nForce onboard NIC weirdness...

[bluemax]

I have a Shuttle MN31N motherboard. I love the onboard video, sound, NIC, firewire and all the other goodies. I'd consider this the "perfect" board if it weren't for one issue I'm having...

The onboard NIC sometimes does not find the connection between it and the cable modem upon startup. If I unplug the cable modem and plug it back in again (power, not CAT5) the NIC will find the connection and everything works again. I wouldn't mind this so much, but every other PC I've used never had this issue and I don't want my wife to have to fumble with cables and plugs just to use the internet.

Anyone familiar with nForce or Shuttle onboard NIC issues like this? (I had the same problem with a Shuttle SK41G XPC.) Is there an easy fix? Or do I have to waste a USB or PCI slot for a replacement NIC (and disable the onboard one...)

I seem to recall this being a popular question about a year or two ago, but SEARCH didn't bring up anything here in GH.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Are you using XP? Which UDP forcewares are you using, the ones that came with the board or the latest from nVidia's site? The MN31N's I've built haven't had any issues with cable modems so this is indeed a strange one

 

[bluemax]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Are you using XP? Which UDP forcewares are you using, the ones that came with the board or the latest from nVidia's site? The MN31N's I've built haven't had any issues with cable modems so this is indeed a strange one

UDP Forceware??
As for drivers, I'm using the ones provided on the Shuttle CD. I suppose newer drivers MAY help...
And yes, WinXP Pro.

 

[MDE]

I've never heard of this. I'd like to know the answer for future reference.

EDIT: Try the latest drivers from Nvidia's site.

 

[bluemax]

Using very latest drivers from Shuttle's site... about 3-6 months old tops. Same issue.

Getting ready to waste a USB port for an external NIC I have lying around....

 

[MrColin]

I would suspect the cable modem rather than the NIC based on my experience. Do you have this problem w/ a different pc on the same modem?

 

[loafbred]

I second the idea that it's almost certainly your cable modem or your cable signal. Been there, felt the pain.

 

[RagingGuardian]

I have the same problem with my a7n266-vn

 

[bluemax]

Someone else told me the same thing but with a little more detail.

It's likely the cable modem that's the culprit, but it's because it's designed to work with only one MAC address at a time. If it loses the MAC or gets a different one, the connection is severed. When I shut down my PC the connection is lost.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Originally posted by: bluemax
Using very latest drivers from Shuttle's site... about 3-6 months old tops. Same issue.

Getting ready to waste a USB port for an external NIC I have lying around....

If you got the extra NIC lying around, why not just try it? I'm sure you can spare a USB port to try and isolate the problem.