"Network Cable Disconnected" - cable modem - single PC

[Bill Cleere]

Running:

-- standalone HP Pavilion 8607C
-- XP Pro Service Pack 2 Build 2600
-- RCA Cable Modem
-- HP EN1207D-TX PCI 10/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter

I get periodic "Network Cable Disconnected" errors. These always
eventually clear after shutting down, unplugging the modem power,
and repowering to recycle it. Sometimes it takes several times to
get the connection back, sometimes just once. The problem may
then not reoccur for a week.

I swapped Network Adapter cards with a different Pavilion using
an identical card and it still happens, though less often.

I've read hundreds of Usenet posts and Web threads on this error
and heard dozens of different theories. None of them fit the intermittent
nature of the problem I'm experiencing and that many others seem to
experience. I could get a new cable from Comcast, but I've read
too many posts from people who tried swapping cables without
solving the problems. It seems unlikely that a bad cable would
cause problems on such a sporadic basis.

Something I read led me to think that the PC power settings could be
the cause. I've turned off the screen saverm "turn off monitor",
"system standby" and hibernate options. I'll have to wait and see
if this keeps the problem from ever happening again, but I'm
wondering if anybody knows if these settings are conceivable as
a cause (wish I had the post that alluded to this, but I lost it.)

And, in answer to the inevitable question, my version of XP Pro
is legit. I use it on a single PC because I had plans for a
network which haven't come to pass.

-- Bill Cleere

"I prefer the pleasure of writing bits of nonsense to that of wearing
an embroidered coat which costs 800 francs." (Stendahl)

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

It's the prime symptom for a bad cable. Test it, or replace it.

 

[Bill Cleere]

It's the prime symptom for a bad cable. Test it, or replace it.

I did. Borrowed a cable from the IT Dept. at work, swapped it, booted,
got the same error.

One of the IT guys told me to try always booting with the modem off.
When I did that (without recycling the modem) it came up clean.
I put the old cable back, booted the same way with the modem turned
off, and it's fine.

Somewhere there's a setting that's making this happen. I've seen too
many posts from people who have had this problem after making sure
that their cables and Ethernet cards were OK. I also had a support guy
at Comcast (who seemed unusually knowledgable) say he's heard of
the same problem where a technician has swapped cables and not fixed
the problem, so the guy writes it off to a bad card.

-- Bill Cleere

 

[Budget Print Center]

When it happened to me, I found a really nasty kink at the connector on the
main cable to the house, causing the braided strands to fail intermittently,
espescially after it rained. Cut the cable, installed a new end and nary a
flicker since...good luck.



Bill Cleere wrote in message ...

 

[Bill Cleere]

When it happened to me, I found a really nasty kink at the connector on
the
main cable to the house, causing the braided strands to fail
intermittently,
espescially after it rained. Cut the cable, installed a new end and nary a
flicker since...good luck.

Thanks...the thing is, though, that the modem is still pingable
when it happens. I really believe this error can result from
some weird setting thing as well as from hardware problems.

 

[Guest]

By definition if the cable is unpluged, you can not ping the router. Replace
the cable, and it will fix the problem.

David