Unable to maintain a connection w/ any retractable ethernet

[aphex]

Using any retractable ethernet cable, my connection goes from Autodetecting to No Connection Detected over and over and over again in a 1-2 second cycle.... It obviously never gets any connection as it constantly dies...

It does not happen when using a standard ethernet cable, nor is it the retractable cable as it works fine in others computers and this is the second retractable cable i've used on my T41 (both with the same result)

Why can't i use my T41 with a retractable ethernet cable when it works fine on classmates laptops?

[jdhurst]

From this distance, since my retractable cable (freebie from Microsoft event) works great, and since you say a regular cable works, then it must be the retractable cable. ... JD Hurst

[aphex]

From this distance, since my retractable cable (freebie from Microsoft event) works great, and since you say a regular cable works, then it must be the retractable cable. ... JD Hurst

You would think so but;

The same retractable cable works fine in other people laptops.
Another retractable cable (different company) yields the same results on my laptop...

[jdhurst]

OK, so let's enter the realm of the mythical and unreal.

First, my T41 works with any good cable, retractable or no. So it is not a generic T41 problem.

1. The cable ends don't work with your T41 and/or the NIC connection on the T41 is faulty in such a way that it works with your non-retractable cable but not retractable cable. The pins inside the socket can fail (misalign) - happened on my PC 300GL.

(I had a mouse once that worked on any machine but mine. IBM replaced the system board only to determine it was the mouse after all).

2. My retractable cable is flat (not twisted pair). Your retractable cable is at the end of a long run and causing a significant impedance mismatch. The non-retractable cable is twisted pair, and does not cause the problem.

3. The NIC in the T41 is faulty in such a way that this happens. Try a PCMCIA NIC temporarily and see if it works.

... JD Hurst

[Leon]

jd.. you're scary,,(in a good way )

[kev009]

Retractable RJ-45 cables tend to be marketed as ISDN cables. They tend to use low grade flat wire and aren't really desinged for high speed data transfer. That said I have used one for transfering gigabytes of data to my old 760XL over 100mb/s ethernet and never had a hitch. Verify the RJ-45 connectors are firmly crimped, all wires make it to the end and there are no snags or kinks in the cable. If the later is the case the only solution is generally a new cable.

[MobileGuru]

I absolutely have horrible success with those flimsy retraction cable setups. Worst case, carry around a 3 or 5 foot patch cable instead. That's what I use and it never fails me because it's a quality cord.

[egibbs]

Interesting...

A couple weeks ago I was in a hotel room and tried to use the free broadband with my T42p and a retractable cable. It wouldn't work - said the cable was not connected even after I reseated it a couple times.

I didn't bother to troubleshoot it because I got a Wi-Fi connection right away so I just used that.

I have no problems at home with a standard cable.

Ed Gibbs

[JHEM]

I've got a pile of these retractable ethernet cables lying around that I've collected as gimmes at various shows, symposia, etc.

I used to hand them out to family members and friends, but have wound up having to replace every last one of them due to various failures. I've gone back to giving everyone a decent CAT5 cable and everyone is happy again.

Hey Ed! Next time you have a hotel problem like that and you can't get a WiFi connection check in the closet. There should be a CAT5 cable hanging in there.

Regards,

James

[JaneL]

I must just live a charmed life. I've been using retractable network and modem cables for nearly as long as they've been available, and the only problems I've ever had with them is when the holding tab finally wears down and breaks off.

But, then, I never had any problems with X-Jack modems either.

[egibbs]

[quote="nonny"]I must just live a charmed life. I've been using retractable network and modem cables for nearly as long as they've been available, and the only problems I've ever had with them is when the holding tab finally wears down and breaks off.

Me too - until a couple weeks ago. That was the first time I traveled with the T42 - I wonder if maybe the on-board Gigabit Ethernet is more sensitive to cable quality than the Mini-PCI 10/100 NIC in my T20 was. The retractable cable always worked fine with the T20.

Or maybe I just had a bad port in the room. Like I said I didn't waste any time troubleshooting since Wi-Fi worked. I'll keep an eye on it though and if it happens again I'll try a real cable to see what happens.

Ed Gibbs

[mdarnton]

My wife has one of those mice with a retractable cable. I liked hers so much, I bought one. I should have tried hers first--neither works on my T41--it does the same thing--on, off, on, off, etc. I think poor cable is the problem.

[aphex]

My wife has one of those mice with a retractable cable. I liked hers so much, I bought one. I should have tried hers first--neither works on my T41--it does the same thing--on, off, on, off, etc. I think poor cable is the problem.

Why would our T41's be so sensitive though? My cable works perfecly fine on my friends Dell, Compaq, Acer, and Toshiba....

Is there anyway to adjust the sensitivity?

[Leon]

no