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No network interface detected on freshly bought Acer

Hello. I bought a nice new Acer Athlon II x2 yesterday with the intention of using it as my main stable, every-day system. As it came pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium, my plan was to dual-boot between W7 and an as-of-yet undecided 64-bit Linux OS (probably Slackware's 64-bit variant).

Anyway, it wouldn't connect to the Internet. Everything else seemed fine but this. Being too lazy to really look into it myself at the time, I called up Acer tech support and shared my problem. We did a ping test and she said the problem's with the ISP not the hardware, so I went there to find many of their customers seemed to be getting bad or no connection. Thinking that was likely my problem too, I left it at that.

Well today after work I decided to boot my Puppy Linux USB stick onto the machine to see if it's just W7 being Microsuck, and attempting to connect, Puppy couldn't find the correct module to load that would result in a new interface (network) being detected. Annoyed, I tried Puppy Linux on an old tower I'm currently working on for my parents (still working on that one btw for anyone who remembers me from last week) and it connected fine. I'm actually using that system as I type out this post.

Running other Linux OSs on my new machine does the same thing (no connection).

Going back to W7, I tried letting them do their diagnostic thing and it came up with this:

Quote:

Local Area Connection doesn't have a valid IP address.
Not fixed.

Clicking for more information I get:

Code:

NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller

Provider: Microsoft

Version: 1.0.1.211

Inf File Name: c:\Windows\INF\netnvm64.inf

Inf File Date: July-13-09 8:37:30 PM

Section Name: NVENET77.NDI

Hardware ID: pci\ven_de$dev_0760

Instance Status Flags: 0x180200

Device Manager Status: 0

IfType: 6

Physical Media Type: 14



COMPUTER NAME: SHINOBU

Windows Version: 6.1

Time: Thursday, July 08, 2010 10:56:33 PM

System stats in case it helps:
AMD Athlon II x2 215 dual-core (2.7GHz), 4GB DDR3 RAM, 640GB SATA HDD
Currently running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit although planning to dual-boot or replace with Slackware. For internet connection I'm using ethernet cable bring run through a dedicated switch, thus sharing the net with my other home computer which runs Ubuntu 10.04 and Slackware 13.1 at the moment.

I apologise for the winded post both here and in my last post regarding boot problems after changing the boot order. I've probably given much more info than necessary but I just wanted to cover all bases in case they're needed.

If there's anything I can do while running Puppy Linux (on a 2GB flash drive) that would be preferred as I always feel like an idiot running configurations and diagnostics on Windoze.

Any help is eagerly welcomed and genuinely appreciated, so much so I'd buy you a case of beer if you lived nearby.

On another note, I'd like to mention this forum kicks ass! I'm loving the amount of helpful users hanging around! :) Thanks everyone who contributes even a single line!

Quote:

For internet connection I'm using ethernet cable bring run through a dedicated switch, thus sharing the net with my other home computer which runs Ubuntu 10.04 and Slackware 13.1 at the moment.

Do you have a router also? An ISP only gives out a single IP address (normally, though TekSavvy does give 2 IPs). You need a router to use multiple PCs and a single internet connection. If you are only connecting one PC at a time, you have to reset your Cable/DSL/ADSL modem once the new PC is attached to obtain a new IP. IPs are attached to the MAC address.

First thing - look at the lights :) NICs have status lights which detect a connection.

Boot with the Slackware Install DVD on the system that can not find the network connection. In a terminal find out which ethernet controller you have, and post it here/Google it

Code:

# lspci | grep "Ethernet"

00:05.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation CK8S Ethernet Controller (rev a2)

In the case above, I would Google "Linux nVidia Corporation CK8S Ethernet Controller"

Some BIOS give you advanced options to detect if an Ethernet cable is present. Also, some systems have green options. Windows likes to put devices to sleep, Linux has had issues with waking up these devices. The forcedeth code does have the hooks to wake up some NICs. To be safe - see if you can disable any green options.

BTW, your System Stats don't really tell much info. I'm going to guess you have an Acer Aspire x1301 with the Nvidia 9200 chipset. IF that's the case, the NIC is handled by the module forcedeth.

Boot from the Slackware Install DVD. This gives you a quick booting working Linux environment. Check that the forcedeth module is loaded -

Code:

# lsmod | grep forcedeth

forcedeth              55388  0

Then attempt to obtain a dhcp address

Code:

dhcpcd eth0

Verify the ip address

Code:

# ifconfig -a

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:01:29:fd:96:c7  

          inet addr:192.168.1.111  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0

          inet6 addr: fe80::201:29ff:fefd:96c7/64 Scope:Link

          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1

          RX packets:22939498 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

          TX packets:9007974 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 

          RX bytes:4589340093 (4.2 GiB)  TX bytes:56147767321 (52.2 GiB)

          Interrupt:22 Base address:0x2000

The inet addr should be 192.168.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by disturbed1 (Post 4028021)

I thought an ethernet switch would do the same job. At my work, we've got four Mac systems sharing one internet connection, and another three Windows systems sharing another internet connection, using two ethernet switches (one for the Macs, one for the Windows) and the switch I have at home is the same model as the two I have at work, and our ISP is the same as well.

That said however, I will try what you've suggested when I get home tonight and I'll update you on my progress.

And Thank-you for your advice. :) It is most appreciated!

Some routers have switches built it. that said if your ISP provides you with multiple IP addresses then a switch would work fine, but if you only have one IP address from the ISP then your need a router to perform NAT. There may be a router at your office that you are not even aware of. In many cases routers will often times be just gateway/firewall devices even if you have multiple IP addresses.

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by jalupp (Post 4028228)

Look at the definitions for a router & Ethernet switch. I'm sure there is a modem involved with the ISP. Be it DSL, Cable or FDDI you will have an interface to the ISP. This may contain a Ethernet switch or a connection that you may place a router to control your LAN.

You need to provide us with more information to enable us to help diagnose the problem. Who is the ISP? Type? Local information, modem type & connection?
:hattip:

Indeed, a router is likely the way to go here. The only thing I'm confused about though is, if an ethernet switch won't work on my new system, why does it work with my old one sitting right beside it? I got this switch about a week ago and it's worked perfectly and even now, if I plug my cable into the ethernet port of my old tower, it works perfectly fine even with the other computer at the other end of the house is online and in use.

For the sake of clarity I will mention I have three systems. The first one, we can call "A," is always online and the modem and ethernet switch is located beside it at the back end of the house on the first floor. The second, can be called "B," is a system belonging to my parents but currently in my house while I repair it for them. It sits at the front end of the house on the second floor and connects successfully through 100 feet of network cable, through a 5 port ethernet switch sharing a single modem between the two. The third system, "C," is the new one I just bought and sits beside system B. Systems B and C are both hooked up, use their own keyboard and mouse, but cannot be used at the same time as I have only one monitor which I hook up to whichever system is needed at the time. I must also have the one cable which must also be used by either B or C at any given time.

A is always online and sits closest to the modem and ethernet switch.
B and C are located beside each other and must share use of monitor and network cable, but not at the same time.
B CAN connect when required, using any OS and without any extra configuration, but C CANNOT connect, regardless of how I attempt to configure it.

Anyway, that said, I DO FULLY INTEND to try out each suggestion, starting with the first and working my way down. I can get a wired router if absolutely necessary but I'm still confident something else just might work if the switch was indeed providing online access to two computers at once.

Try doing an ipconfig on any windows machines you may have and try doing an ifconfig on any Linux machines you have. note the IP addresses and netmasks. Also take a look at rpute print in windows and route in Liux and note the output. The more you describe the issue though I am beginning to think it may be a physical issue with your NIC. It doesn't work in Windows or Linux, (Although if it's not detected in linux you may need firmware or a driver that isn't by default incl with your distro) I would try taking the laptop to work and try plugging it in to an ethernet port there. If you still get nothing I would seriously start to suspect hardware failure. It happens. I had 23 HPs come in earlier this year and one was DOA, they sent out a replacement MB and I replaced it still no joy, ended up having the entire system swapped out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheidel21 (Post 4028380)

Yeah, I'm hoping that's not the issue. The system in question is actually a desktop mini-tower. I've decided to get a router anyway since even if I don't it now, I probably will in the near future, lol!

Anyway, I'll try all suggestions, and if indeed it's a hardware issue, I still have my receipt and have yet to install anything onto the system and so could easily have them fix it there (got it from Futureshop) or even have them replace it with another of the same model.

Thanks for all the great advice!! I'll provide updates once I've either gone through every suggestion and still nothing or (hopfully) found the one that works! :)

Before you buy a router, I would check your ISP s modem, many of them have a built in router. That would also explain why the other work just fine if the modem has a router built in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheidel21 (Post 4028422)

Before you buy a router, I would check your ISP s modem, many of them have a built in router. That would also explain why the other work just fine if the modem has a router built in.

Okay, I'll do that. Thanks again!!

Thank you for all your help!! The solution was ......

.... I just had to reboot the modem... :doh:

Nonetheless, thank you everyone who contributed so quickly!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jalupp (Post 4028664)

Thank you for all your help!! The solution was ......

.... I just had to reboot the modem... :doh:

Nonetheless, thank you everyone who contributed so quickly!!

Déjà vu ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by disturbed1

Do you have a router also? An ISP only gives out a single IP address (normally, though TekSavvy does give 2 IPs). You need a router to use multiple PCs and a single internet connection. If you are only connecting one PC at a time, you have to reset your Cable/DSL/ADSL modem once the new PC is attached to obtain a new IP. IPs are attached to the MAC address.

Now go get yourself a router :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by disturbed1 (Post 4028670)

Now go get yourself a router :)

I shall. Thanks again! :)