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34569
February 9th, 2011 18:00
Change in speed over ethernet-router lights amber instead of green.
Hello..
Hoping you can help me out with this issue. I've looked all over all sorts of forums, and have found no answer as yet.
This is my setup:
Dell XPS 420 Desktop running Windows Vista 32bit purchased in 2008 with an Intel 82566DC 2 Gigabit network adapter. I added a Netgear DGN 'N' modem/router and connected that via ethernet to the desktop. Later I bought an HP 8180 all in one printer and connected that to the router via ethernet as well. I am also connected to a Samsung netbook to the router wirelessly and to my broadband via the modem in the router. For a good long time everbody played happily. All the lights were green.
Then one day, out of the blue (meaning no updates, installations or software changes) the light of the port the desktop was connected to turned amber. I could still get on the internet, but the printer wouldn't work. I had to go into the printer network page and manually change the speed from 100 to 10Mbps full duplex (thus turning the light for the printer on the router from green to amber) and once both lights were amber the printer and the desktop were able to communicate. If I put the printer back to 'auto detect' the network speed, and then go into Device Manager onthe desktop and try to 'force' the adapter to a 100 Mbps speed, the lights both turn green, but then I lose my internet connection.
Device manager says my network adapter is fine. I have switched ports on the router, I have changed cables, restarted and reset the router and to be honest, everything does work with the amber lights but...
It's a fast router with a fast network adapter that should work better and I'd like to see if anyone has any input. I have searched all sorts of posts and forums, but no one is able to give me a bit of advice. Is it the router? The adapter? My ISP? The wireless is working fine and that light remains green.
This is bothering me just a bit.. if anyone out there has any ideas, could you please post?
Thanks
harbury
2 Intern
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213 Posts
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May 29th, 2011 10:00
Did you ever get anywhere with this?
I think I may have the same or at least a very similar problem. I too have an XPS 420 and today I started having problems with connecting to the internet. I have a BT Router (UK) and I have several other devices (2 laptops and a printer - one laptop is wireless and the other wired, the printer is wired) attached to it.
However the 420 is having problems. Like your system mine is not showing up any problem with the 82566 but network diagnostics says they router is having problems. However the router works absolutely fine with all the other devices both internally and externally so I doubt it is the router. I have an amber flashing light (intermittently) on the 82566. Ocassionally the 82566 seems to be able to connect to the net particularly at boot time since several gadgets start up Ok and display up to date network retrieved data.
Right now I'm letting the 82566 cool down and then I'll try again just in case it is a heat related issue - If that does not work I'll have a look round to see if I have a spare network card lying around that I could pop into the machine and see if that makes any difference - not sure if I have and of course the shops are shut today.
harbury
2 Intern
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213 Posts
0
May 29th, 2011 11:00
A quick update - allowing the machine to cool down did not do anything. I still get an intermittent connection at start up and then it seems to die. I did a bit of research on the lights. What I see is a solid blue light on the top of the machine case which according to the user manual says there is a network connection! At the back of the machine I see a solid orange light which the book says means a good connection to a 100 mps network, and I see a blinking (intermittently) yellow light which the book tells me means network activity. Very odd.
I just tried IE9 again to connect to the web and of course could not connect - however when i asked IE9 to try and fix the problem it came up with a message saying "DHCP is not enabled for local area connection" and it said it could fix this - needless to say after a minute ortwo it admitted failure.
I guess I should try another router and then another LAN card!!
harbury
2 Intern
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213 Posts
0
May 29th, 2011 11:00
Tried another router - an EDIMAX this time but got exactly the same results. By the way the light on the 82566 turns solid green when the 420 is powered down, which I guess it means it returns to its default state of 1 GB.
harbury
2 Intern
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213 Posts
0
May 29th, 2011 12:00
Hmm! Well I did have another LAN card but not one with Win 7 64 bit drivers so I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow or Tuesday when i can get down to a shop that sells these things. Frustrating!