NIC is beating me.

[nanders]

We have a new system with a Celeron 2 566 and an ECS P6STP-FL motherboard. I would not have chosen this motherboard, but it wasn't my decision. So far the board seems to be ok, except that for the life of me I can't get the integrated NIC to work. I have tried everything I can to get it to work but it still won't work. Finally as a desparate measure I intalled a spare NIC that I had around the office and it works fine. This really isn't a solution seeing as I will need that NIC for something else. I sent the machine back to the place of purchase and they claim that it works fine. No one seems to be able to find the problem and I am completly stumped. I know it's not the cable or the server because the other NIC I installed is using the same cable and server. I'm looking for any ideas to try.

As a side note, we used to use the ECS P6SET-ML with a Celeron 500-533 an the integrated NIC worked just fine.

Thanks.

[SteveC]

What actually is the problem? In what way doesn't it work? Drivers wont install? Wont talk across the network?

Assuming the NIC's fine physically, the best thing to first do when you have networky problems is to remove ALL drivers and network protocols etc from the network settings control panel applet. Make sure the card's not listed in device manager too. Also delete the relevant .INF files from C:\WINDOWS\INF\OTHER

Now, reboot, re-install the drivers, and good luck!

PS: Congrats on first post!

------------------
Cheers,
Steve

"Life is what we make of it, yet most of us just fake"

[RAB]

Lets try something simple. In device manager, turn off Com port 2. Don't delete it - just disable it in its properties box. One of my machines needs this turned off in order to get the internal NIC working. As long as you don't need Com2, just leave it turned off.

RAB

P.S. Its good to see new readers to the Forum

[paul]

is nic visible in networks and listed with a protocol?
is it in device mgr?

[nanders]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Unfortunately it wasn't that simple. This afternoon I finally discovered the problem. Previously I thought it was software, as it turns out it is a hardware issue.

This may be complicated.

With a standard Cat5/RJ45 cable connected from the NIC to the hub (10Mbps), nothing would work. I would get a link light on one end (hub). I decided to simplify things. I connected 2 computers together using a crossover cable (1/3, 2/6 crossed). No link light on either end. I know this cable works, I have used it many times before and I made sure with a cable tester. Second thing I tried was to use a "homemade" cable that was lying around the shop. The difference was that the person who made it crossed EVERY pair. (1/3, 2/6, 5/8, 4/7...if i remember correctly). What do you know, it worked (link lights on both ends and could ping between the machines). This tells me that it is definetly a hardware issue. Either ECS is doing something non-standard with their pin layout, or it's a faulty header and it was connected wrong by mistake. I guess the tech at the place I bought it must have had a weird cable otherwise I don't see how he could have had it working. I didn't have time to test it any further, but that will come tomorrow.

Hopefully I didn't lose anyone, and thanks again for all your help.

[Rags]

Well, ask that tech to sell you some of that cable and see if it works