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Strange Network Card Problem

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Darkl0rd1

Junior Member
Jun 3, 2004
7
0
0
Hi guys,

I hope you can help me as I'm going a little insane troubleshooting a strange networking issue for a friend. The problem is this:

My friend has a computer that will simply not work using any configuration hooked up to my network hub. He has two network cards (one integrated on an Epox mobo / one generic Realtek 10/100 PCI card) both of which are correctly installed, have the latest drivers etc and are reported as working fine under Windows XP Device manager. However the ?a network cable is unplugged? message always appears along with the ?systray unplugged icons? regardless of which card we connect to. Now I know the typical things that will be suggested for this kind of problem so here is everything that I know and that has been ruled out as a potential problem:

1. I have tried multiple ports on the hub. None of them work with his computer, but all of them work fine with other computers
2. I Am definitely using a proper patch cable. I've tried a couple of diff cables to be on the safe side. The cables works fine connected to other PCs.
3. His RealTek network card works fine in another computer.
4. The network card lights on the back of the PC don?t light up at any stage. Either when the computer is first turned/botting or within Windows

5. Now here?s the weird part: We can get both of his network cards to work just fine when using a crossover cable connected directly to another PC! I.e.the lights light up straight away and the network card/s work absolutely fine for a direct PC connection to another computer, but just wont work when connected to a hub!

What on earth would cause this?! I cant think of a single thing that would allow a PC?s network card to work fine with a crossover cable direct connection to a single PC, but not work when using a patch cable connected to a hub!

Please help guys as this problem is driving me utterly insane!

Thanks a lot for your input.
 
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Darkl0rd1

Junior Member
Jun 3, 2004
7
0
0
Anyone? I?ve posted at over 8 respectable hardware forums an no one can come up with an answer! Surely there must be a knowledgeable AnandTechHead that has some ideas for me? ;)
 
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AFB

Lifer
Jan 10, 2004
10,718
3
0
Originally posted by: Darkl0rd1
Originally posted by: amdfanboy
Your Hub = Probably Broke

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=294498&pfp=SEARCH

?
Click to expand...

wow, that's helpful! Did you miss this bit?

Originally posted by: Darkl0rd1

1. I have tried multiple ports on the hub. None of them work with his computer, but all of them work fine with other computers
Click to expand...

In other words, the hub is fine! ;)
Click to expand...


Well, how else do you explain it when they work with a crossover cable but not the hub?
 
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Darkl0rd1

Junior Member
Jun 3, 2004
7
0
0
Originally posted by: amdfanboy

Well, how else do you explain it when they work with a crossover cable but not the hub?
Click to expand...

Exactly! That's whole point of this post, and what makes this problem so weird. There isn?t a readily identifiable cause.

The important thing to note here is that its definitely not the hub at fault, as this hub works absolutely fine with another 3 PCs sitting here. All ports are fully operational and all PCs are working just fine connected at 100mbps. Its just this one PC of my friends that won?t work at all when connected to this hub (lights don?t light up at all on his card or the hub), but his PC will work absolutely fine connected to any other PC with a crossover cable! It?s certainly the weirdest network problem I have come across.

Arrghh. This is driving me insane!!! :confused:
 
cronos

cronos

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
9,380
26
101
will the network card work by itself without the other (try both pull out the PCI and disable the one that's on-board).
when you do that, try to remove all the driver from safe mode and reinstall the driver.
that would be my next step to figure this out.

it might be some weird bug that happens only with the combination of the on-board plus the Realtek.
 
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howdyduty

Senior member
Feb 21, 2001
490
0
0
Sounds like your cable is a cross-over cable if it works PC-to-PC. Try plugging into your hub's uplink port which acts like a cross-over port. You might try a different cable. Normal (non cross) cables usually dont work with most NICs PC-to-PC.
 
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Darkl0rd1

Junior Member
Jun 3, 2004
7
0
0
Originally posted by: amdfanboy

I think the only thing you did not say was windows. format c: :(
Click to expand...

That won?t help. Its not a Windows or hard drive settings problem. The reason being that the NIC lights do no come at post either, when they definitely should.

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Try switching PCI slots. <--off the wall suggestion :confused:
Click to expand...

Done. No go :( Besides remember there are two networks cards in his PC. One is onboard and both have the same issue (and we've tried removing the PCI card and just using the onboard in case there was a conflict between them)

Originally posted by: saxguy
will the network card work by itself without the other (try both pull out the PCI and disable the one that's on-board).
when you do that, try to remove all the driver from safe mode and reinstall the driver.
that would be my next step to figure this out.

it might be some weird bug that happens only with the combination of the on-board plus the Realtek.
Click to expand...

That was one of the first things I tried. No go unfortunately. Definitely not a conflict between the two cards or drivers.

Originally posted by: howdyduty
Sounds like your cable is a cross-over cable if it works PC-to-PC. Try plugging into your hub's uplink port which acts like a cross-over port. You might try a different cable. Normal (non cross) cables usually dont work with most NICs PC-to-PC.
Click to expand...

His computer works with a crossover cable PC to PC, but not with a regular patch cable connected to the hub (the same patch cable works fine connecting other PCs to the hub). I tried a couple of different patch cables too just to make sure.

The uplink idea is an interesting one. Will give that a go.

Thanks for all the feedback so far guys. Although I?ve tried a lot of the advice already it?s still very helpful and is heading me in new directions I wouldn?t have thought of. I?m sure you?ll agree this is one of the weirdest networks issues you could experience.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
the fact that you get no link light means it can only be three things, and three things only (physical layer)

bad cable (use store bought, not homemade)
bad hub
bad nic
or heaven forbid bad PCI bus and the card isn't getting power, but you've already ruled that out.

My bet is on the cable. there could be one pair that is out of polarity...some cards don't have a problem and will adjust, many don't.

I know, I know...you've already tried different cables but this really, really sounds like a cable problem. And cable problems exhibit these kinds of symptoms. Try a store bought cat5 patch cord. If you've tried two store bought cat5 patch cables (not crossovers) then it must not be the cable.

However homemade cables can cause these very symptoms and cause one to lose one's sanity.

;)

Also you say you're using a "hub" but are connecting at 100 Meg ethernet. 100 meg ethernet hubs are pretty rare so is this a switch we're talking about? Make sure the network card is set to auto speed/auto duplex in the card properties.
 
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Darkl0rd1

Junior Member
Jun 3, 2004
7
0
0
Thanks Spidey. Just to be 100% sure I'll go out and buy a couple of new cat5 cables and try again.

The exact words on the hub say "EtherFast 10/100 auto sensing 8 port workgroup hub". Its kind of old and chunky but works fine.
 
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spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: Darkl0rd1
Thanks Spidey. Just to be 100% sure I'll go out and buy a couple of new cat5 cables and try again.

The exact words on the hub say "EtherFast 10/100 auto sensing 8 port workgroup hub". Its kind of old and chunky but works fine.
Click to expand...

gotcha. those are pretty rare and tended to be kinda "funky" network wise. But if other computers work just fine on it then your problem still points the problem pc and its connection...not the hub.

In other news switches are only 10-20 bucks nowadays.
;)
 
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