Computer Won't Recognize Ethernet Card Correctly

**Ice** · 05-26-2011, 20:44

In short, in the Ethernet card is connected to the motherboard. I'm running an old windows xp system. The ethernet controller appears under other devices, but the driver is unknown. I have located the appropriate driver from dell's website, and it installs fine... at least it says it does. I can't get the controller to function properly and allow me to contact to the internet. I tried uninstalling its driver, but all it does is prompt me to install a new one via searching my computer or manually directing it to the correct location. This ALWAYS fails. If I uninstall, then manually click on the file I got from dell's website, it will install fine, but the damn thing still doesn't work.

I need help.

**Lemur** · 05-27-2011, 15:22

Can it ping anything from the command line?

**Tellos Athenaios** · 05-27-2011, 15:42

Presumably not (I assume so, since the hardware doesn't show up under its proper category). I would first try extracting contents from the DELL installer. Maybe the thing is trying to install the wrong driver, but you can work around this if you can extract the contents. Windows NT drivers are mostly a SYS and an INF file combination (though some contain additional firmware and stuff), so you'd point the find driver wizard to the XP version of those (i.e. the directory in which they are located once you've extracted the contents of the installer) and cross fingers.

Another option is trying drivers from an alternative source, DELL doesn't make its hardware itself so maybe the manufacturer of the hardware has more up to date drivers or older ones (if XP is no longer supported). You can use the various driver info panels (together with Google) to figure out what exact piece of kit this ethernet controller is, alternatively it might be listed if you run ipconfig /a at a cmd prompt.

**Lemur** · 05-27-2011, 15:44

Another way to identify the make and chipset of the ethernet card would be to download and run this.

**Ice** · 05-27-2011, 17:13

Thanks for the help, guys.

I should mention that it's actually an ethernet controller and not card as it is integrated into the motherboard...I'm not sure if that matters. Furthermore, I believe I used this driver before and it has worked ok.

Tellos

Since dos won't let me copy and paste here is what came up:

Host name: XXXXXX
Primary Dns Suffix: Blank
Node Type: Unknown
Ip Routing Enabled: No
Win Proxy Enabled: No

It then lists perfectly my current wireless card that I'm connecting to the internet with.

It seems to have detected my wireless card, but not my Ethernet controller. If you are wondering why I don't want to use wireless, it's because my connection is bad where I am and I am constantly losing it. I'm trying to obtained a wired one.

Lemur:

This is what I received when I ran Belarc Advisor:

Network Drives
None discovered

Controllers
Standard floppy disk controller
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 266F
Intel(R) 82801FR SATA AHCI Controller
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]

Bus Adapters
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2658
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2659
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265A
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265B
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 265C

Communications new – connection speed & status
Conexant D850 56K V.9x DFVc Modem

1394 Net Adapter
↑ Belkin Basic Wireless USB Adapter
primary Auto IP Address: 192.168.1.4 / 24
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Dhcp Server: 192.168.1.1
Physical Address: 94:44:52:75:C9:8E
Cisco Systems VPN Adapter

Networking Dns Server: 192.168.1.1
OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller

Other Devices

ATITool Driver
HID-compliant consumer control device
HID-compliant device
Logitech USB Cordless iTouch Keys
USB Human Interface Device
HID Keyboard Device
HID-compliant mouse
USB Composite Device
USB Root Hub (5x)

I excluded a lot of unnecessary information. By the way, the program did indentify a number of security risks and patches that I should install which is neat.