"A Network Cable is Unplugged" error

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tim Zych
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Tim Zych

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I am seeing this baloon popup intermittently to very often, seemingly
randomly, on a WinXP machine. "A Network Cable is Unplugged", and then I
lose internet.
Sometimes I lose connectivity for a long time, sometimes I get it back
quickly.

I have performed the suggestions at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811595
to disallow the computer to turn off the device to save power.

However, my laptop works perfectly, loses no internet connectivity at any
time during this process.

I am using cable internet with a Linksys router and I have swapped around
and replaced the cables, to the same effect. I unplugged the LAN cable from
the laptop and plugged it into the tower, and immediately I got a
connection, so I thought I had solved it, that perhaps the other cable was
broken. However, now I'm seeing this popup again intermittently.

As a test I plugged in my old Win2000 tower and saw the same problem (never
saw it on that machine before either).

I am stumped why I am now losing internet connectivity on my Win2000 and
WinXP machines, but not the laptop, which all share internet from the
router, and have all worked perfectly for about a year. This has recently
started to happen within the last few days. Prior to that, I never saw this
before. It it matters, I am using a UPS.

Can anybody help with this? thanks.
 
Re: "A Network Cable is Unplugged" error

Tom

Check the connections. Is the cable at full stretch? Ethernet cable is
quite inexpensive. Replace the cable if necessary.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Tim Zych wrote:
> I am seeing this baloon popup intermittently to very often, seemingly
> randomly, on a WinXP machine. "A Network Cable is Unplugged", and
> then I lose internet.
> Sometimes I lose connectivity for a long time, sometimes I get it back
> quickly.
>
> I have performed the suggestions at
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811595
> to disallow the computer to turn off the device to save power.
>
> However, my laptop works perfectly, loses no internet connectivity at
> any time during this process.
>
> I am using cable internet with a Linksys router and I have swapped
> around and replaced the cables, to the same effect. I unplugged the
> LAN cable from the laptop and plugged it into the tower, and
> immediately I got a connection, so I thought I had solved it, that
> perhaps the other cable was broken. However, now I'm seeing this
> popup again intermittently.
> As a test I plugged in my old Win2000 tower and saw the same problem
> (never saw it on that machine before either).
>
> I am stumped why I am now losing internet connectivity on my Win2000
> and WinXP machines, but not the laptop, which all share internet from
> the router, and have all worked perfectly for about a year. This has
> recently started to happen within the last few days. Prior to that, I
> never saw this before. It it matters, I am using a UPS.
>
> Can anybody help with this? thanks.
 
Re: "A Network Cable is Unplugged" error

"Tim Zych" <tzy---ch@NOSp@mE@RTHLINKDOTNET> wrote in
news:ejHzXmU#HHA.4184@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

> I am seeing this baloon popup intermittently to very often,
> seemingly randomly, on a WinXP machine. "A Network Cable is
> Unplugged", and then I lose internet.
> Sometimes I lose connectivity for a long time, sometimes I get it
> back quickly.
>
> I have performed the suggestions at
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811595
> to disallow the computer to turn off the device to save power.
>
> However, my laptop works perfectly, loses no internet connectivity
> at any time during this process.
>
> I am using cable internet with a Linksys router and I have swapped
> around and replaced the cables, to the same effect. I unplugged
> the LAN cable from the laptop and plugged it into the tower, and
> immediately I got a connection, so I thought I had solved it, that
> perhaps the other cable was broken. However, now I'm seeing this
> popup again intermittently.
>
> As a test I plugged in my old Win2000 tower and saw the same
> problem (never saw it on that machine before either).
>
> I am stumped why I am now losing internet connectivity on my
> Win2000 and WinXP machines, but not the laptop, which all share
> internet from the router, and have all worked perfectly for about
> a year. This has recently started to happen within the last few
> days. Prior to that, I never saw this before. It it matters, I am
> using a UPS.
>
> Can anybody help with this? thanks.

It sounds like it could be a router problem. (You don't say which model
of Linksys router that you have)...

Go to the manufacture's webpage at <http://www.linksys.com>
Click on the "Downloads" link at the top of the page.
If there is a newer firmware download available than you currently have
on your router, then download the updated firmware package and follow
the instructions to update your router firmware.

If you've been using this router for over a year, then there's almost
guaranteed to be an update available.

HTH,
John
 
Re: "A Network Cable is Unplugged" error

Tim - the "Network cable is unplugged.." is a generic error messasge - it
usually indicates other problems.


"Tim Zych" <tzy---ch@NOSp@mE@RTHLINKDOTNET> wrote in message
news:ejHzXmU%23HHA.4184@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I am seeing this baloon popup intermittently to very often, seemingly
>randomly, on a WinXP machine. "A Network Cable is Unplugged", and then I
>lose internet.
> Sometimes I lose connectivity for a long time, sometimes I get it back
> quickly.
>
> I have performed the suggestions at
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811595
> to disallow the computer to turn off the device to save power.
>
> However, my laptop works perfectly, loses no internet connectivity at any
> time during this process.
>
> I am using cable internet with a Linksys router and I have swapped around
> and replaced the cables, to the same effect. I unplugged the LAN cable
> from the laptop and plugged it into the tower, and immediately I got a
> connection, so I thought I had solved it, that perhaps the other cable was
> broken. However, now I'm seeing this popup again intermittently.
>
> As a test I plugged in my old Win2000 tower and saw the same problem
> (never saw it on that machine before either).
>
> I am stumped why I am now losing internet connectivity on my Win2000 and
> WinXP machines, but not the laptop, which all share internet from the
> router, and have all worked perfectly for about a year. This has recently
> started to happen within the last few days. Prior to that, I never saw
> this before. It it matters, I am using a UPS.
>
> Can anybody help with this? thanks.
>
>
>
 
Re: "A Network Cable is Unplugged" error

Thanks for your reply.

I have also tried to plug in the cable modem directly into the PC's LAN
port, bypassing the router, with the same results.

Also, my router is feeding the laptop and that maintains internet perfectly.



"John Wunderlich" <jwunderlich@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:Xns99AE7D8F6450Ewunderpsdrscray@138.126.254.210...
> "Tim Zych" <tzy---ch@NOSp@mE@RTHLINKDOTNET> wrote in
> news:ejHzXmU#HHA.4184@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:
>
>> I am seeing this baloon popup intermittently to very often,
>> seemingly randomly, on a WinXP machine. "A Network Cable is
>> Unplugged", and then I lose internet.
>> Sometimes I lose connectivity for a long time, sometimes I get it
>> back quickly.
>>
>> I have performed the suggestions at
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811595
>> to disallow the computer to turn off the device to save power.
>>
>> However, my laptop works perfectly, loses no internet connectivity
>> at any time during this process.
>>
>> I am using cable internet with a Linksys router and I have swapped
>> around and replaced the cables, to the same effect. I unplugged
>> the LAN cable from the laptop and plugged it into the tower, and
>> immediately I got a connection, so I thought I had solved it, that
>> perhaps the other cable was broken. However, now I'm seeing this
>> popup again intermittently.
>>
>> As a test I plugged in my old Win2000 tower and saw the same
>> problem (never saw it on that machine before either).
>>
>> I am stumped why I am now losing internet connectivity on my
>> Win2000 and WinXP machines, but not the laptop, which all share
>> internet from the router, and have all worked perfectly for about
>> a year. This has recently started to happen within the last few
>> days. Prior to that, I never saw this before. It it matters, I am
>> using a UPS.
>>
>> Can anybody help with this? thanks.
>
> It sounds like it could be a router problem. (You don't say which model
> of Linksys router that you have)...
>
> Go to the manufacture's webpage at <http://www.linksys.com>
> Click on the "Downloads" link at the top of the page.
> If there is a newer firmware download available than you currently have
> on your router, then download the updated firmware package and follow
> the instructions to update your router firmware.
>
> If you've been using this router for over a year, then there's almost
> guaranteed to be an update available.
>
> HTH,
> John
 
RE: "A Network Cable is Unplugged" error



"Tim Zych" wrote:

> I am seeing this baloon popup intermittently to very often, seemingly
> randomly, on a WinXP machine. "A Network Cable is Unplugged", and then I
> lose internet.
> Sometimes I lose connectivity for a long time, sometimes I get it back
> quickly.
>
> I have performed the suggestions at
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811595
> to disallow the computer to turn off the device to save power.
>
> However, my laptop works perfectly, loses no internet connectivity at any
> time during this process.
>
> I am using cable internet with a Linksys router and I have swapped around
> and replaced the cables, to the same effect. I unplugged the LAN cable from
> the laptop and plugged it into the tower, and immediately I got a
> connection, so I thought I had solved it, that perhaps the other cable was
> broken. However, now I'm seeing this popup again intermittently.
>
> As a test I plugged in my old Win2000 tower and saw the same problem (never
> saw it on that machine before either).
>
> I am stumped why I am now losing internet connectivity on my Win2000 and
> WinXP machines, but not the laptop, which all share internet from the
> router, and have all worked perfectly for about a year. This has recently
> started to happen within the last few days. Prior to that, I never saw this
> before. It it matters, I am using a UPS.
>
> Can anybody help with this? thanks.


this issue can arise from being:
1- Bad cable
2- Bad Modem driver
3- Bad Line or noise in the line (it depend where you live)
4- network adapter is not seated properly
5- Defective Modem (from heat or the ship inside the modem got forked by
somehow).
Read the list below and the solutions:
How to troubleshoot the following message in Windows XP: "A network cable is
unplugged"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910389/
MSBBN: "A Network Cable Is Unplugged" Message When You Try to Use a Network
Cable to Connect to Your MN-100 or MN-500
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814152/

The network icon in the notification area does not update when you reconnect
an Ethernet cable in Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP with Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/899759/
Network Adapter Does Not Work if Unplugged
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/228001
HTH.
nass
------
www.nasstec.co.uk
 
Re: "A Network Cable is Unplugged" error



Tim Zych wrote:
>
> Thanks for your reply.
>
> I have also tried to plug in the cable modem directly into the PC's LAN
> port, bypassing the router, with the same results.
>
> Also, my router is feeding the laptop and that maintains internet perfectly.
>

It looks like the NIC is faulty in that it doesn't fit the cable
properly (the cable groove is loose!). I had a situation like this
about a week ago and I phoned DELL to come and fix it. As it was still
under a warranty, they took the laptop away and fitted a new
motherboard. All other things remained the same.

Everything is fine now. you can tell if this is the case by looking at
the connection and see if the light is intermittent when you touch the
connection cable.
 
Re: "A Network Cable is Unplugged" error

After a lot of troubleshooting and frustration, I think the problem is that
my router is hosed.

I don't understand why swapping the connections around temporarily fixed
them, but after I took the router out of the equation this morning, I got
perfect connectivity on both machines.

Now I have a new router, and my connections seem normal. Hopefully they will
stay that way for a while.

Thanks for the suggesions.


"Tim Zych" wrote in message news:ejHzXmU%23HHA.4184@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I am seeing this baloon popup intermittently to very often, seemingly
>randomly, on a WinXP machine. "A Network Cable is Unplugged", and then I
>lose internet.
> Sometimes I lose connectivity for a long time, sometimes I get it back
> quickly.
>
> I have performed the suggestions at
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811595
> to disallow the computer to turn off the device to save power.
>
> However, my laptop works perfectly, loses no internet connectivity at any
> time during this process.
>
> I am using cable internet with a Linksys router and I have swapped around
> and replaced the cables, to the same effect. I unplugged the LAN cable
> from the laptop and plugged it into the tower, and immediately I got a
> connection, so I thought I had solved it, that perhaps the other cable was
> broken. However, now I'm seeing this popup again intermittently.
>
> As a test I plugged in my old Win2000 tower and saw the same problem
> (never saw it on that machine before either).
>
> I am stumped why I am now losing internet connectivity on my Win2000 and
> WinXP machines, but not the laptop, which all share internet from the
> router, and have all worked perfectly for about a year. This has recently
> started to happen within the last few days. Prior to that, I never saw
> this before. It it matters, I am using a UPS.
>
> Can anybody help with this? thanks.
>
>
>
 
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