# Router won't recognize ethernet connection



## tonyflow3117 (Nov 16, 2010)

ok so here's the problem.
I have a thomson tg 585 router... and it wont recognize any ethernet connection. it worked fine until a few days ago. i have connected it to my laptop (it works just fine by wireless) and my xbox 360. the light on the router that says Ethernet isnt green as it normaly is when a device is connected, its just off. i have tried several ethernet cables and all 4 ethernet ports but it doesnt work. i even bought a new router and it doesnt work neither. the phone line is fine, the router is fine i think since i have 2 and neither seem to connect. i have reseted them several times and still nothing. can anyone help pleeeeaaaase..??????


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I assume that there is a high probability that at least one of your ethernet cables is good.

It sounds like you have two routers with dead ethernet sections or a laptop and Xbox with defective NICs.

If the new router is a router only try connecting its WAN to a TG585 LAN port. Or, if either router has auto-sensing ports or you have a cross-over cable connect them by LAN to LAN. Any luck?

If the laptop or Xbox has an auto-sensing port or you have a cross-over cable try connecting them together. Any luck?


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## tonyflow3117 (Nov 16, 2010)

ok, im sorry to bother you but i would really appreciate it if you could explain that to me cause i didnt quite get it... whats a crossover cable? (and for that matter, what is the WAN and the LAN port? is WAN the telephone cable?) ? i think its very unlikely that both my routers have dead ethernet sections.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

For a router only unit WAN is the port (sometimes labeled Modem or Internet) to which you connect the modem. For a modem/router combo such as the Thomson TG585 it is internal--between the modem part and the router part. The LAN ports of a router are the ethernet ports to which you can connect computers and similar devices.

A cross-over cable is an ethernet cable in which a couple wires are switched ("crossed") to allow like devices (e.g., two computers) to connect.


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## tonyflow3117 (Nov 16, 2010)

thank you for your help but unfortunately i didnt have any results. can u think of smth else i could do?


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## tonyflow3117 (Nov 16, 2010)

also, what do i do if my laptop or my xbox actually have defective NICs?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

It would be good if you could check your laptop on somebody else's known good router ethernet connection and cable.

Also good to to check one or both routers with another known working cable and computer. Note that to check to see if a computer and router can connect/communicate with each other you need not have the router connected to anything else (you do not need internet access for the test).

If the laptop's NIC is defective you can buy and use a USB adapter or a ExpressCard or PCMCIA (depending on the type of slot you have) card.

I do not know what options you have with the Xbox.


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## tonyflow3117 (Nov 16, 2010)

ok so, i connected 2 other laptops with my router and its not working(wich is odd because its new)....could it be my internet provider's fault? .....also, my laptop wont work with pther working routers


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## aretism (Nov 20, 2010)

This sounds very strange. Unless you had a power surge (or something similar) it's not likely that all your ethernet ports, and nics have all stopped functioning simultaneously.

Reset your router. To do this, power it on and then press and hold the reset button (somewhere on the router, you have to find it) for about 10 seconds, untill you see it all blinking. Then check you are using the right ethernet cables. You may already be using crossover cables instead of normal ethernet cables.


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## dvk01 (Dec 14, 2002)

log in to the router & run the setup wizard
it is just possible that when it was sent out from ISP, it was set up as wirelsss only & the ethernet ports are disabled


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## tonyflow3117 (Nov 16, 2010)

i've done the reset thing like 20 times,and also the setup but nothing seems to work....i have called the internet company and they cant figure out whats wrong. they told me to bring over the router so they can fix it but i bought a new one and it has the same problem...i figured maybe its my laptop's and xbox's fault and that the router is fine, but the other day my roommate got a new laptop and still it doesnt work


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Please confirm that "doesnt work" still and consistently means that the ethernet LEDs do not light on any of the routers, computers and Xbox.

You have tried multiple routers, cables and computers, but still have not tried with a known working one, much less with two working ones, right?


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## tonyflow3117 (Nov 16, 2010)

i have tried two known working cables and a known working computer so i figure the problem is my router, right?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> i have tried two known working cables and a known working computer so i figure the problem is my router, right?


Yes, I'd buy that.


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