WiFi is fine, but ethernet connection is a no go. Help!

[missfrost129]

I am having a lot of trouble trying to connect my laptop via ethernet cable. My computer picks up my WiFi just fine, but I can't seem to get anywhere with a cable and I have to have a wired connection for a new job. I've watched a ton of YouTube videos, tried dozens of fixes that I found on Google, updated all drivers, but nothing has worked yet.

Here's what I'm working with: Dell laptop running WIndows 10 Home, AT&T DSL connection via Cat6e cable with modem/router AT&T Pace model 4111N.

I called AT&T and they were able to access my modem remotely and they verified that the connection was fine on their end. My PS4 and Xbox are connected through the same modem and they're working with no problems. They said that it must be an issue with settings in my computer, but I don't really know where to start.

Could someone please help me try to get this figured out? I really don't want to lose my job. Let me know if there is any other info that would be useful and I'll provide it.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[androbourne]

Check your etherent adapter settings to make sure you dont have a static IP assigned. If you do, set it back to DHCP.

Also check device manager to make sure you arn't missing any drivers. I know you said you installed driver but its best to check anyways.

Also does this issue happen at other locations? Can you hardware using the xbox ethernet to test since we know that cable is good?

 

[jsmithepa]

Why would your employer care what u do at home as long as u can get on Internet? if at work, I sure hope there is a resident I.T. guy who can help u.

 

[missfrost129]

Check your etherent adapter settings to make sure you dont have a static IP assigned. If you do, set it back to DHCP.

Also check device manager to make sure you arn't missing any drivers. I know you said you installed driver but its best to check anyways.

Also does this issue happen at other locations? Can you hardware using the xbox ethernet to test since we know that cable is good?

DHCP is set.

Device Manager shows that everything is up to date. USB-IF xHCI USB Host Controller is marked with ! but when I try to go through the update process, I get a message stating that the most up to date drivers are already installed.

I'm not having the issue at other locations. I was afraid that the ethernet cable I was using was broken or too old, so I went out and bought a new one yesterday. After trying it out with no results, I unplugged the Xbox's ethernet cable and plugged it into my laptop just to be sure that the new cable wasn't faulty, but still no connection.

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but here is what the connection is showing right now:
Ethernet
Unidentified network
Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller

When I right click Properties, everything in the list is checked except for Microsoft Network Adapter Multiplexor Protocol.

 

[missfrost129]

Why would your employer care what u do at home as long as u can get on Internet? if at work, I sure hope there is a resident I.T. guy who can help u.

It's a remote job, so I'm working from home 100% of the time. Video conferencing software is required and my wireless connection isn't stable enough to run the software.

 

[jsmithepa]

OK, lets make the attempt, need to know:

Are u the admin of this home network?
Did this EVER worked.
Anybody else at home have Ethernet access.
Anything on the network changed lately? New ISP? New Router?

 

[missfrost129]

OK, lets make the attempt, need to know:

Are u the admin of this home network?
Did this EVER worked.
Anybody else at home have Ethernet access.
Anything on the network changed lately? New ISP? New Router?

Yes, I am the admin of the home network.
I've never tried to connect my laptop through a wired connection, just always use wireless.
All other devices (tablets, phones, laptop) use wireless--never tried to connect. PS4 and Xbox One X are connected to the modem by ethernet cords and they can access the network without any issues.
I've had the same ISP and equipment for almost a year and a half with no changes.

 

[J_E_D_70]

I’d get a usb ethernet dongle to test it.

 

[jsmithepa]

Excellent. If game boxes can connect, this suggests a basic working LAN, so there is something wrong with ur PC.

With your Ethernet cable plugged in...

First FINDOUT WHETHER ETHERNET NIC EXISTS AND ENABLED. Under Control Panel, somewhere in there is HARDWARE DEVICE, open that up, it shows a tree, under NETWORK, expand that that and take a Screen Print and post it here.

Then CAN LAN SEE YOUR NIC? Open a DOS Command prompt and go IPCONFIG /ALL >T, post T.

Will find out a lot from the above.

 

[missfrost129]

Excellent. If game boxes can connect, this suggests a basic working LAN, so there is something wrong with ur PC.

With your Ethernet cable plugged in...

First FINDOUT WHETHER ETHERNET NIC EXISTS AND ENABLED. Under Control Panel, somewhere in there is HARDWARE DEVICE, open that up, it shows a tree, under NETWORK, expand that that and take a Screen Print and post it here.

Then CAN LAN SEE YOUR NIC? Open a DOS Command prompt and go IPCONFIG /ALL >T, post T.

Will find out a lot from the above.

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[jsmithepa]

Well NICS are there and shows normal. The N2230 is your wireless NIC, the Realtek is your Ethernet.
IPCONFIG shows wireless disconnected and Ethernet NOT CONNECTED either.

Next:

Be sure you have the latest LAN driver loaded from Dell, do not rely on Microsoft, and driver must be specific, labeled as for W10.

If laptop was purchased before the availability of W10, and Dell never updated their drivers, and made one for W10, u maybe dead in the water here and may have to purchase a USB/Ethernet dongle, that specifically say to work for W10.

There should an icon on the system taskbar for LAN, it will either say connected or disconnected, when cable is being plugged in. Needless to say CAT5 should be plugged in with a solid click, not mushy. I can't tell by scant Pace router info whether the front panel has LEDs to signal when an ethernet port is being activated.

 

[missfrost129]

When I updated my drivers, I went through Dell's site. The only network update was Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller Driver, which I downloaded and installed. According to the specs on it:
Importance: Recommended Version: 10.1.505.2015 ,A00 Release Date: 28 Jul 2015
File Name: Network_Driver_3C3C6_WN32_10.1.505.2015_A00.EXE File size: 29.32 MB
Description: This package provides the driver for Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller and is supported on Inspiron 3135/3137/3138/5439/5720/7720/7447/7557, Vostro 5470/5480 and Inspiron 20 Model 3043 running the following Windows Operating system: Windows10 32 bits and Windows 10 64 bits.

I've checked both ends of the cable and they're securely fitted. When I disconnect from the wireless connection and connect the CAT5, the system taskbar goes from "Attempting to authenticate" to Unidentified network; no Internet." The Pace router does have the front panel LEDs to signal activity. The ethernet light is solid green.

I don't know if this is helpful or not, but one of the videos or how-to articles I read a few days ago suggested going into the Connection > Properties > Configure > Advanced tab > Speed & Duplex. In that drop down, there's 10 Full, 10 Half, 100 Full, 100 Half, and Auto Negotiation. Mine was set to AN. It was recommended to change between the others and check the connection after each one and I did that. Some of the settings instantly put a red X on the connection and others did the "Attempting to authenticate" thing. After showing that it was connected, I went back into Properties and it showed "IPv4 Connectivity: Internet; IPv6 Connectivity: No network access." From there, I went back to the Connection > Properties and unchecked the IPv6 box. I refreshed and I was connected. The connection didn't last long, though. I was connected for maybe 5 minutes when the connection slowed down to a crawl. A minute or so later, pages wouldn't load and I had to drop the connection.

 

[jsmithepa]

OK, I assume you have swapped for other CAT cables, use another port on the PACE (there are 4 of them).
I also assume this laptop connects to PACE directly with a single CAT cable, NOT going through any wall wirings.

It would be plant-on-face is above aren't true, 'coz those are suspicions #1.

There is something not friendly between the Realtek and the PACE. Some people would insert an ethernet switch between those 2, and u can even attempt to hookup laptop to another laptop/desktop directly just to see if they remain connected. When going directly PC to PC give both an static address on the same subnet and you should be able to talk to each other.

After that I suspect old PACE, something with that box, Internet community doesn't seem to like it. If there is "green" or power saving feature on PACE, should disable that. Then back to my previous response, a USB/ethernet dongle not that expensive.

Ethernet should be one of those plug&play deal, there is very little mystery to it. Problems often are (1)Wiring, (2)Driver, and that's it. Bad hardware on either end extremely rare but cannot say NEVER.

 

[missfrost129]

You're right, I've checked out all those suspicions and came up empty handed.

I'm ordering a dongle from Amazon now. I'll see how it goes and update.

 

[Kisianik]

While waiting for parts to arrive.

What is your laptop exact dell model, and second, what is your laptop original (as sold) Microsoft OS?

If it was not Win10, you upgraded to Win10 or you did clean install of Win10?

I can try to help with drivers issues.

 

[missfrost129]

While waiting for parts to arrive.

What is your laptop exact dell model, and second, what is your laptop original (as sold) Microsoft OS?

If it was not Win10, you upgraded to Win10 or you did clean install of Win10?

I can try to help with drivers issues.

Dell Inspiron 5720. Came with Windows 8, but I upgraded to 10.

 

[Kisianik]

While waiting for parts to arrive.

What is your laptop exact dell model, and second, what is your laptop original (as sold) Microsoft OS?

If it was not Win10, you upgraded to Win10 or you did clean install of Win10?

I can try to help with drivers issues.

Dell Inspiron 5720. Came with Windows 8, but I upgraded to 10.

Thanks, was it working fine with Win8?

 

[jsmithepa]

Welcome to the fray Kisianik, may wanna make sure OP has ALL of the drivers necessary, not just LAN, there maybe some basic kernel, system whatever that W10 needs. All I remember is, when W10 came on, suddenly unexpected problems popped up all over, telling me W10 is a major re-write. Then vendors have beeb known to "sneak in" hardware updates but if the engineers didn't follow up those updates with new W10 codes... falls in crack.

 

[Kisianik]

Welcome to the fray Kisianik, may wanna make sure OP has ALL of the drivers necessary, not just LAN, there maybe some basic kernel, system whatever that W10 needs. All I remember is, when W10 came on, suddenly unexpected problems popped up all over, telling me W10 is a major re-write. Then vendors have beeb known to "sneak in" hardware updates but if the engineers didn't follow up those updates with new W10 codes... falls in crack.

What OP has to do now is to perform clean install. Microsoft remembers OP hardware, so it will be easy.
Then, after clean install, OP would have to load all drivers, starting with chipset etc, then and only then we can troubleshoot issues.
I seen it many times, and actually, I remember my Win7 PC (Dell Inspiron) had internet connection issues after upgrade (it is back to Win7).

Making clean install might be even faster than doing troubleshooting, and it is not involves spending money to fix what might not be broken.

 

[missfrost129]

The dongle came today and I went back to the Cat5e cable just in case that was an issue. I plugged the dongle in and without having to install any additional drivers, the connection was there! The wifi got bumped and the broadband was instantly there! It's been stable with no lagging or disconnecting for about five hours now, so I think it's good. Thank you all so much for all your help!