DComTalk.com

William P.N. Smith <news05@compusmiths.com> wrote:
ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
I tried that idea for 30 seconds. I even turned off with the PSU switch. I powered the system
back on, and it worked!! Woah! What the heck? Why did this work?

Because the drivers are poorly written, and do not fully initialize
the network chip. Some bit is set to zero on power-up, when it gets
set to one the chip doesn't work, and the driver doesn't bother to
clear it. Therefore it won't work till it gets a full power cycle.
Happens all the time in these days of careless programming, limited
testing, and "time-to-market" trumping all else.

Glad you got it sorted out!

Intereting. I might had spoke too soon. After 30 minutes of usage, the network device lost the
cable connection. Had to repeat. Right now, I am trying low speed (10BaseT Half Duplex). So far,
it seems to be working after two hours. We'll see... All I have to say VIA network sucks!

I tried that idea for 30 seconds. I even turned off with the PSU switch. I powered the system
back on, and it worked!! Woah! What the heck? Why did this work?

Because the drivers are poorly written, and do not fully initialize
the network chip. Some bit is set to zero on power-up, when it gets
set to one the chip doesn't work, and the driver doesn't bother to
clear it. Therefore it won't work till it gets a full power cycle.
Happens all the time in these days of careless programming, limited
testing, and "time-to-market" trumping all else.

Glad you got it sorted out!

Intereting. I might had spoke too soon. After 30 minutes of usage, the network device lost the
cable connection. Had to repeat. Right now, I am trying low speed (10BaseT Half Duplex). So far,
it seems to be working after two hours. We'll see... All I have to say VIA network sucks!

OK. This is ONE crazy network card. I had another disconnection while playing World of Warcraft,
BUT it wasn't an unplugged network cable error like before. It seems to have forgotten how to
connect. That was like after 10 hours of no problems.

I still had an IP address, but couldn't ping anyone including my router. ipconfig /release
resulted saying my network card wasn't there. Repair didn't work either. Disabling and
re-enabling network card didn't fix it. And what's funny is that it was at 100 Mb/sec speed even
though I told it to use 10 Mb/sec. I set 100 Mb/sec, it said 10 Mb/sec! Ehhh, weird.

I had to use the damn PSU power off and on method to make it work. Piece of crap. I need to get
get a NIC. Ugh. Do VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapters suck or something?

Umm, no. They're homemade (add jacks, cut cables and wires,

etc). If they had issues, then they wouldn't work on other
computers' network cards. Beside I tried multiple cables.

So far, lower speed seems to be holding my cable. I wonder
why faster speed cause problems.

ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
Umm, no. They're homemade (add jacks, cut cables and wires,

Which way are you wiring, T-568A or -B?

etc). If they had issues, then they wouldn't work on other
computers' network cards. Beside I tried multiple cables.

Work is a relative term with split pairs. They fail in
funny [non-predictible] ways. A stronger/better transceiver
will tolerate/reject more of the noise they get.

So far, lower speed seems to be holding my cable. I wonder
why faster speed cause problems.

Two words: split pairs. Electrons may well be color
blind, but they know who their dance [twist] partners are!
--

Robert Redelmeier <redelm@ev1.net.invalid> wrote:
ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
Umm, no. They're homemade (add jacks, cut cables and wires,
Which way are you wiring, T-568A or -B?
No idea. I didn't make them -- my friend did. In case you

missed it, turning off computer competely with the power
cord disconnected/PSU off and turning back on, will make the
network work again. I think the onboard network is locking up
and not resetting. I never had this problem with any computers
and laptops.

ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
Robert Redelmeier <redelm@ev1.net.invalid> wrote:
ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
Umm, no. They're homemade (add jacks, cut cables and wires,
Which way are you wiring, T-568A or -B?
No idea. I didn't make them -- my friend did. In case you

So ask him/her. Either they know about T-568A & -B or they
almost certainly did it wrong, splitting a pair. The correct
wiring is counter-intuitive. The two intuitive patterns
(side-by-side and USOC) both result in splitting a two pairs,
one of which is used by 10baseT/100baseTX.

missed it, turning off computer competely with the power
cord disconnected/PSU off and turning back on, will make the
network work again. I think the onboard network is locking up
and not resetting. I never had this problem with any computers
and laptops.

Split pairs on short cables can definitely cause these types of
marginal/intermittant faults. As can wrong plugs or movement
of plugs crimpled on solid cable. Correctly crimping plugs is
an advanced art, but the failures aren't always immediate.

Look carefully through the plastic plug at the individual
wires. What order are the colors in? But it can be extremely
hard to tell the blue/white from the green/white, which is
the usual DIY error.

We don't remember since it was done like about five years
ago. My friend thinks it was "-B". Is there a way to
check? Any photographs to show so I can check? I hope they
are distinguishable.

Any photographs of this so I can compare?

I am pretty sure the cables are fine other computer and
network cards do not have problems. Only this specific
motherboard's onboard network has this problem.