Ethernet Port Troubles

Question

A copy of an email I sent to company I bought my PC from last December. Does anyone else have any further suggestions?

Basically yesterday my Internet connection went down, and my diagnosis led to me conclude that the Ethernet port on the motherboard isn't working correctly. I discovered this by the following steps:

1) Attempted to ping my router (no response) 2) Swapped the network cable and repeated step 1. 3) Swapped the router and attempted to ping that. 4) Tested both Router + Network cable with an old laptop. Established a connection without problem. 5) Check the port lights on both Router and Ethernet Port when connecting a cable (neither came on when using my desktop. Router one came on when connecting old laptop). 6) Booted up into Safe Mode with Networking support to ensure only the essential drivers + networking was enable, ensuring no firewalls + potential for spyware etc. Attempted pinging router again (no response).

So far I have had no success communicating via the port. I can ping 127.0.0.1 but I'm not sure whether that is handled internally, or does indeed communicate out via the network card via some loopback or not.

ipconfig yields back a 'Media Disconnected' message. Tried disable+renabling my network card via Device manager which made no difference.

As an additional note I run virus scans with BitDefender weekly (best rated AV app for detecting viruses that I could find) and am confident that the machine has no issue here.

The feedback from the tech support at the company I think is useless. They told me to format my disk and that would solve the problem (there wasn't even a mention of reinstalling windows).

I'm considering using a Ubuntu Live cd just to verify and argue that that is the equivalent of a format, as I'm confident that formatting is not going to help (anyone else any thoughts on this?).

My motherboard is a MSI P31 Neo-F V2.

Answer 1

The media disconnected is a giant red flag right there. That's a hardware only message.

You've already outlined most of the steps you can take to isolate the problem, add a few more (which you may have done), and that is all the testing there is.

You've verified the router port was known working, and that cable is known working through the use of a separate system. So, the problem is definitely with the motherboard. Now you just need to eliminate the software side of the motherboard as the issue. Have you pulled the power cord to the system while working on it? As long as there is current going to the PSU, a charge can be maintained that is just enough to keep some junk memory active. I have corrected a vast number of hardware issues with simply pulling the power entirely as opposed to just a shut down. Aside from that, try resetting your BIOS to default. There are settings in the bios that might mess with the network adapter, and default settings should ensure everything is enabled and working as intended. Trouble in the BIOS is a very slim chance, but easy enough to eliminate.

Answer 2

If you want to check if it's a software problem then the ubuntu live cd will certainly do the job. It's probably also worth making sure the ports haven't been disabled in the bios.

Answer 3

I would ignore the tech support!

If safe mode didn't do a thing, I am not sure Linux would, however it is worth bunging in a live disk and try pinging your router (or any website... and assuming DHCP and the other usual stuff is working)

I have seen Ethernet sockets die, but it is usually down to either short circuit / electrical problems or tugging / mis-use (accidental). It may be worth checking that pins are straight and no obvious problems that you can fix yourself.

If nothing above helps and it is still in warranty, I would take it back.