LAN cable unplugged message-intermittent connection Inspiron 5160

Additional info. I called my isp's tech support and he had me look at the Device manager. he suggested that I go purchase a new ethernet cable but he also seemed concerned about a couple of things. He said it should show something different instead of the Broadcom 440x 10/100 integrated controller. Something about it shouldn't be an integrated controller. Then underneath Network Adapters, which lists the 1394 network adapter and the broadcom one, there is another main entry: Other Devices and under that network controller. Both of them have a yellow question mark in front of them and the network controller has a yellow exclamation point on top of the question mark. The isp tech support guy, who deals with their issue, feels that this is a hardware issue and that in adition to getting a new ethernet cable, that I guess I should get these checked out also. So it sounds like I also need to contact Dell tech support, although it seems that sometimes their solution seems to be, if in doubt, send out a new replacement part to be installed. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Right now it seems to be working and not disconnected, but that could change if I jiggle something so not good.=======================================================
Inspiron 5160, 2.8 gHz with hyper threading, WinXP Home SP2, 1 GB RAM, CA Internet Security, Adaware, CD/RW DVD combo drive 60 GB, 4200, Hitachi warranty replacement HD.

Thanks for you comments and suggestions. This all gets rather confusing, even though I partly understand it and had partly figured it out. I had to reinstall the system when my HD failed and Dell replaced it under warranty--it is still under the 4 year in home warranty. That was in Mar 05. They sent me a blank HD to install and then I had to install all the software including the XP and at that time I think there were a few things that had been on there that were not reinstalled--1 or 2 on purpose like an ad on to Outlook that was crashing the computer and some there were just so many things that get installed by various programs that it is hard to tell what is installed or what is necessary any more. The computer does have built in wireless but I turned it off since I'm not using it and understand that can be a security concern if you don't protect it properly which I'm not sure how to do and haven't gotten around to finding out. And I did realize last night that the 1394 connection was firewire--I knew it by its name and from the Mac side--I'm not used to the number and am not using it. I did get an email back from Dell saying they thought it was software. They want me to install the latest ethernet driver and if that doesn't do it to install diagnostic software and also to swap out the ethernet cable (I'll have to go buy a new one). I haven't really installed anything new in the last few months--the last things were maybe back around Christmas or maybe a little later and it was first Adobe Photoshop Album starter edition and then Picasa as well as Canon camera software, but that was months ago. Then in around Mar or so, I installed Computer Associates Internet Security 2007 upgrade which I don't like nearly as well as the previous version and I've noticed ocasional msgs about firewall blocked something on an email but then the next time it goes ok, so something isn't right with that. And then today I was rushing so I came up and turned the computer on and went back to do some other things. When I came back instead of being booted, it had a black screen asking me to select the operating system. Not sure why it did that, but know it isn't a good sign. Don't like it when it starts doing funny things like that. As far as if its the connector, it is under warranty still so I guess if it is determined that is the problem, then I guess Dell would send out the part and then send someone to install it. I also notice that Circuit City has some kind of free computer check so I might take it in and see what they might find if anything. I'm thinking my internet security program may be doing some funny things and reviews said this one was worse than the previous because now they are using their own firewall rather than the better one from another vendor. But my subscription ran out on the old one and I didn't know how to just renew it--they "updated" it. And I'll have to get a new ethernet cable and see if that fixes things--otherwise, after running through what Dell tech support suggests, although it does seem more like a hardware issue than a software one for ethernet--then it will need service. And I guess I really should run my Adaware and similar software to check for issues although using Firefox I don't seem to get as many problems as I did with IE. =======================================================
Inspiron 5160, 2.8 gHz with hyper threading, WinXP Home SP2, 1 GB RAM, CA internet security 2007, Adaware, CD/RW DVD combo drive 60 GB, 4200, Hitachi warranty replacement HD.

Well, I did replace the ethernet cable and its much better--I got a 3 ft one which is plenty long enough (CAT6--the old one was CAT5 but this says its compatible with CAT5. I'm not sure what those differences mean). But I still get the disconnected message from time to time--but not nearly as often. So it appears that both the cable and the connector in the computer had/have issues and the one still needs to be addressed. Dell tech support via email asked me to install the latest drivers. Not sure what that has to do with anything but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to follow the link they gave and make sure the latest drivers are installed. Plus, since I still get the message from time to time, I'm guessing that the connector in the computer also has problems that will need attention by Dell under warranty. And I guess I'll have to jump through the hoops they suggest before they will take care of it. And I'm not sure about my Firewall with CA Internet Security. They used to use the one from Zone Alarm but this year they came up with their own which reports say isn't as good--and that jives with my experience. Sometimes I've seen fleeting messages when transfering email about the firewall blocking something and maybe one of the email won't get sent. But then I check mail (which includes sending) and it goes fine. I also don't like it because its not very user friendly. It gives messages and asks for a decision without explaining what its talking about. It doesn't seem to be well suited for an average user who isn't up on all the security things and what choices mean. It also seems to make things run slower than last year's version did. Symantec was more user friendly but I didn't like that it would suddenly change firewall rules so that I couldn't connect and I didn't know why--wasted several days because of that, thinking my isp was having problems. And then their tech support gave wrong headed advice rather than the simple solution (which was to delete preferences I think it was so that they would rebuild themselves properly) Plus of course it was bloated. So my firewall software that is part of the internet security program suite may also be contributing, but I don't know that it would tell me I was disconnected in that case.

Message Edited by KathiMR on 08-12-2007 12:16 AM

Update: I finally went through the steps Dell tech support recommended in email. Downloading and installing drivers--although the link didn't work so I installed the ones that looked relevant. Then I downloaded and installed diagnostic software and 3 things failed. The 1st 2 and the EEPROM said it was corrupted. I relayed this info to Dell who promptly ordered a Motherboard and told me a tech would be calling to schedule installation. That actually happened quicker than they said. The tech came out on Thurs morn and installed a new motherboard. He also inserted a CD and updated the BIOS to A08 from A07. He said he was having trouble finding the HD though. He said I should back everything up--which I mostly did. he also said something about using F12 or one of the higher # F keys to go in and select the operating system--I think that was what it would select. Well, he left and when I tried to connect to the internet I couldn't at all! I called the contract co that he was from and after being on hold for about 10 min or so they said they just do hardware--kind of lame. It couldn't get an IP address. I clicked on the alert and there was an option to repair but it couldn't do it and gave me the helpful suggestion to contact the system administrator--NOT helpful for a home user where I am the only system administrator, but I'm not an IT person. So I had to call Dell after an appt. That Dell tech was very helpful to walk me through resesting the cable modem and computer by disconnecting them and turning them both off for a few minutes to reset and then reconnecting and turning on. OK, that worked and he stayed on the line while I went through and everything was fine. But I'm not sure why it booted ok that time but not the next day. The next day when I turned it on i got the black screen--it couldn't find a bootable device. So after going through the different screens and not seeing anything I understood to do, I had to call Dell again. Again, I got a very helpful tech--in America--who helped walk me through that using the F2 screen and discovering that the HD wasn't selected and neither was the CD/DVD drive he was trying to tell me how to select it, but I guess different computers are a little different, when I read what it said on the side to use the space bar rather than the left right arrows to to change the status. So between his telling me what to do and my noting that key piece of info, we got it so that the drives are selected and now it does work. The 2 Dell techs that I called were very professional and helpful, but it shouldn't have been necessary for that. It seems that they need to instruct the installers on those 2 basic things that apparently got reset either by the motherboard change or the Bios change or something and needed to be reset to the proper settings so that 1--the modem and computer were reset if needed so that I could actually connect to the internet. Its rather lame to have them come out to replace the motherboard to fix and intermittent problem in connecting and leave it so the client can't connect at all. and 2--make sure that the proper devices are selected in the BIOS or whatever so that it can find them to boot, etc. I'm still not sure why, when we went through the 1st follow up tech support call that it booted ok, but not the next day. But maybe it was off long enough to reset the modem, but still retained something to know where to find the system. Anyway, everything seems to be working ok now and the 1st Dell tech had me write down the procedures in case I should ever need to reset the modem again.