Why does my Ethernet card show as not connected?

Question

I'm trying to set up a network, but I keep being told that I have a network cable unplugged. I have changed cards, bought new cables, but N.B.G. Everything seems all right until I run the Network Wizard on Windows XP, & then I can't finish it because I have "a network cable is unplugged". Any help?

Answer 1

So you know that all the cards involved are working.  Are you always using the same crossover cable?  Then I'd suspect a bad cable or a corrupt driver.

Answer 2

network card is faulty - check green light on the back - or your Router aint working or jammed?

Answer 3

You don't mention exactly what you are connecting to what. Are you connecting a computer to a (DSL/Cable) modem, a router or a switch? When you connect the cable to the computer and the router/switch/modem, you should see an LED light up on both the computer (generally right next to the port the cable plugs into) and on the switch (either right next to the port or on the front of the switch or both). If you don't see those lights, you don't have a valid physical connection between the two.

Some devices, especially DSL/Cable modems have ports with the transmit/receive lines reverse (assuming they will be connected to a switch, not directly to a computer). In order to fix this, you would need a "crossover" cable. That is, a cable with the transmit and receive lines reversed on one end. Most newer routers/modems/switches come with Auto MDI/MDX ports that can sense if a reversal is needed and do it automatically, but not all have that.