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failure of Ethernet jack?

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  failure of Ethernet jack? Vwaju <slack@rcn.com> - 2011-08-31 09:00 -0700
    Re: failure of Ethernet jack? Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2011-08-31 09:39 -0700
      Re: failure of Ethernet jack? Vwaju <slack@rcn.com> - 2011-08-31 10:34 -0700
    Re: failure of Ethernet jack? "Trevor Hemsley" <Trevor.Hemsley@mytrousers.ntlworld.com> - 2011-08-31 14:06 -0500
      Re: failure of Ethernet jack? dan <degspam@comcast.net> - 2011-08-31 17:32 -0400
        Re: failure of Ethernet jack? philo <philo@invalid.not> - 2011-09-02 01:46 -0500
          Re: failure of Ethernet jack? Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2011-09-02 08:06 -0700
          Re: failure of Ethernet jack? Jerry Peters <jerry@example.invalid> - 2011-09-02 20:59 +0000

#626 — failure of Ethernet jack?

I have a Dell Inspiron 8500 running Slackware Linux 13.x that is 7
years old.  Email and Internet access started to get erratic.  This
does not happen on the only other computer on the same home LAN
(running Windows XP), so I assume my ISP (Time-Warner) is not to
blame.

Since the problem is intermittent, I suspect a hardware problem.  I
tried different Ethernet cables and different Ethernet ports on the
Linksys WRT54GL router (running OpenWRT ).  None of this helped.

I notice that there 2 tiny indicator lights on the Ethernet jack on
the back of the Inspiron 8500.  It appears that one of them is
constantly lit when I am connected to the Internet, and the other when
flashes (I'm guessing when there is TCP traffic).

When I am not able to send or receive email, or ping the POP or SMTP
servers of my ISP, or download web pages, I noticed that these 2
indicator lights are both dark.  By manipulating the connector of the
Ethernet cable where it goes into the jack, I seem to be able to get a
momentary connection.

I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.  Is it easy
to
replace such a jack?   I'd be very interested in your thoughts.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Vwaju
New York City

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#631

On 08/31/2011 09:00 AM, Vwaju wrote:
> I have a Dell Inspiron 8500 running Slackware Linux 13.x that is 7
> years old.  Email and Internet access started to get erratic.  This
> does not happen on the only other computer on the same home LAN
> (running Windows XP), so I assume my ISP (Time-Warner) is not to
> blame.
>
> Since the problem is intermittent, I suspect a hardware problem.  I
> tried different Ethernet cables and different Ethernet ports on the
> Linksys WRT54GL router (running OpenWRT ).  None of this helped.
>
> I notice that there 2 tiny indicator lights on the Ethernet jack on
> the back of the Inspiron 8500.  It appears that one of them is
> constantly lit when I am connected to the Internet, and the other when
> flashes (I'm guessing when there is TCP traffic).
>
> When I am not able to send or receive email, or ping the POP or SMTP
> servers of my ISP, or download web pages, I noticed that these 2
> indicator lights are both dark.  By manipulating the connector of the
> Ethernet cable where it goes into the jack, I seem to be able to get a
> momentary connection.
>
> I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.  Is it easy
> to
> replace such a jack?   I'd be very interested in your thoughts.
>
> Thanks&  Best Regards,
>
> Vwaju
> New York City

	Do you have another cable to try?

	bliss

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#633

On Aug 31, 12:39 pm, Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4e...@dslextreme.com>
wrote:
> On 08/31/2011 09:00 AM, Vwaju wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > I have a Dell Inspiron 8500 running Slackware Linux 13.x that is 7
> > years old.  Email and Internet access started to get erratic.  This
> > does not happen on the only other computer on the same home LAN
> > (running Windows XP), so I assume my ISP (Time-Warner) is not to
> > blame.
>
> > Since the problem is intermittent, I suspect a hardware problem.  I
> > tried different Ethernet cables and different Ethernet ports on the
> > Linksys WRT54GL router (running OpenWRT ).  None of this helped.
>
> > I notice that there 2 tiny indicator lights on the Ethernet jack on
> > the back of the Inspiron 8500.  It appears that one of them is
> > constantly lit when I am connected to the Internet, and the other when
> > flashes (I'm guessing when there is TCP traffic).
>
> > When I am not able to send or receive email, or ping the POP or SMTP
> > servers of my ISP, or download web pages, I noticed that these 2
> > indicator lights are both dark.  By manipulating the connector of the
> > Ethernet cable where it goes into the jack, I seem to be able to get a
> > momentary connection.
>
> > I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.  Is it easy
> > to
> > replace such a jack?   I'd be very interested in your thoughts.
>
> > Thanks&  Best Regards,
>
> > Vwaju
> > New York City
>
>         Do you have another cable to try?
>
>         bliss

Yes, I tried several other Ethernet cables, no help there.

Best Regards, Vwaju

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#635

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:00:43 UTC in comp.os.linux.hardware, Vwaju 
<slack@rcn.com> wrote:

> I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.

Get a bright torch and shine it inside the socket and see if there's crap on one
of the connectors.  Also check to see if they look like they are the same sort 
of level and if not, try to (gently) lever the one(s) that are lower up a bit. 
Probably best to perform this operation with the power _off_!

-- 
Trevor Hemsley, Brighton, UK
Trevor dot Hemsley at ntlworld dot com

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#641

On 8/31/2011 3:06 PM, Trevor Hemsley wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:00:43 UTC in comp.os.linux.hardware, Vwaju
> <slack@rcn.com>  wrote:
>
>> I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.
>
> Get a bright torch and shine it inside the socket and see if there's crap on one
> of the connectors.  Also check to see if they look like they are the same sort
> of level and if not, try to (gently) lever the one(s) that are lower up a bit.
> Probably best to perform this operation with the power _off_!
>

If that doesn't work get a new card. Assuming PCI, it'll run you $5-$15.

/dan

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#650

On 08/31/2011 04:32 PM, dan wrote:
> On 8/31/2011 3:06 PM, Trevor Hemsley wrote:
>> On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:00:43 UTC in comp.os.linux.hardware, Vwaju
>> <slack@rcn.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.
>>
>> Get a bright torch and shine it inside the socket and see if there's
>> crap on one
>> of the connectors. Also check to see if they look like they are the
>> same sort
>> of level and if not, try to (gently) lever the one(s) that are lower
>> up a bit.
>> Probably best to perform this operation with the power _off_!
>>
>
> If that doesn't work get a new card. Assuming PCI, it'll run you $5-$15.
>
> /dan




it's a laptop
so no as easy as just replacing the card.

Since working on laptops is more like watch repair than computer 
repair...I'd do things the easy way and use a PCMCIA card

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#651

On 09/01/2011 11:46 PM, philo wrote:
> On 08/31/2011 04:32 PM, dan wrote:
>> On 8/31/2011 3:06 PM, Trevor Hemsley wrote:
>>> On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:00:43 UTC in comp.os.linux.hardware, Vwaju
>>> <slack@rcn.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.
>>>
>>> Get a bright torch and shine it inside the socket and see if there's
>>> crap on one
>>> of the connectors. Also check to see if they look like they are the
>>> same sort
>>> of level and if not, try to (gently) lever the one(s) that are lower
>>> up a bit.
>>> Probably best to perform this operation with the power _off_!
>>>
>>
>> If that doesn't work get a new card. Assuming PCI, it'll run you $5-$15.
>>
>> /dan
>
>
>
>
> it's a laptop
> so no as easy as just replacing the card.
>
> Since working on laptops is more like watch repair than computer
> repair...I'd do things the easy way and use a PCMCIA card

	Depending on the model some old Dells laptops used a
mini-PCI card either modem or Ethernet but good luck with
digging up a new mini-PCI card.   I used a PCMCIA/PCcard
Ethernet card on my Dell Inspiron 4000.	For a more modern
machine a USB-Ethernet plug-in should work but check
out the Linux hardware lists to see what is supported.

bliss

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#652

philo <philo@invalid.not> wrote:
> On 08/31/2011 04:32 PM, dan wrote:
>> On 8/31/2011 3:06 PM, Trevor Hemsley wrote:
>>> On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:00:43 UTC in comp.os.linux.hardware, Vwaju
>>> <slack@rcn.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm guessing that this Ethernet jack has somehow gone bad.
>>>
>>> Get a bright torch and shine it inside the socket and see if there's
>>> crap on one
>>> of the connectors. Also check to see if they look like they are the
>>> same sort
>>> of level and if not, try to (gently) lever the one(s) that are lower
>>> up a bit.
>>> Probably best to perform this operation with the power _off_!
>>>
>>
>> If that doesn't work get a new card. Assuming PCI, it'll run you $5-$15.
>>
>> /dan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it's a laptop
> so no as easy as just replacing the card.
> 
> Since working on laptops is more like watch repair than computer 
> repair...I'd do things the easy way and use a PCMCIA card

Another possiblilty then is a broken solder connction between the
motherboard and the ethernet jack. 

From experience, getting the case open is the worst part of laptop
repairs.

	Jerry

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