Failing to pick up a network connection... at work

[Sheaf]

Hey,

I recently bought an NC20 netbook, which has been great.

However, today, I took it to work to do some bits and bobs on there and went to connect it to the work network. Fail.

It couldn't see the network at all, no connection. The switch I plugged it into didn't light up even.

So, I changed the cable. 4 times. I then tried a different switch. Both switches were being used fine by other things. Nowt.

So, I came to the conclusion that the network adapter was buggered. I contacted Amazon and a replacement netbook is apparently on order already!

BUT, I got home, plugged it into the home network and it seems to work fine. I tried another switch and it's connected to that too.
So, my question is, is there any reason why it would do this? I guess it could be a dodgy connection inside, make/broken in transit, but I've turned it upside down etc and it doesn't loose connection now.

At the same time, I dont see why it wouldn't pick up the work network. I've connected many a PC there, you cant get on the main server, but the web server is able to be seen and it can see other PCs peer to peer usually.

Any ideas?

Make no sense to me. I'm concerned I've got a replacement on order for no reason, but at the time there was simply no connection when there should have been.

[s0ck]

It stayed on 'network cable unplugged' the whole time at work? ;/

[Sheaf]

Yep.

I have now brought it in again and it now picks up the network no problem.

I can only conclude that there's a loose connection inside and the car journey jiggled it back. I'll swap it with the new one that'll be here soon to be on the safe side.

I cant see any other reason, it's not changed at all since yesterday and it just wouldn't see it at all then.

[Mark16v]

Or incompatibility with the switches used at work.

Try the latest driver for your network card, if that fails try to set the link speed to "10Mbit Full Duplex" instead of auto-negotiation.

What brand/type network card is it?

edit:
nevermind, didn't see the last reaction above...

[Scott]

you sure you didnt plug it into a phone socket instead

these things are usually dead or alive, and no amount of jiggling ever fixes something like that in my experience. Youd have jiggled it enough by try 4 different cables.

[Phoenix3dfx225]

Depending on your kit at work there a loads of reasons a pc might not connection. The port on the switch could should down, or asssigned to MAC address's etc etc

Unless you mentioned it does work with another pc?

[amh01]

also a bit of a popular one is that a crossover cable was used with not switching between patch and crossover hubs/switches.

[Sheaf]

Other PCs definitely worked with that switch, and the netbook definitely didn't work. The switches are fine....

Now it works in the same switches, using the same cables, absolutely fine.

I have tried shaking it about to see if it disconnects but nope, seems fine now.

Apparently the replacement will be here tomorrow as I couldn't cancel that. I'm thinking I'll just take that then...

It's really weird. Nothing has changed since yesterday.

[agw_01]

Did you restart the NC20 yesterday while at work?

[Sheaf]

Yep, restarted a few times.. I went into the BIOS too to check that the card was enabled in there too.

I tried restarting with and without the cable plugged in too.

[amh01]

freaky!!!!

Technology at its best.

I work with people and their networks all day everyday and things like this always creep up,

At least it is now working.