Network Problems

[JT16]

Hi!

I am new here but am hoping you guys can help me with a really annoying problem...

First let me give you my 'puter specs...

Dell Dimension 8250
Windows XP SP3


Alright...

I got this computer from a friend for free, and got it all set up. But I found out the built in Ethernet port was not working. So I went out and got a Belkin F5D5000 v2000 Desktop PCI card...installed it and was happily connected to the internet.
But I started getting the little pop up window saying "Local Area Connection: A Network Cable is Disconnected" every couple minutes or at random.
The cable is the one that came with our DSL modem and I can't see any problems with the connections. I have searched the internet and havent gotten a real answer.
I tried unchecking the box for the power option but that didn't help. The odd thing is, somedays it does it constantly, other days only a couple times. I am really annoyed though because I will be talking online and the pop up balloon with appear and I wont be able to hear the person I am talking to for just the duration of the baloon....it doesnt shut me down or log me out but it is just downright annoying.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Tmagic650]

Have you disabled the on-board ethernet port?

 

[JT16]

Nope...not that I know of...

 

[Tmagic650]

You need to disable the port...

 

[JT16]

How do I do that?

 

[LookinAround]

Control Panel->Network ConnectionsYou should see a connection there with the same name as in the warning"Local Area Connection". Rt click on it, select Properties.Now select Disabled

 

[NetCablesPlus]

If that does not work, do try swapping in a known working cable for the one that you viusally inspected. The removal and reinsertion of a cable during a move can loosen a crimp enough to cause intermittencies and it may not be visible to the eye. That is why many of my corporate clients (IT Managers) refuse to re-use cables once they have been removed from a device. Given the cheap cost of cables, it is not worth re-using one, especially considering how hard it is to troubleshoot an intermittent cable problem in a server room.