Page 1 of 1

T23 Network card problem.. hardware or software?

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:15 pm
by skygodtj
I have a T23 I swapped all my parts into because the old one they were in began the dreaded pulsating fan on startup, and it would not POST... ok.. swapped out for another T23..

Everything works except.. Intel Pro/100 VE ethernet daughter card, Plug in CAT5 cable, green connect light, fast blinking yellow data light, Sys tray shows X over network icon.. Swapped ethernet daughter cards, I get a "Acquiring network address", then connected indication on Sys Tray and Network properties, I get a info balloon for network icon saying:

Local Area Connection 7
Speed: 100.0 mps
Status: Connected

When I check network settings, it has the internal network address 169.xx.xx.xx. I have disabled, removed/re-installed it several times.

When I start up IE, Netscape, or anything connecting to the network/internet, only half of the networking icon (tv) lights up. I disabled Windows and ZoneAlarm's firewalls and run Network Wizard multiple times. I switched proxy server (AdSubtract installed) to Connect Directly, still no connect. i stuck in a Xircom Ethernet/Modem combo pcmcia card and it works just fine, connects, data, everything..

I've run a Virus and Spyware scan, thinking it may be something intentionally preventing me from connecting, but the other cards work ok..

I'm thinking this is really a software/settings problem now, however, the Xircom Ethernet/Modem pcmcia card works perfectly with the same settings the Intel Pro/100 VE card uses. I stick in my DLink 630+ or AirLink G wifi cards and they work fine. Could I have two bad ethernet cards? (tho I can get 'connected' with one) It looks like it is just being blocked.

Anyone have any ideas at all?

Thanks,

TJ

Re: T23 Network card problem.. hardware or software?

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 11:00 am
by ottadel
skygodtj wrote:I have a T23 I swapped all my parts into because the old one they were in began the dreaded pulsating fan on startup, and it would not POST... ok.. swapped out for another T23..

Everything works except.. Intel Pro/100 VE ethernet daughter card, Plug in CAT5 cable, green connect light, fast blinking yellow data light, Sys tray shows X over network icon.. Swapped ethernet daughter cards, I get a "Acquiring network address", then connected indication on Sys Tray and Network properties, I get a info balloon for network icon saying:

Local Area Connection 7
Speed: 100.0 mps
Status: Connected

When I check network settings, it has the internal network address 169.xx.xx.xx. I have disabled, removed/re-installed it several times.

When I start up IE, Netscape, or anything connecting to the network/internet, only half of the networking icon (tv) lights up. I disabled Windows and ZoneAlarm's firewalls and run Network Wizard multiple times. I switched proxy server (AdSubtract installed) to Connect Directly, still no connect. i stuck in a Xircom Ethernet/Modem combo pcmcia card and it works just fine, connects, data, everything..

I've run a Virus and Spyware scan, thinking it may be something intentionally preventing me from connecting, but the other cards work ok..

I'm thinking this is really a software/settings problem now, however, the Xircom Ethernet/Modem pcmcia card works perfectly with the same settings the Intel Pro/100 VE card uses. I stick in my DLink 630+ or AirLink G wifi cards and they work fine. Could I have two bad ethernet cards? (tho I can get 'connected' with one) It looks like it is just being blocked.

Anyone have any ideas at all?

Thanks,

TJ
*********************************************
Hi, skygodtj.

I have a problem with my lap, my lap have the same interface of your t23, the network interface is in the piggy board with 2 cables, because when I connect an rj-45 cable it say no cable connected, I suspect the little board is bad, but when I run the tests "everything is fine "" ?????
I try with the default options and no connect ???? are the litle cables ???

Thanks.

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:54 pm
by Kyocera
teej, you are receiving an automatic IP address from within windows. Your machine is set for dhcp and is not finding a dhcp server. Try manually setting yourself an IP address/subnet mask/gateway of the network you are connecting to or are trying to connect to.

Do you have any red X's in the device manager for your nic?

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 2:17 pm
by skygodtj
Good morning! (it is in Phoenix..)

No X on NIC in Dev Mgr, but tries to acquire address, little ball bounces back and forth under the Network monitor icon, for abt a minute, then Yellow exclamation point and no connect... yeah, the 169.x.x.x is internal IP address. I'll try to manually assign one from the router subset.. Just really perplexed why light on router, and on NIC indicates connect initially, then powers off.. PCMCIA NIC and WiFi cards work, just internal doesnt.. I'm kinda thinkin' the cables bad, but it wouldnt initially connect at all if it was..

teege

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 3:59 pm
by Kyocera
Could be the cable or a bad port in the router, when you put in a static ip, see what happens. Try to ping the router IP.

I have seen the little wires inside the rj45 port on thinkpads get bent and cause bad connections, you'll need a magnifying glass to check that.

Try unplugging the router and plugging it back in.

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 5:19 pm
by rkawakami
I think I got my head wrapped around what's happened, but please confirm this:

1) Your "old" T23 with the pulsating fan problem originally was okay with the ethernet daughter card.

2) Your "new" T23, with components from the old one (including the ethernet card) does not want to work with the RJ-45 connection. Nor does the "original" ethernet card that was already in the "new" system.

Question: Did the ethernet connection on the "new" T23 ever work before, or was it never verified as operating correctly?

My first impression is that you have a motherboard problem with the "new" T23. It is possible that you have two bad ethernet cards, but if there ever was a time when you know that either one worked, then I would tend to believe that the problem exists on the motherboard. It's also possible that with at least seven different networking setups in your machine, that Windows is extremely confused.

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:41 pm
by skygodtj
Ray, I'll have to ask Sherman set the Way-Back machine for July 4th, I think remember the NIC worked ok, but wouldnt after the resolding chokes fixed the pulsing.. maybe two unrelated things but I dont know...

I fooled around with the T23 again last night trying to get it to update the AV files, but still wouldnt connect. I have two other T23's with internal NIC's I can swap to see if they work when I'm home (I'm in Sacramento now). An external(pccard) NIC will work, so will a pccard wifi nic, so the router port, and cable is good, just the internal doesnt want to play well with others. With it initially lighting up the NIC LED on the back and on the router, then the LED going out after the dhcp fails to assign address has me stumped.. seems after it tries to assign and fails, it shuts the card off..

When I'm home, I'll swap the cards and see what happens. I'll try to manually assign the IP too.. I can always go wifi with the mini-pci card, and just use a xircom pccard NIC, I have several around..

thanks, teege