HELP! - desktop PC won't connect to Internet - NOW FIXED

StewartR

StewartR

Messages
11,513
Name
Stewart
Edit My Images
Yes
So the desktop PC here at home won't connect to the Internet.

Our broadband connection is fine and the router is working, because I can connect to the Internet via WiFi on my phone (as I am doing now).

The network cable that's plugged into the PC is OK, because if I swap cables with another device (eg the smart meter hub) the other device still works and the PC still doesn't.

The port on the router is OK, because if I swap ports with another device the PC still doesn't work and the other device still does.

Windows Network Diagnostics says there's no network cable attached to the PC. But there is, and as I've explained I've confirmed that the cable is OK.

So... It's looking to me like it's a problem with the networking gubbins in the PC. Anybody agree / disagree? Any other tests I could / should carry out? Everything else in the PC seems to be working OK.

If it is the PC itself that is at fault, what are my options? I expect the networking capability is built into the PC's motherboard (Asus H87M-E). If that's faulty, could / should I get an expansion card to provide networking capability? Or what? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help.


EDIT - NOW FIXED. No need to any more suggestions. Thanks for all the help.
 
Last edited:
Hi Stewart,

Any lights on the Ethernet socket on the pc? Should flicker between orange/yellow/green.
 
What about in device manager under network adaptors, do you have an yellow triangle with an exclamation?
 
It would be ince if you gave us more info about PC. What system are you running on it?

As Kev says, make sure you have all drivers installed and up to date.
 
StewartR said:
So the desktop PC here at home won't connect to the Internet.

Our broadband connection is fine and the router is working, because I can connect to the Internet via WiFi on my phone (as I am doing now).

The network cable that's plugged into the PC is OK, because if I swap cables with another device (eg the smart meter hub) the other device still works and the PC still doesn't.

The port on the router is OK, because if I swap ports with another device the PC still doesn't work and the other device still does.

Windows Network Diagnostics says there's no network cable attached to the PC. But there is, and as I've explained I've confirmed that the cable is OK.

So... It's looking to me like it's a problem with the networking gubbins in the PC. Anybody agree / disagree? Any other tests I could / should carry out? Everything else in the PC seems to be working OK.

If it is the PC itself that is at fault, what are my options? I expect the networking capability is built into the PC's motherboard (Asus H87M-E). If that's faulty, could / should I get an expansion card to provide networking capability? Or what? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you've powered the PC off and on? Might kick the port back to life. 9 times out of 10, this will fix it.

If windows is saying no cable is attached, it's detecting the port okay, so chances are the port is enabled, but you can try disabling and re-enabling the port (somewhere in network adapter settings, right click on port and select disable or equivalent)
 
StewartR said:
If it is the PC itself that is at fault, what are my options? I expect the networking capability is built into the PC's motherboard (Asus H87M-E). If that's faulty, could / should I get an expansion card to provide networking capability? Or what? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Maybe try a WiFi USB adapter. They are crazily cheap - I bought a "good" one for my wife's PC for about a tenner on Amazon and it works beautifully.
 
sep9001 said:
What about in device manager under network adaptors, do you have an yellow triangle with an exclamation?
Click to expand...
No. The network adapter is a Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller, apparently, and Windows says that this device is working properly.
 
Major said:
It would be ince if you gave us more info about PC. What system are you running on it?

As Kev says, make sure you have all drivers installed and up to date.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I don't know what's important and what isn't. I'm running Windows 10. Yesterday when I first noticed the problem I rebooted the PC to see whether that would fix it, and it said it was installing an update. I assume that means all the drivers are up to date?
 
Furtim said:
If windows is saying no cable is attached, it's detecting the port okay, so chances are the port is enabled, but you can try disabling and re-enabling the port (somewhere in network adapter settings, right click on port and select disable or equivalent)
Click to expand...
OK... In Device Manager, under Network Adapters, there's just one entry, Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller. I tried right-click > Disable Device, then right-click > Enable Device. No joy. I can't find anything that invites me to disable a 'port' as opposed to a 'device', if there's a difference.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Maybe try a WiFi USB adapter. They are crazily cheap - I bought a "good" one for my wife's PC for about a tenner on Amazon and it works beautifully.
Click to expand...

TheAndyA said:
It sounds like the network port might have failed, it's happened on my PC in the past. I'd but a network card and slot it in if all else fails, they're only around £10 from Ebay.
Click to expand...

Thanks, its good to know that I have a couple of options for Plan B. I'll get something from Amazon anyway, so it will come tomorrow, and then if I can get the PC working I can cancel the order or send it back.
 
Last edited:
TheAndyA said:
It sounds like the network port might have failed, it's happened on my PC in the past. I'd but a network card and slot it in if all else fails, they're only around £10 from Ebay.
Click to expand...

I would go with this option as it looks like you have tried all the usual things.
 
By the sound of it, all should be spot on. It is strange that you have working hardware and soft error... unless, like it was mentioned, hardware has failed.

Here is one more thing to try, even when it says cable unplugged, try to fire up browser and browse the net. Just make sure that time and date are set correcty. If your PC was installing update, it clearly has connected to the net in some way. If you can, don't use Internet Explorer.

My son's netbook has this issue. It always says that cable is unplugged and wifi disconnected. Run Firefox and all works spot on...
 
StewartR said:
OK... In Device Manager, under Network Adapters, there's just one entry, Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller. I tried right-click > Disable Device, then right-click > Enable Device. No joy. I can't find anything that invites me to disable a 'port' as opposed to a 'device', if there's a difference.
Click to expand...

No, same thing.
 
Just quick check to see if the IP stack is working.

Open a command prompt and type:
Ping 127.0.0.1

Do you get responses? If not then it's software rather than hardware.
 
Go into network sharing centre (right click the network icon down by the clock), on the left go to network adapters, right click the ethernet and disable/enable (this isn't the same as device manager) . If not then do right click and diagnostic as that resets a load of bits.
 
Last edited:
Major said:
Here is one more thing to try, even when it says cable unplugged, try to fire up browser and browse the net. Just make sure that time and date are set correcty. If your PC was installing update, it clearly has connected to the net in some way. If you can, don't use Internet Explorer.

My son's netbook has this issue. It always says that cable is unplugged and wifi disconnected. Run Firefox and all works spot on...
Click to expand...
I've tried it with all 3 browsers that I have installed - Chrome, Firefox, Edge. No joy.

Also Windows Update wouldn't connect when I tried to find out whether there's a newer driver for my network adapter available online. When it did the big update after I rebooted, I think it must have already downloaded everything it needed.
 
Furtim said:
Just quick check to see if the IP stack is working.

Open a command prompt and type:
Ping 127.0.0.1

Do you get responses? If not then it's software rather than hardware.
Click to expand...

Yes, I did get responses. So I guess that means it's probably the hardware?
 
neil_g said:
Go into network sharing centre (right click the network icon down by the clock), on the left go to network adapters, right click the ethernet and disable/enable (this isn't the same as device manager) . If not then do right click and diagnostic as that resets a load of bits.
Click to expand...
OK.... I disabled and then enabled the Local Area Connection. It says 'Network cable unplugged'.

I tried the diagnostics (again) and it says 'Plug an Ethernet cable into the network adapter "Local Area Connection"'. There is a cable plugged in.

This is really looking like a hardware failure to me.
 
One last thing try the latest official driver from Realtek, was one released 2 weeks ago for your RTL8111G onboard NIC.

Download to USB drive and install

Code: 
http://www.realtek.com/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=5&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false#RTL8111B/RTL8168B/RTL8111/RTL8168<br>RTL8111C/RTL8111CP/RTL8111D(L)<br>RTL8168C/RTL8111DP/RTL8111E<br>RTL8168E/RTL8111F/RTL8411<br>RTL8111G/RTL8111GUS/RTL8411B(N)<br>RTL8118AS

i dont know whether the setup.exe will work, i always prefer the manual method of going to device manager and right click to update driver then browse my computer. browse to the location of the unzipped files and locate the WIN10->32 or 64 depending on OS->rt640xxx.inf
 
Last edited:
Another option might be to remove the hardware in device manager and then restart the computer. It should then via PnP find 'new' hardware and reinstall the drivers etc. However, as there are no lights flashing on the port, it does suggest to me that it's a hardware problem. Should be able to pick up a network card cheaply enough though to get you going again.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/comput...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CO618sT_jdUCFZMg0wodDIYDhQ
 
Last edited:
GeeJay57 said:
Another option might be to remove the hardware in device manager and then restart the computer. It should then via PnP find 'new' hardware and reinstall the drivers etc. However, as there are no lights flashing on the port, it does suggest to me that it's a hardware problem. Should be able to pick up a network card cheaply enough though to get you going again.
Click to expand...

Worth a try, incase the driver has gone weird. Having windows re-detect and reinstall on startup might solve the issue. I would try a different ethernet cable, just to eliminate any possibility of a dodgy cable. Cables can have intermittent issues. If the new cable doesn't work - give the plug at the computer end a waggle / shoogle while keeping an eye on the ethernet lights on the socket. It might be that you have dry joints, i.e. the soldering at the points where the socket joins the board have cracked or are dodgy. Was your ethernet cable taught before the problem occurred, or did you trip up on the cable / did it get yanked by the ethernet cable?
 
Last edited:
Go wireless, just plug the unit into a usb port and load disk and follow instructions. I use netgear and have no speed loss
 
Last edited:
neil_g said:
One last thing try the latest official driver from Realtek, was one released 2 weeks ago for your RTL8111G onboard NIC.....
Click to expand...
Done. The installed driver had a 2015 date so I followed your procedure to update it. No effect though, unfortunately.
 
GeeJay57 said:
Another option might be to remove the hardware in device manager and then restart the computer. It should then via PnP find 'new' hardware and reinstall the drivers etc.
Click to expand...
I did this. It did find the 'new' hardware and did install it. But it still didn't work.
 
Gil Bev said:
I would try a different ethernet cable, just to eliminate any possibility of a dodgy cable. Cables can have intermittent issues. If the new cable doesn't work - give the plug at the computer end a waggle / shoogle while keeping an eye on the ethernet lights on the socket. It might be that you have dry joints, i.e. the soldering at the points where the socket joins the board have cracked or are dodgy.
Click to expand...
I've tried a new cable. I've tried wiggling it around in the socket. No joy.
Gil Bev said:
Was your ethernet cable taught before the problem occurred, or did you trip up on the cable / did it get yanked by the ethernet cable?
Click to expand...
Not taut. However my wife has long legs and sonetimes tends to sit at the desk with her legs stretched out straight in front of her, so it's not outside the realms of possibility that she might have caught the cable with her foot. We did discuss that possibility before I launched this appeal for help, and it's why I tested the cable first.
 
Last edited:
Sounds very likely a hardware fault with your computer - a new network card or usb wifi dongle should solve the problem
 
Last edited:
StewartR said:
Why might that work, even theoretically?
Click to expand...

Antivirus can block incoming communication, however I would expect the lights on your socket to illuminate still had this been the issue
 
Last edited:
Have seen some incidents at work of antivirus softwares blocking random areas of a machines OS. As antivirus generally update themselves in small increments without much fanfare I have found it is always worth ruling out with any new issue.
 
Have you plugged anything else into the cable/same port on router to rule that out? Like a laptop if you have one or sky box, Sonos, TV etc anything with a lan port
 
StewartR said:
Why might that work, even theoretically?
Click to expand...

AV can very occasionally do strange things. Mine took my internet access out quite a while ago. Like you I was floundering as at first it was only my desktop affected. When the laptop went down as well it was easier as my partner was able to take it away and check it through his system. In your case it seems unlikely, but it's worth eliminating. And try a usb wifi adaptor. They're not exactly expensive. I used one in my old laptop after the network card went u/s.
 
Just a few thoughts not in any particular order , I am assuming its running Windows-if its a MAC ignore the following

Is it a new PC which is not working?
Is it an old PC which has stopped working
Has it had any recent Windows upgrades?
Can you do a system restore to when it was working
Can you reinstall windows from a recovery disc.

Although if the lights are not showing it does sound like hardware
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top