is it possible for onboard LAN controllers to fail?

V

Viper0329

Platinum Member
I returned home from vacation to discover that my Linksys BEFSR41 Router/Switch was acting finiky. I diagnosed it to the switch dying in the router. Ports 2, 3, and 4 no longer work, but the uplink and routing functions work. For right now, I'm using a 5 port switch until I get my router replaced.

My main rig has a 3Com gigabit contoller built into the ASUS P4P800 board, but it seems to not be working anymore. I tried plugging in my laptop to the board directly with a crossover cable and I couldn't get the link light to come on. I tried different cables, but nothing. I tried the 3com diagnostics utility, and it reported a "failed to autonegotiate" error.

For right now, I just dropped in a spare 10/100 NIC I had lying around. Is it possible that the Linksys took out my onboard NIC?
 
yes, onboard lan controllers die just as easy as other lan controllers. If your switch died, then I imagine it took your onboard lan as well, it could easily have been a power surge killing both.
 
Originally posted by: Viper0329
I returned home from vacation to discover that my Linksys BEFSR41 Router/Switch was acting finiky. I diagnosed it to the switch dying in the router. Ports 2, 3, and 4 no longer work, but the uplink and routing functions work. For right now, I'm using a 5 port switch until I get my router replaced.

My main rig has a 3Com gigabit contoller built into the ASUS P4P800 board, but it seems to not be working anymore. I tried plugging in my laptop to the board directly with a crossover cable and I couldn't get the link light to come on. I tried different cables, but nothing. I tried the 3com diagnostics utility, and it reported a "failed to autonegotiate" error.

For right now, I just dropped in a spare 10/100 NIC I had lying around. Is it possible that the Linksys took out my onboard NIC?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's quite possible that it also took out the onboard NIC. However, before you come to that conclusion, there is something else that could be the problem. Some NICs, and I think 3Com in particular, have some issues when using a crossover cable directly between NICs, instead of into a hub/switch. It has to do with signal that hub/switches send out periodically and relates to auto-speed detection. (IIRC)

You might need to manually set the media type and speed and duplex mode manually for the NICs on both sides of the crossover connection. (This could be part of the reason behind the "failed to autonegotiate" error. Setting connection parameters manually may work around this issue.)

Alternatively, borrow another hub/switch from someone to test.

My onboard Via Rhine II NIC on my MSI KT4V-L mobo is a tad bit finicky about what kinds of switches that it likes to be plugged into, and can jabber and drop packets sometimes. It was like that since I bought the board, I don't think that it was damaged, just a poor/cheap implementation of an onboard NIC. I've heard this same comment echoed on MSI's tech-support forums as well, so I suppose it's a design/engineering defect of some sort.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top