Confused Ethernet Ports

[emcannon1]

I have an interesting problem. For reasons only known to God, my Ethernet port simply quit working. Before going to work in the morning, it worked fine. I turned off the PC. When I returned home, I turned on the PC and, to my surprise. I had no internet connection, not even local access. I did all the usual stuff and nothing worked. I have another PC using Vista Ultimate 32, and it did not have a problem. So, I connected a TrendNet USB Ethernet Adapter and VIOLA, I have an internet connection. Now, I’m confused as to why the onboard Ethernet port refuses to reset. Vista does not afford me the ability to literally re-assign the card any parameters as they are automatically re-set this confusing mix of private settings. (see ipconfig /all below).

Windows IP Configuration
 
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : TechCentral-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : 
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : domain_not_set.invalid
System Quarantine State . . . . . : Not Restricted
 
 
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:
 
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : domain_not_set.invalid
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASIX AX88772 USB2.0 to Fast Ethernet Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-B6-05-06-5A
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::41e2:bfdb:5559:7e59%16(Preferred) 
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.64(Preferred) 
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, September 30, 2009 11:43:43 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, October 02, 2009 11:43:42 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 335564982
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-12-12-C2-E4-00-1C-C0-8F-96-DB
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
68.238.64.12
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
 
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:
 
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : domain_not_set.invalid
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASIX AX88772 USB2.0 to Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-B6-05-10-B7
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::9c8e:85e2:a806:92c5%13(Preferred) 
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.70(Preferred) 
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, September 30, 2009 11:43:44 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, October 02, 2009 11:43:43 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 218124470
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-12-12-C2-E4-00-1C-C0-8F-96-DB
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
68.238.64.12
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
 
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
 
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82567LF-2 Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1C-C0-8F-96-DB
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::552:260c:6944:95af%12(Preferred) 
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.149.175(Preferred) 
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 251665600
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-12-12-C2-E4-00-1C-C0-8F-96-DB
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled 
 
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:
 
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : domain_not_set.invalid
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.domain_not_set.invalid
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
 
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:
 
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
 
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:
 
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{A6AEB4D5-53B8-465B-93BC-04588BA27F93}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

PLEASE HELP!

 

[lemur]

Please give me the specs on your pc. particularly the make and model.

 

[lemur]

Vista does not afford me the ability to literally re-assign the card any parameters as they are automatically re-set this confusing mix of private settings. (see ipconfig /all below).

Do you mean hard code the ip address?

 

[emcannon1]

This is a custom built PC. I cannot hard code the ip as the router I'm forced to use [actiontec] will not assign or recognize the IP.

 

[lemur]

My pc is custom as well. You can tell me the make and model of your mobo, etc. Please fill out the system specs in the lower left-hand corner.

 

[emcannon1]

I have filled out the information, here it is as listed online:

System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom /Purpose Built
OS Vista Business 64
CPU Intel C2Q 6700
Motherboard Intel DP45SG
Memory Corsair XMS 4GB, Patriot 2GB
Graphics Card eVga GeForce 8800GT
Sound Card SoundBlaster Audigy SE
Monitor(s) Displays Hanng-G 28"
Screen Resolution 1920 X 1200

Update your System Spec
Keyboard MS Wireless Laser 5000 (European)
Mouse MS Wireless Laser 5000 (European)
PSU Antec EarthWatts 550 Watts
Case Antec 180 Silver
Cooling Zalman Hurricane
Hard Drives (6) Hitachi 320 GB (Programs), WD 250 GB (PS ScratchDisk), Hitachi 500GB (WorkFiles), Hitachi 500GB (WebSites), WD MyBook 500GB Ext (BackUp 1 & 2), WD MyBook 500GB Ext (BackUp 3 & 4)
Internet Speed 7.1 Verizon DSL
Other Info Altec-Lansing VS 4121 Speakers, Xbox360 HD DVD ROM, 3 Internet Connections using onboard (has problems) and 2 USB TrendNet TU2-ET100

 

[CrucialHoax]

This is a custom built PC. I cannot hard code the ip as the router I'm forced to use [actiontec] will not assign or recognize the IP.

The router has nothing to do with your ip assignments to your machine. You assign a machine a IP and the router recognizes it. But if the ethernet port isn't working, at all. Why not send it back and get a refund, well depending on how old it is...

 

[emcannon1]

It was under the impression that when DHCP is enabled, the IP assigned to the eligible device comes from the router. CIP, my iTouch is assigned an IP from the range of available IPs in the IP table of my router. However, that's irrelevant, as I have re-assigned the IP specifically to the on board Ethernet and the results are the same, "unidentified network Access: Limited Connectivity." Another strange thing with this confused port is that Vista thinks the port is a wireless port, not a fixed connection for one of the errors I receive is "a wireless adapter is not connected to this computer."

 

[emcannon1]

VistaBusiness64 Also reports that I have multiple networks, yet, it won't tell me what the hell the name of these networks are. There are only 4 devices within my "network"; 2 Vista PC's, an iPod Touch [wireless] and a HP Photosmart C6180 Printer [attached via ethernet]. Again, all was well until last morning.

 

[CrucialHoax]

Have you updated the ethernet drivers? Sounds to me like that is the problem, especially since assigning the machine an IP doesn't make it recognize what it's connected to. I searched for drivers for the main board model you supplied: Intel DSP45SG and the only thing that comes up is this thread... Can you please double check that?

 

[emcannon1]

OOPS My bad. Wrong board number. It's DP45SG. And Yes, I have updated the ethernet drivers to the most current available from Intel. Funny thing is that Intel's on board Ethernet Diagnostics revelas only that a DNS Server is not on the network. That tells me that the card is either seeking or is dynamically attached to a pseudo network or which I cannot see or access. IF I had the ability to physically reset the card, restore it to it's default state, then I might be able to figure out what the hell is going on. But, like other "non-intuitve" operating systems, you would need a doctorate in Computer Science and Engineering just to find a jumper or a profile / system adjustment to restore the on board ethernet port to it's default settings.

 

[CrucialHoax]

Uninstall the ethernet driver then reboot. That should force Vista to find a working, valid driver.

 

[emcannon1]

OK, I'll give that a try.

 

[CrucialHoax]

Post back with results. Please.

 

[emcannon1]

Results: Vista installed a 2008 Driver. The port still has "Limited Connectivity". Weird. The IPV4 Ip does change, but chose 169.254.112.188. This is beyond weird - this is strange. The 2 USB connections work perfectly, no DHCP issues, -nada - zero - zilch, not a single issue. I think I might just contact Intel for an FYI and just go out a buy PCI Gigabit Ethernet Card. I need the Gigabit connection because I transfer very large files between the 2 computers and share HD media.

 

[CrucialHoax]

Results: Vista installed a 2008 Driver. The port still has "Limited Connectivity". Weird. The IPV4 Ip does change, but chose 169.254.112.188. This is beyond weird - this is strange. The 2 USB connections work perfectly, no DHCP issues, -nada - zero - zilch, not a single issue. I think I might just contact Intel for an FYI and just go out a buy PCI Gigabit Ethernet Card. I need the Gigabit connection because I transfer very large files between the 2 computers and share HD media.

Well since its not driver, the only 'software' left is the router config. But you stated that everything else works. So yes, it could very well be the main board. This one is tricky.

 

[emcannon1]

Question? Would re-Installing Vista SP2 restore any corrupted files? I'm reading other blogs and this may be a fix-it. The problem is Vista's ability to use this ethernet port. My next step is to use netsh winsock reset. I'll see it that works first, then I'll re-install Vista SP2.

 

[CrucialHoax]

Question? Would re-Installing Vista SP2 restore any corrupted files? I'm reading other blogs and this may be a fix-it. The problem is Vista's ability to use this ethernet port. My next step is to use netsh winsock reset. I'll see it that works first, then I'll re-install Vista SP2.

Could be a possibility. I would try as much as possible without damaging anything before you went and bought another card...

Have you tried flushing the dns? run a elevated command prompt [right click, run as admin] and type ipconfig /flushdns

 

[emcannon1]

I See the problem. But, I have no Idea how to fix it. This PC is on an entirely different network than my router and switch, but only in a software sense. They are physically connected to the same router, but my Vista Business has decided that it doesn't like that network, and has chosen to create it's own, unidentified network. This is a software issue as even the USB connections keep changing after each re-boot as Vista re-names the connections. I have scanned this computer up and down for ever known virus to man [or computerkind ] and I'm virus free. I refuse to believe that the ethernet port just went out. This connections re-naming issue leads me to believe that Vista's networking abilities have been compromised.

 

[CrucialHoax]

I See the problem. But, I have no Idea how to fix it. This PC is on an entirely different network than my router and switch, but only in a software sense. They are physically connected to the same router, but my Vista Business has decided that it doesn't like that network, and has chosen to create it's own, unidentified network. This is a software issue as even the USB connections keep changing after each re-boot as Vista re-names the connections. I have scanned this computer up and down for ever known virus to man [or computerkind ] and I'm virus free. I refuse to believe that the ethernet port just went out. This connections re-naming issue leads me to believe that Vista's networking abilities have been compromised.

Go into network and sharing center and in the left column it should say 'Manage Wireless Network connections' well in your case it should say 'Wired'

Click on that and erase the network Vista keeps creating. Unplug the ethernet cable, re boot, then plug it back in. What does that do?