Broadcom Netlink Gigabit Ethernet adapter will not connect to new Netgear router

 fish25,

Turn off hyour wireless adapter(if any) and shutdown the computer.

Attach the ethernet cable to the computer and a numbered port.

Start the computer.

Are you connected? If not, the wireless router is not using Mac address filtering, correct?

Rick

No wireless adapter on this computer, no problem there.

I shutdown computer, attached cable to router, started computer, no connection, no ethernet cable detected.

I used other computer to check Mac settings on router, there is no option for Mac address filtering that I can find.  There are 3 options under Mac address, use default, use computer Mac, use this computer Mac.  It is currently set to use default.

Thanks for the help.

 fish25,

Try running Finding System Information remove your product id and post back the rest of the information.

What do you see in the device manager?

Here is the setting in my wireless router. I have Mac Address Filtering disabled.

Rick

Here's the system information

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Marc>systeminfo

Host Name:                 MARC-PC
OS Name:                   Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
OS Version:                6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
OS Manufacturer:           Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration:          Standalone Workstation
OS Build Type:             Multiprocessor Free
Registered Owner:          Marc
Registered Organization:   Microsoft
Product ID:               
Original Install Date:     3/24/2011, 5:58:50 PM
System Boot Time:          3/27/2011, 12:51:57 PM
System Manufacturer:       Alienware
System Model:              Aurora
System Type:               x64-based PC
Processor(s):              1 Processor(s) Installed.
                           [01]: Intel64 Family 6 Model 26 Stepping 5 GenuineInt
el ~2668 Mhz
BIOS Version:              Alienware A11, 10/28/2009
Windows Directory:         C:\Windows
System Directory:          C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device:               \Device\HarddiskVolume2
System Locale:             en-us;English (United States)
Input Locale:              en-us;English (United States)
Time Zone:                 (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Total Physical Memory:     9,207 MB
Available Physical Memory: 7,621 MB
Virtual Memory: Max Size:  18,412 MB
Virtual Memory: Available: 16,204 MB
Virtual Memory: In Use:    2,208 MB
Page File Location(s):     C:\pagefile.sys
Domain:                    WORKGROUP
Logon Server:              \\MARC-PC
Hotfix(s):                 17 Hotfix(s) Installed.
                           [01]: KB971033
                           [02]: KB2305420
                           [03]: KB2393802
                           [04]: KB2425227
                           [05]: KB2475792
                           [06]: KB2479628
                           [07]: KB2479943
                           [08]: KB2482017
                           [09]: KB2484033
                           [10]: KB2485376
                           [11]: KB2487426
                           [12]: KB2488113
                           [13]: KB2505438
                           [14]: KB2524375
                           [15]: KB958488
                           [16]: KB976902
                           [17]: KB976932
Network Card(s):           1 NIC(s) Installed.
                           [01]: Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet
                                 Connection Name: Local Area Connection
                                 DHCP Enabled:    Yes
                                 DHCP Server:     192.168.0.1
                                 IP address(es)
                                 [01]: 192.168.0.3
                                 [02]: fe80::6cf0:2386:1fb0:48b3

Device manager shows everything enabled and functional, no ! or X anywhere.

fish25,

Try these drivers.

Broadcom BCM5784M LAN or better known as Broadcom Netlink Gigibit Ethernet (64-bit drivers) Can't remember if I installed these in the Vista Compatibility mode or not.

Just checking about this...

When you installed Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit) did you install the desktop/notebook utility and the chipset drivers first? If not the rest of the drivers will fail to install. How to Download and Install Drivers in the Correct Order If you cannot find Windows 7 drivers, then try using the Vista (or XP) 32-bit drivers, for Windows 7 32-bit of the Vista (or XP) 64-bit drivers for Windows 7 64-bit and install the drivers in the Compatibility mode

Rick

 fish25,

Did you try uninstalling it in the device manager, then restart your computer? The new hardware wizard will find it.

Rick

I just tried the driver linked above, same result, no ethernet cable connected.  I think I have tried just about every Broadcom driver on Dell's site at this point.  The driver I was using before the one linked above was a brand new one from Broadcom's site, 14.6.1.0, it didn't help either.

When I did the reinstall(Win 7 x64) I used Dell datasafe and reverted everything to original factory settings so it wasn't manual.  I can only hope datasafe installed the os and all the drivers in the proper order but I don't know how to tell.  If device manager is any indication, all devices report enabled and functioning.

After the reinstall, I tried router with Win7 and all drivers in factory state first, no updates and still got no ethernet cable connected.  Next I installed all Win 7 updates to current, no driver updates and tried router again, still no ethernet cable connected.  Next I installed bios update, tried router again, again no ethernet cable connected.  Than I worked my way through network adapter drivers, restarted computer and tried router with each one, all had the same result no ethernet cable connected.  Funny thing is, through all those drivers I can always plug the ethernet cable directly into the modem and it always starts right up to download the next driver.

At this point I have no problem replacing the Broadcom, this is making me nuts.  I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking something and I end up with the same problem once I put a new network adapter in.

 fish25,

I have a Realteck Adapter, Just wondered if yours got disabled. If so, try enabling it.

If the computer is under waranty, I would contact Dell and maybe it will get replaced. It's rare foir an ethernet adapter to malfunction.

Rick

I tried the uninstall and restart, no luck.  As far as I can tell I don't think I ever had a realtek controller in this computer, the only entry under network adapter is the Broadcom.

Unfortunately, I'm about 40 days outside warranty, got this computer Feb 10.   I tried Dell online chat support, but they don't offer it for Alienwares.  I called Dell support on the phone and they want to charge me $60-100 to talk to a tech, doesnt make alot of sense when I can just replace adapter for half that.

Problem is, I'm not entirely convinced it's the adapter.  Device manager reports it as working, even when it's hooked up to the router and not recognizing the ethernet cable.  Seems like everything is working, it just doesnt want to work together.

I noticed this morning, going over network connections again, that the router and computer are set to different default ip's.  I have all my network settings at the recomended auto detect ip and dns server.  Computer default ip is 192.169.0.1 and router default ip is 192.168.1.1, could this cause the issue I'm experiencing?

 fish25,

Go to start, control panel, networking and sharing center. Find your network, click on it, then click on properties. You should see...

Make sure TCP?IPv4 and TCP/IPv6 are set for automatic.

Rick

I don't have the pure networks drivers, otherwise that is exactly how my LAN connection is set up.

fish25,

Virus protection up to date?

Winsock2 How to determine and to recover from Winsock2 corruption in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, and in Windows Vista

I used WinSock XP Fix

Windows Vista cannot obtain an IP address from certain routers or from certain non-Microsoft DHCP servers

Rick

Yep virus protection is always up to date.  I'm willing to try anything at this point though, I'll give the WinSock fix a shot when I get home tonite and let you know how it went.

fish25,

 DHCP Server:     192.168.0.1
                                 IP address(es)
                                 [01]: 192.168.0.3

This looks like you're connected.

Is you wireless router using these Recommended Wireless Router Settings?  Setting up/Troubleshooting a Wireless Network (with pictures)

Did you try using a different browser, like Mozilla Firefox?

Rick 

I just tried the Winsock and Winsock2 fixes, they didnt make a difference, computer still thinks there is no ethernet cable connected.