"Marianne" said:
A while ago I set up a home network between my desktop and
laptop - both running XP. I had trouble setting it up,
but finally was able to see both computers and share
files. I used a patch cable to connect the two directly
through their ethernet ports. Now when I tried to connect
them the LAN connection in Network Connections shows that
the "network cable is unplugged" on both computers even
though the cable is connecting them. I tried reinstalling
the ethernet driver on the laptop (haven't done the
desktop yet), but I'm not convinced that's the problem.
Can anyone help? Should I be using a router? I did try
another patch cable to no avail.
Don't take that message literally. It really means that XP can't
detect a live link to another device, such as a computer, hub, switch,
or router, on the other end of the cable. That could be for any of
these reasons. I suspect that it's #5:
1. The network cable really is unplugged.
2. The network cable is defective.
3. It's plugged in, but there's nothing connected to the other end.
4. It's plugged in and connected on both ends, but the device on the
other end isn't turned on.
5. The cable is the wrong type. Connecting two computers directly,
without a hub, switch, or router, requires a crossover cable. A
regular cable won't work.
6. The cable is connected to the uplink port on a hub, switch, or
router, instead of a regular port.
7. Some hubs, switches, and routers disable the port next to the
uplink port when the uplink port is in use.
8. The network card driver program isn't working right. Download and
install the latest XP-compatible driver from the manufacturer's web
site.
9. The network card is configured to automatically sense speed and
duplex settings but isn't doing it correctly. Set those options
manually, as shown here:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot/networkcard.htm
10. The operating system is turning off the network card to save
power. Disable the power saving option in the network card's
properties, as shown here, even if you have a different network
adapter than mentioned in the article:
MSBBN: "A Network Cable Has Been Unplugged" Message Appears at
Seemingly Random Intervals
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;811595
11. You're using a phone line network adapter and there isn't a second
computer, with a similar adapter, running and connected to the same
phone line.
12. You've disabled the radio on a wireless network adapter.
13. The network card is defective.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
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