Onboard LAN problem - Soltek K890 Pro

[imported_footh]

I have the above motherboard and I am experiencing a problem with the on-board LAN. My network connection will drop quite frequently. To fix it, I have to unplug and re-plug the network cable.

I've installed the latest driver for the the device, version 6.21 that I downloaded from Realtek's site. I am using Windows XP with service pack 2, but I have all the security features turned OFF, including the XP software firewall.

The computer is new and I haven't installed much software on it. I've tried many things like resetting the TCP/IP stack, hardcoding the network IP address, etc. But I still get the same problem. So, this leads me to believe that it might be a hardware problem.

Any ideas?

-JF

 

[Cal166]

Do you think its the modem/router that's dropping your connection? Have you tried another computer on the modem/router?

 

[imported_footh]

shoot...I should've mentioned that I have a Netgear RT314 router in which I have multiple machines hooked up, including an Xbox. I've had the router for four years and never had any problem like this before. So, I have essentially ruled the router out. Unless there is some incompability with XP SP2 and an older router like the RT314.

 

[m0002a]

I have a similar problem. I am using a crossover cable directly to a 3Com 10/100 card in another machine that is known to work (cable and card).

I think the problem may be related to SB Audigy 2 ZS card I have in one of the PCI slots. When the SB card in the PCI-2 slot, the Ethernet does not work at all (even though device manager says it is working properly), or the SB card does is not even recognized by device manager. When the SB card in PCI-1 slot, the sound card and on-bard Ethernet work, but it only connects at 10 mbps (instead of 100) with the 3com 10/100 card in another machine.

I have contacted Soltek support and they said their SB Audigy 2 card is broken so they can't test it, but they have forwarded the problem to Realtek (who wrote the driver for the Ethernet). I think there may be an IRQ conflict with PCI-2 slot and/or a driver problem.

I have tried the new MB bios and new Ethernet driver, to no avail.