stephen clarke
Posted 7 years, 5 months ago
Joined: 12 years, 1 month ago
I am currently trying to set up home networking on my 2 computers, both runnung windows xp. One of the computers has an onboard network card, and when you plug the networking cable into the connection on the motherboard the light comes on indicating there is a connection, but when you go into device manager, there is no network card listed in the hardware items.
Is there a way to find out why the onboard network card is not showing up in device manager, or should I just buy a PCI network card and try that?
Regards
Stephen
Gordon Drennan
Posted 7 years, 5 months ago
Joined: 12 years, 1 month ago
Re: Network card
The light comming on on the hub/switch doesn't tell you much. But it does confirm that there really is NIC hardware on the motherboard. Ie, that its not a version of the motherboard that doesn't include the NIC functionality.
If the Windows drivers were loaded you'd see a "networl adapter" in device manager, but it may be disabled.
If you hadn't loaded the Windows drivers for the on-board NIC you would see an "unknown device" in device maager.
The only way you can have an on-board NIC but not get either a network adapter or an unknown device in device manager is if it is disabled in the BIOS. Go look in there and see if it is enabled or disabled.
Tzedragon Tzedragon
Posted 7 years, 5 months ago
Joined: 12 years, 1 month ago
Re: Network card
This might be a bit of an obvious question but are you using a hub or a crossover cable between the computers?
Not having the NIC show up in the Device list is a bit of a worry. Can you refresh the Device list? Is there unrecognised Hardware?
I would agree that it could be in the BIOS or a motherboard jumper.
Have the NIC drivers been loaded? Could the NIC be faulty? Do you know the history of the Motherboard?
Trevor
stephen clarke
Posted 7 years, 5 months ago
Joined: 12 years, 1 month ago
Re: Network card
This is an old pentium 500 compaq work computer.Windows XP was installed on the formatted hard disk, Windows would have loaded the NIC drivers during installation if it detected the NIC card, as the card is not showing up in device manager, I assume Windows XP was unable to recognise the NIC card.
Running Add New Hardware does not find any new hardware items.
I will try and find in the BIOS where the NIC card is located, and see if there is an option for turning off and on the onboard network card.
Regards
