XPS 8930, ethernet network stopped working, #2

See this post. Check for the Killer Ethernet controller driver in Device Manager. Perhaps uninstaller Killer software and only install the driver. You could also try the latest driver from the Killer site. 

Did you just update to Win 10 v2004?

Are any of the LEDs lit next to the Ethernet controller jack on rear of PC when it's not working?

I have same Killer E2400 on my XPS 8930 with driver v9.0.0.50 listed in Device Manager.

Open the Win 10 Reliability Monitor and look at last few dates to see if any new Killer stuff got installed. They can get installed in the background without any notice and don't show up on the Windows Update history screen. I don't see any Killer updates installed recently, according to the Reliability Monitor.

If you try to clean up the Killer junk as mentioned in the thread @Vic384 linked, be sure to do a custom install, and uncheck everything except the E2400 driver itself. And then go to Start>Run>services.msc and disable every single Killer entry that still managed to get installed. You don't need any of that stuff.

EDIT: And if none of that helps, try rebooting the router...

EDIT2: If you also have Killer WiFi, you will have to be selective on which Killer services you disable in services.msc.

@leoProgramsYou  - Did you just respond to my question about the Ethernet port LEDs in that other thread?

I am having the same problem. I had my wired connection out for a couple days, but went to use it again and noted the adaptor is not there. I uninstalled using the killer uninstaller, but it does not detect any compatible hardware when I go to reinstall it. 

@craigpress80  -

Did you recently update to Win 10 v2004?

Did you check in BIOS setup to see if the onboard NIC is enabled?

Are any LEDs on at rear of PC next to the Ethernet (RJ45) port?

You could try doing a System Restore using the most recent restore point before these Ethernet problems first started. All new software and updates installed after the date of the restore will have to be reinstalled, but personal files won't be affect.

That said, always a good idea to back up personal files on external media before doing a System Restore to be safe.

Hi

i have the same problem on my XPS 8930 Desktop. It occurred a couple of days before i updated to W10 2004. I proceeded with the update in the (faint) hope it might solve the issue. It did not.

E2400 is not visible in device manager (even as a hidden item). No ethernet adapter or unknown items either. Checking that NIC is enabled in BIOS (whatever that means) is above my comfort level. Am competent pc user nothing more technical than that.

Tried installing Killer control centre - would not install due to finding no killer adapter on my pc. Tried installing driver only as discussed but it made not difference. Found it hard to decide which driver to install. All have the same date & version number. All suitable for 2004.

Any advice/guidance .......?

thanks

@John Diver 

Did you check to see if any of the LEDs are on next to the Ethernet jack on rear of PC?

What version of BIOS is installed?

Click Start>Run and type in msinfo32.exe and click OK. When that opens, expand list under Network and click Adapter. Assuming Killer Ethernet E2400 is listed in the right panel, does it say Installed:Yes (or No)? Then look 2 lines below for Last Reset. What date/time is listed?

Now expand Hardware Resources and click Conflicts/Sharing. Scroll down and look for a Killer E2400 entry in right panel. Assuming it's listed there, make note of its I/O port number and the name of any other device(s) listed right above/below Killer that's using the same I/O port number.

If Killer doesn't show up in msinfo32, you could try resetting BIOS to the defaults. Reboot and tap F2 when you see the Dell splash screen. When BIOS setup opens, just use the right-arrow key to move along the top row and select Exit. Then use down-arrow to select Restore Defaults and press Enter. Confirm the restore and let PC automatically reboot itself.  See if Killer E2400 is listed in Device Manager now...

Hi Ron

Thanks for detailed reply. i really appreciate it.

Re LEDs: one green LED is lit (not flashing). The other LED not on.

RE BIOS: i was on 1.1.3 (20.2.20) but your question prompted me to update to 1.1.15 (01.07.20). 

After reboot, i followed your keystroke instructions. Alas msinfo32 revealed nothing. So i went down the F2 route.

Followed your instructions exactly. But after confirming the restore, PC did not reboot automatically. i had to F10 save/exit and manually reboot.

Sorry to report that E2400 is still not showing in Device Manager. I dont know if its relevant, but when this problem first occurred a few days ago, E2400 was showing as a hidden network adaptor. When i right clicked it showed Code 45 not connected. But its simply not showing at all now.

Do you have any further suggestions....?

Again, many thanks

John

@John Diver 

A solid green LED typically means the NIC is detecting a 10/100/1000 network.

Found this on Killer's web site about the NIC going missing in Device Manager. It doesn't really say more than we already know, but worth a read and trying their method, since they obviously know this can happen...

Try this: Reboot and tap F2 to open BIOS setup. Go to the Power options screen and if currently enabled, disable Wake Up by Integrated LAN. Save the change and let PC boot. If it's already disabled, enable WOL, save the change and reboot.  Don't know if that will help, but worth a try just to see if you can get BIOS to acknowledge that the Killer NIC exists.

If Killer is still not listed in Device Manager and/or still not working after changing the BIOS WOL setting, open the Win 10 Network Status screen and click Network Troubleshooter and see what it reports. If there are unfixed problems or the NIC still doesn't work, try clicking Network Reset at the bottom of the Network Status screen and reboot. NOTE: You may have to reboot your router after resetting the network and rebooting the PC.

And if you're still stuck, try this:

Open a CMD prompt window, Run as administrator. At the CMD prompt, type in:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press Enter.
Be sure to put one space ahead of each / in this command. Copy error message(s), if any.

Assuming no DISM errors and you're back at the CMD prompt, type in:

sfc /scannow and pres Enter.
Be sure to put one space ahead of the /. Copy error message(s), if any.

Assuming no sfc errors, reboot and see what happens.

And I guess it's always possible the NIC has failed, meaning the motherboard will have to be replaced. So I hope you're still under warranty.

SUCCESS!

Ron

I worked through your suggestions and now have a functioning ethernet connection. It was the network reset that did the trick.

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with me to solve this problem. I really appreciate it.

Just one final question; should i go back and re enable the Wake Up by Integrated LAN setting?

Hopefully your posts will also help other Dell users who have this problem.

Yea!   

Glad to have helped...

If you don't use WOL, you can leave it disabled in BIOS. If you're connecting to your office's network that monitors your PC, you might need it enabled.

I have WOL disabled on my own XPS 8930, but I don't need it. And maybe I'm paranoid, but if WOL is enabled, could a hacker use that to find a way into my PC when I'm not looking?  

FWIW, the default setting for WOL on the XPS 8930 was originally Disabled, but for reasons that have never been explained (and yes, I've asked!) starting with BIOS v1.1.12 the default for WOL was changed to Enabled.