# Solved: Wireless works but ethernet does not



## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

I have a Lenovo 3000 N200 with Windows XP purchased nine months ago. Both the wireless (Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter) and ethernet (Broadcom NetLink Fast Ethernet) were working perfectly until two days ago. I have been unable to repair the ethernet. My ISP provider had me check ipconfig/all and concluded that I had a faulty network card, but I wonder if there could be something amiss with the configuration. Please help me out! p.s. I may have been guilty of having both wireless and ethernet enabled at the same time.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Having them both enabled isn't an issue, my laptop is always in that state when I connect it to my network with a wired connection for backup.

Have you checked the BIOS configuration to see if the NIC is disabled there?

With the wired connection connected to a known good cable and a known good port on the router, please post the following.

Hold the *Windows* key and press *R*, then type *devmgmt.msc*

Please respond to *all* the following steps.


Under *Network adapters*, please tell me all the devices listed. 
Are there any devices under *Network adapters* that have a red x displayed?
Also, are there any devices anywhere in the *Device Manager* display with yellow *?* or *!* displayed?

I'd like to see this as well.

Hold the *Windows* key and press *R*, then type *CMD* to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following command:

_Note that there is a space before the /ALL, but there is *NOT* a space after the / in the following command._

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose *Select All*, then hit *Enter* to copy the contents to the clipboard.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

Thank you for your prompt response.

First, I checked the BIOS but it is rudimentary and doesn't have anything about networking or devices.

Under Device Manager, I have 1394 Net Adapter which has a red X, Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter, and Broadcom NetLink (TM) Fast Ethernet both of which are green. There are no devices with yellow markings.

Here is the result for ipconfig /all

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-A79A65F4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1F-E1-7C-1E-E8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
 Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.6
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, June 08, 2009 3:13:14 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, June 08, 2009 4:13:14 PM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Fast Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-EC-0B-25-37
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>

Hope that helps.

p.s. I still have seem to have problems connecting to the internet with both wireless and ethernet enabled. However, when I disabled the ethernet and rebooted, I was able to get on the internet with wireless.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

IP addresses of all zeros are normally caused by one of the following.

*Diagnosis:*


DHCP Service not running.
Duplicate IP address on the network.
Bad NIC card drivers.
Defective NIC hardware.

*Resolution:*


Check Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services. The DHCP Client service should be Started and its Startup Type should be Automatic.

Turn off ALL of the computers and other network connected devices, restart (power cycle) the router, then restart all the computers and other network devices.

Check for upgraded drivers and/or reload the Network drivers.

Replace the Network Interface Card.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

Hi JohnWill,

1) I have checked the DHCP Client service, and it is showing Started and Automatic.

2) I have shut down all the other computers on the network and restarted the router, and the result was still all zeros for the ethernet.

Since I still was not connected to the internet, even with the wireless enabled, I went into Network Connections in the Control Panel. It was now showing that both the wireless and the ethernet were connected and firewalled. However, it wasn't until I disabled the ethernet that I could connect to the internet with the wireless.

Then just out of interest, I disabled the wireless, left the ethernet connected and firewalled, and ran the ipconfig /all again, and this was the result:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-A79A65F4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Fast Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-EC-0B-25-37
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 09, 2009 1:15:59 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 09, 2009 2:15:59 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>

However, when I disabled the ethernet and then tried to re-enable it, I got a different result:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-A79A65F4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1F-E1-7C-1E-E8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.6
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 09, 2009 1:45:59 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 09, 2009 2:45:59 PM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Fast Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-EC-0B-25-37
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>

which is back to all the zeros. I find this all very confusing, and I am wondering why I got the first result (192.168.2.3) when I first turned on the computer. Any thoughts?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, with both enabled, the wired connection will be preferred, that's how Windows works. If you really need to have the wireless connecting to the Internet, you'll have to manually configure the wired connection and leave the Default Gateway and DNS Addresses blank.

If you have a wired connection to the router, why in the world do you need to connect to the internet wirelessly anyway?


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

Your question to me was if I have a wired connection to the router, why would I want to use the wireless connection?

Actually, until three days ago, I go the internet on my wired connection. Now I can't, so I have enabled the wireless connection. What I want to do is go back to using the wired connection, but it still won't get me on the internet. 

I have still to try uninstalling the driver and reinstalling it or getting a new network card.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Why are you disabling the wired connection anyway?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Do the driver reinstall, because you never know what might happen with a corrupted driver.

If that does not change the sometimes works but sometimes IP is all zero my guess is that the NIC is failing intermittently. More frustrating than a hard and consistent failure, but we mere people don't get to write the rules for hardware failure.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

To both JohnMills and TerryNet,

I have been disabling the wired connection because it prevented the wireless connection from working. I have no clue why that should be so, but it is consistent. If I have both the wired and wireless connections enabled, I simply am not able to get connected to the internet.

Next I will try reinstalling the ethernet (wired) driver, but I also getting the feeling that I have a faulty/temperamental network card.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

I have now uninstalled and reinstalled the ethernet driver, and the result is the same: all zeros in the IP.

The only thing left is the NIC. My computer is still under warranty (although I do not have extended warranty), so I believe I should be able to get a new network card free. I have already spoken to Tiger Direct where I bought the computer, and they want to charge me $59.99 to diagnose my computer. I have no idea what an NIC looks like, where to find it in my computer, or how to install a new one. What should I do next?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Your NIC is integrated, so a direct replacement would mean a motherboard replacement. Which might require other devices to be replaced. So you don't want to do that unless you can get it done under warranty.

So, if it's your dime, you will resign yourself to getting an external card--either USB ethernet adapter or, depending on the type of slot you have, a PCMCIA/Notebook/Cardbus or ExpressCard ethernet adapter.

$60 to diagnose a computer under warranty? Such a deal.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

Thanks TerryNet,

Unless there is a compelling reason to have an external card, I can be content not having to spend any extra money and enter the 21st Century and learn to live with wireless.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, personally, I don't consider living without wired access living in the future.  Wired connections have a lot to recommend them, and every machine I have has wired capability, or I fix it.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

OTOH not everybody has the same needs for throughput or reliability. For many of us wireless can be satisfactory, with the option of getting that external ethernet adapter anytime it's needed.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

I have installed a USB 2.0 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter hoping it would solve my problems, but alas, it also is not working. What am I doing wrong? Here is the ipconfig /all:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-A79A65F4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASIX AX88178 USB2.0 to Gigabit Ether
net Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-C6-87-78-2B
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1F-E1-7C-1E-E8
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.6
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, June 11, 2009 10:34:20 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:34:20 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

My guess is bad drivers or bad hardware. Here's my list of things that normally cause that symptom, and since the wireless one is working, obviously DHCP is running.

Have you turned off EVERYTHING and restarted the router first, then the connected computers? That will eliminate the other possibility for zeros for the IP address.

IP addresses of all zeros are normally caused by one of the following.

*Diagnosis:*


DHCP Service not running.
Duplicate IP address on the network.
Bad NIC card drivers.
Defective NIC hardware.

*Resolution:*


Check Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services. The DHCP Client service should be Started and its Startup Type should be Automatic.

Turn off ALL of the computers and other network connected devices, restart (power cycle) the router, then restart all the computers and other network devices.

Check for upgraded drivers and/or reload the Network drivers.

Replace the Network Interface Card.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

Hi JohnWill,

I thought I would leave the wired connection alone for a few days and just use the wireless.

Today, after shutting down all the other computers on the network, I enabled the wired connection. I then ran ipconfig /all. At first, I got all zeros, then I noticed that the wireless had disconnected itself, and then the wired connection took on a new IP address. I ran ipconfig /all again. Here are the results:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipgonfig /all
'ipgonfig' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-A79A65F4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1F-E1-7C-1E-E8

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft TV/Video Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 0.1.0.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASIX AX88178 USB2.0 to Gigabit Ether
net Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-C6-87-78-2B
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.152.129
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 169.254.152.129

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-A79A65F4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1F-E1-7C-1E-E8

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft TV/Video Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 0.1.0.4
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASIX AX88178 USB2.0 to Gigabit Ether
net Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-C6-87-78-2B
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.7
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:53:26 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:53:26 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>

Does this mean that everything is now fixed and working correctly?

Wait a minute, I have just lost the connection. I am going to disable the wired connection. Now I can send you this message.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The previous post suggests that the wired connection is not connected to a DHCP server. Have you used the same cable and port on the router to connect successfully to a different machine?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

JohnWill said:


> The previous post suggests that the wired connection is not connected to a DHCP server. ...


Note that there were two outputs from ipconfig /all in that post. The second one shows a good IP config. Seems to be an intermittent problem. LAN port, cable, NIC, motherboard? 

*EDIT*: And, really strange, the first one with the APIPA also has a Default Gateway, which is why there is no wireless internet access when the ethernet is misbehaving. Default Gateway should be blank with a proper APIPA.


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

I thought I would work with the wireless connection for a few days and leave the wired connection disabled. Today I enabled the wired connection and noticed that the wireless connection disconnected itself. A minute later, I was connected to the internet with the wired connection. Hooray!!

Here is the iconfig /all:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : LENOVO-A79A65F4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1F-E1-7C-1E-E8

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 5:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASIX AX88178 USB2.0 to Gigabit Ether
net Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-C6-87-78-2B
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.7
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, June 24, 2009 2:15:57 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:15:57 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>

So does this mean I am out of the woods? I don't like the word "intermittent." It scares me. Can something else still go wrong?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Some ghosts in that machine!


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## rongordon (Sep 6, 2005)

Thank you both, JohnWill and TerryNet, for your help.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Very odd, glad it's working.


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