T42p ethernet phantom disconnects

[jodathmorr]

I've had my Thinkpad for a year and a half now. I love it, but for about 4 months I've had the weirdest problem with my ethernet port. The first time I noticed this was at a LAN part in December. For whatever reason, my ethernet suddenly turns off.

Things will be running smoothly. I'll have a working piece of ethernet cable plugged into my laptop, then after 20 minutes or however long it takes to kick in, I'll get disconnected for no aparent reason. Thinkvantage Access Connections will tell me that I need to plug an ethernet cable into the port, but there is clearly a piece in there already. The link and activity lights on the port will shut off during this time, which makes me think that its a problem with the hardware. After a lot of plugging and replugging, or whenever the computer feels like cooperating again, the port will magically start working again. This happens very infrequently, but when it happens it is VERY frustruating.

I am up to date with all my drivers, bios updates, and software updates but I can't for the life of me figure out why this is happening. Does this sound like its definitly hardware related? Is this just a bug with Access Connections? What should I do?

[Fozzie]

Sounds like a dumb question, but are you sure it's not possible the lan connection is dropping in and out?

If not then it's very likely a hardware problem.

Cheers...

[jodathmorr]

Yeah I'm positive.

After closer inspection I think its a hardware problem. I poked around my ethernet port and i noticed that one of the 9 pins sits slightly lower than the others. When I tried reconnecting the ethernet I had the same problem I described before, but when I tilt the cable head down in the port I get a connection.

So now i ask, is there a way I can angle the pin up again or do I need to get a new motherboard? I'd rather try and fix it myself since I'm in the UK right now doing an internship and a week or two w/o my computer isn't possible since I need my laptop for my job.

[bill bolton]

do I need to get a new motherboard?

That is the usual IBM solution to any Ethernet port connector issues on a T4x.

If you can't do without the Thinkpad at the moment, you might want to see if you can sort of temporarily "wedge" the cable connector into the port using a scrap of folded paper until such time as you can get it repaired properly. Personally I wouldn't attempt to bend the pins as you may well end up making the problem work instead of better!

Also, you might want to clean the contact pads on your Ethernet cable connector with a soft pencil eraser until they are shiny bright, just in case its only a dirty contact on one of the plugs.

Cheers,

Bill

[Kyocera]

I fixed a friend of mines Thinkpad with a very strong magnifying glass and a spring hook, it was not easy, get someone to hold the magnifying glass and you can pull that wire (pin)back up, but be careful to get it back into place.

He had been using a usb to rj45 connector in the interim (linksys).

[jodathmorr]

I do have a 3 year warrenty so I wouldn't mind sending the computer in for service, but being without my laptop for a while would not be any fun. I have had to replace parts of my machine in the past. When the T (ironic?) key on my keyboard suddenly broke off IBM sent me a replacement keyboard and I installed it myself. I don't know what their policy is on internal components, but do you think IBM would send a new motherboard out to me and would let me do the install myself? I've been building system for almost six years now and I've taken apart more than my fair share of laptops, so the replacement dosn't frighten me too much, but I don't know if IBM would be game. Thoughts?

[GomJabbar]

For a temporary fix, buy a PCMCIA ethernet adapter or a USB ethernet adapter. You should be able to get one fairly inexpensively.

Trendnet TEG-PCBUSR Gigabit PCMCIA LAN Cardbus

Netgear Model FA120 USB 2.0 Fast Ethernet Adapter

EDIT: The second item is similar to what Kyocera referred to above.