Have you scanned your system for a virus?  Sound suspiciously like the Blaster worm.

what program are you using to establish your dsl connection Enternet? what? and what method are you using to connect - PPPoE/A? And what else did you install from your ISP for your dsl?

I use Norton Antivirus 2004 to guard against viruses. Without ethernet connection, my computer works fine and there are no restart problems.

I have not installed any program from my ISP for DSL.

Are you browsing the Web at the time of the crash, or is just connecting the Ethernet cable enough to cause the crash? If the crash happens while browsing the Web, do you have all Microsoft Critical Updates installed for your system?

Jim

I am not browsing the web. Just connecting the ethernet cable causes the crash. I have tried connecting  the cable when the computer is switched off and then switched the computer on. The problem still persists.

Thanks.  

Ouch! This sounds like it might be a problem with the Belkin card or its drivers. Or possibly even a problem with the modem, or a grounding problem. Are the computer and modem both plugged into the same grounded power strip or outlet? What I'm thinking is that there might be unexpected current flow through the network cable between the modem and the Belkin card.

Hopefully, though, it's a defective network card. Can you try another one?

There's one currently unresolved report of a situation involving two machines connected via a crossover cable. When one of the machines is turned on, the other one is awakened even though WOL is turned off!

Jim