Newbie: checking ethernet card works

"Grice Webster" wrote in message
...
se (Stuart Robinson) wrote:

Not really.

Its done in manufacturing of course, in circuit testers can be
used to check out each component. The testers cost maybe
$200,000.

I was thinking more of testing that the network card and the PC were
working together and communicating with each other properly.


I want to check the network card works before ordering cable
broadband.

Given that a new network card can be got for less than $10 is
that really a concern ?


The problem is that I have to order the broadband for a minimum of a
year. If it turns out that my PC cannot host any network card then I
will be stuck!

It is not the price of the card that is the problem but if no card is
going to work then I am stuck with a bill for the broadband. :-(

There are broadband providers that have a minimum of one month service, not
12. Try one of those if you are unsure.

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 09:19:53 +0100, Grice Webster
wrote:

I am a bt of a newbie to network cards.

Last year I had problems installing a Linksys Ethernet card (in order
to attach a cable modem) in my PC. The card wouldn't work and in the
end I gave up after asking a technical friend to try and sort it out.

A year later, if I now get another network card then is there some
way I can test it in stand-alone mode (without connecting it to any
network)? I want to check the network card works before ordering
cable broadband.


There should be a dos diagnostic utility on the driver diskette.

Thank you for any help.

Grice


PS: when I had problems my PC was Windows 98, Duron 700 MHz, MSI
6340M motherboard, VIA KT133 chipset. Now I am using XP Pro.

"Grice Webster" wrote in message
...
se (Stuart Robinson) wrote:

I was thinking more of testing that the network card and the PC
were working together and communicating with each other
properly.

Well if Windows detects it, and initialises the driver OK then I
guess thats as close as your going to get until you put it on
the LAN.

It is not the price of the card that is the problem but if no
card is going to work then I am stuck with a bill for the
broadband. :-(

A PC is a complex combination of OS, Motherboard and network
card, the only practical way to test it for network
functionality is to put it on a functioning network, which could
be just another PC.


No clever loopback testing avialable for ethernet cards then?

If your first one works then there is no reason that the second one would
not. If you don't have a yellow exclamation next to it then its working now
whether you can set up the connection correctly is a different matter

In article ,
Grice Webster wrote:
se (Stuart Robinson) wrote:

A PC is a complex combination of OS, Motherboard and network
card, the only practical way to test it for network
functionality is to put it on a functioning network, which could
be just another PC.

No clever loopback testing avialable for ethernet cards then?

Yes, there is a loopback test which the manufacturers diagnostic
software can run. However this does not guarantee that it is capable of
sending a signal down an ethernet wire. When it comes to it the only
practical way to test an ethernet card is to try it out.

BTW, if you're using a single ethernet card to an ethernet cable modem
there's a good chance you'll need to use a crossover cable.

--
Ian.

EOM

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 09:19:53 +0100, Grice Webster
wrote:

I am a bt of a newbie to network cards.

Last year I had problems installing a Linksys Ethernet card (in order
to attach a cable modem) in my PC. The card wouldn't work and in the
end I gave up after asking a technical friend to try and sort it out.

A year later, if I now get another network card then is there some
way I can test it in stand-alone mode (without connecting it to any
network)? I want to check the network card works before ordering
cable broadband.

Insert the card, if it shows up in the device manager then it is
working as well as you can test without another ethenet device.

You computer's spec is perfectly fine - practically all PC's with a
working PCI or ISA slot will work with an ethernet card. Configuring
it is another matter, but I suspect NTL's documentation will make this
fairly foolproof.

If you have the set top box based broadband I think they do a USB
adapter which they would be able to offer tech support on.

Gareth

Grice Webster wrote:

VIA KT133 chipset.

Herein lies your problem, this chipset was notoriously buggy, I would even
go as far as to say faulty. I chucked mine out as there was no bios or
software patch capable of fixing it (hence VIA released the corrected KT133A
a few months later)

Just buy a second hand NIC off uk.adverts.computer, you can get a cheapo one
based on the popular Realtek chipset for less than £4, I think ebuyer.com
even sell them new for around that amount + P&P.

You'll know if it works, as if it is working and detected properly, and if
there is no cable/device attached to it, you'll get a popup saying so in the
taskbar on XP. Remember to check that you have a PCI slot spare to install
it into.

If it still don't work well, it was only a few quid.

(removed comp.dcom.lans.ethernet from NG list)

On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 09:30:29 +0100, Grice Webster
wrote:

Ian Hastie wrote:

Yes, there is a loopback test which the manufacturers diagnostic
software can run. However this does not guarantee that it is
capable of sending a signal down an ethernet wire. When it
comes to it the only practical way to test an ethernet card is
to try it out.

BTW, if you're using a single ethernet card to an ethernet cable
modem there's a good chance you'll need to use a crossover
cable.


Can you or someone else please explain what you mean by this: "if
you're using a single ethernet card to an ethernet cable modem
there's a good chance you'll need to use a crossover cable".

A regular ethernet cable is just one you would buy everyday. Some
cable modems require a cross over cable. In this case two of the wires
are crossed over in the ethernet cable in the same way as you would
need if you were plugging a PC ethernet straight into the back of
another PC's ethernet. You just go to a shop and ask for an ethernet
cross over cable. Thats it, nothing too special. Some modems (NTL
provided one for a start) auto sense the cable type and internally
provide the cross over function so you can just use a regular cable.
It works most of the time, but for some reason my 3com hub confuses it
and I have to set the uplink button on the hub. [1]

To sum it up. Plug in the modem. If its NTLWorld you'll get a lead
with it and it will work fine. If its any other and it doen't work and
you suspect the cross over, go to a shop and say "Can I have an
ethernet cross over cable", They'll say "Will 2 meters do you mate"
and take a few sobs off you for your nice new cable. It may even be in
a fetching shade of yellow. If it then works you can then tell people
that "My modem needs a cross over, I know all about cross over
cables".

Have a search on google.com for ethernet cross over cables and you
will probably get a diagram of the two wires that are wired back to
front to provide the cross over bit.


[1] I'm using a hub becuase a) it was free b) thats much cheaper than
buying a load of extra long ethernet cables c) I'm only using on PC
into the modem at a time anyway, d) oh did I mention it was free.
--
This post does not reflect the opinions of all saggy cloth
cats be they a bit loose at the seams or not
GSX600F - Matilda the (now) two eared teapot, complete with
white gaffer tape, though no rectal chainsaw

"Henry" wrote in message
...
Grice Webster wrote:

VIA KT133 chipset.

Herein lies your problem, this chipset was notoriously buggy, I would even
go as far as to say faulty. I chucked mine out as there was no bios or
software patch capable of fixing it (hence VIA released the corrected
KT133A
a few months later)

Just buy a second hand NIC off uk.adverts.computer, you can get a cheapo
one
based on the popular Realtek chipset for less than £4, I think ebuyer.com
even sell them new for around that amount + P&P.

You'll know if it works, as if it is working and detected properly, and if
there is no cable/device attached to it, you'll get a popup saying so in
the
taskbar on XP. Remember to check that you have a PCI slot spare to install
it into.

If it still don't work well, it was only a few quid.

(removed comp.dcom.lans.ethernet from NG list)


Out of interest, what happens if you insert two NICs and connect them with a
crossover cable. Can you then test that combination? Do you need special
software to do that?

Geoff

Grice Webster wrote:


Thank you for your insight. It is very useful.

I call my chipset "KT133" but I am not sure if that is short for
KT133A or not. Can you tell if I have the KT133 or KT133A from the
following details.

KT133 VT8363 chipset (552 BGA)
VT82C686A (352 BGA)

These are on a Microstar MS-6340 motherboard version 1.0 (K7TM Pro).

Thanks to anyone who can help.

If it's this one:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...&MODEL=MS-6340

Then it's based on the KT133 not the KT133A.

The MS-6340 revision based on the KT-133A is this one:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...MS-6340%20V3.0

If you are getting regular lock ups (ie: hard lock ups, need to reboot
machine), especially when you use high bandwidth apps, such as playing
Videos/DVD's then those are the reasons which caused me to chuck mine out.
If your system seems to be OK, then don't worry about it.

I really wouldn't worry about the NIC, it's a piece of hardware which
_usually_ works without problems. But if you keep getting problems with it,
then I would be inclined to point towards the Motherboard/chipset as the
likely culprit.
Oh, if you are getting a cable modem from either Blueyonder or NTL, then
they use a straight through standard cable, not cross-over. Blueyonder even
provided one in the box. And as others have pointed out, you can also use
the USB port on the cable modems, if they have one.