Ethernet port connection problem

[Vendo]

Hi, I used the MacRumors Buyer's Guide for several months to find the best time to buy a MacBook. I'd never had a Mac before and found it to be so valuable. I hope someone in the forum can be as helpful as the site has been.

Yesterday I bought a new MacBook Pro 13" and as a store option the RAM was doubled to 4GB. Everything has worked well so far, in both OS X and Windows XP through Boot Camp, except for either OS accessing the LAN cable on my home ADSL. Both my portable modem (EMobile network in Japan) and the wireless seem to work with no issue, and both OS will recognize the ethernet port. I'm concerned that perhaps the ethernet adapter was modified when the store installed the memory.

I can remove the ethernet cable from one computer (where it works without any settings changes on my Windows notebook) and plug the same cable into the MacBook and it will not be recognized. The Mac OS error is that no cable is inserted.

However, as it's my first Mac, I didn't know if perhaps some new settings are required to make things work smoothly. Is there any DNS settings etc. that must be set for it to connect? Also is there some kind of connection diagnostic that will specify the location of the error in the machine? I'd like to exhaust any option before shipping this back to the store to be repaired or replaced.

Thanks in advance for anyone who might be able to help. After years of cheap Windows laptops I decided to splurge a little to get something of quality I could use for years... I hope to be able to use it at all!

 

[BlueRevolution]

It should work as soon as you plug it in.

 

[Vendo]

I figured that it would be no different than the other computer.

Is there any reason to think that this is anything but a hardware error that would need servicing?

 

[old-wiz]

you might try resetting your router first then connect the cable. None of the Macs I have used have had a problem with ethernet cables; it's always been plug and go.

 

[Vendo]

! A reset might just do it. That's the kind of stuff I always forget.

If this saves me the time and hassle of shipping I'll be really happy. I'll know tonight, and if it works, thanks in advance.

 

[Vendo]

Grr... No dice. Unless someone has any ideas, it's time to mail this back to the store.

 

[Fizzoid]

If it works with your Windows PC and doesn't on your Mac, then it does point towards the port on the Mac being faulty.

 

[spillproof]

Is you Ethernet port active? > System Preferences > Network > Select Ethernet > Click Gear symbol > "Make Service Active" > Apply

Picture attached. This is what I had to do. Hope it helps.

 

[Vendo]

Appreciate the help but looks like that is the issue.

I'll try to open this up and see if something was disconnected inside when the RAM was installed. If I can't see any problem it's sending back time.

 

[velocityg4]

! A reset might just do it. That's the kind of stuff I always forget.

If this saves me the time and hassle of shipping I'll be really happy. I'll know tonight, and if it works, thanks in advance.

If the router settings was the problems you would get at least a yellow dot showing in network preferences. Indicating a cable is present but an error occurred when connecting.

Try a different cable or connecting directly between the Macbook and the computer that works. Though this will not provide a usable connection without changing settings you will at least get the yellow dot indicating a network connection is present.

Appreciate the help but looks like that is the issue.

I'll try to open this up and see if something was disconnected inside when the RAM was installed. If I can't see any problem it's sending back time.

The Ethernet port is soldered directly to your motherboard, unless things have changed recently. Seating new ram would not cause this problem. I would recommend simply returning it and asking for a replacement.

 

[Vendo]

If the router settings was the problems you would get at least a yellow dot showing in network preferences. Indicating a cable is present but an error occurred when connecting.

Try a different cable or connecting directly between the Macbook and the computer that works. Though this will not provide a usable connection without changing settings you will at least get the yellow dot indicating a network connection is present.



The Ethernet port is soldered directly to your motherboard, unless things have changed recently. Seating new ram would not cause this problem. I would recommend simply returning it and asking for a replacement.

Thanks for this advice; I'll try it tonight while at the same time preparing to return for a replacement.

 

[Vendo]

Big thanks to all the advice from all of you. I tried the connection to another computer and the ethernet port turned yellow, then green with a self-created IP address.

I'm sure this means there must be something with my router, not the Mac. This saved me a big hassle with needing to deal with shipping and deal with a customer service that might not have been happy with me.

I'm sure I'll stick around to bother you again with my Mac inexperience!

 

[Fizzoid]

Big thanks to all the advice from all of you. I tried the connection to another computer and the ethernet port turned yellow, then green with a self-created IP address.

I'm sure this means there must be something with my router, not the Mac. This saved me a big hassle with needing to deal with shipping and deal with a customer service that might not have been happy with me.

I'm sure I'll stick around to bother you again with my Mac inexperience!

But didn't you say previously you'd unplugged a working cable from another computer, plugged it in the Mac and it then didn't work?

 

[Vendo]

But didn't you say previously you'd unplugged a working cable from another computer, plugged it in the Mac and it then didn't work?

That's right. I unplugged a LAN cable from the Windows PC, then plugged that same cable into the Mac. For that not to be recognized but for the port to recognize a LAN connection to another unit indicated that the Mac port works and is able to recognize externally connected hardware. After this I also tried installing a wireless router through the Windows PC (which until now I had no need to try and use) and that too can't connect to the router. Unless someone else has any better ideas, I think the router is not able to recognize new hardware. That should be replaced and not the Mac, it seems.

 

[velocityg4]

Glad to hear the Mac is fine. I assume you have done the factory reset on your router. If there is no indication of any connection attempt when connecting by cable I would then assume the router is faulty.

Anyways you can pick up a wireless-N router for pretty cheap and forgo cables to your Macbook altogether. Since you already have working wireless I assume you wanted the cable connection for file transfers on your network. I would get a Netgear or DLink router. Everyone seems to default with Linksys but I do not like them, many models do not have all the network customization settings such as assigning Static IP addresses to each network device.

 

[Vendo]

Glad to hear the Mac is fine. I assume you have done the factory reset on your router. If there is no indication of any connection attempt when connecting by cable I would then assume the router is faulty.

Anyways you can pick up a wireless-N router for pretty cheap and forgo cables to your Macbook altogether. Since you already have working wireless I assume you wanted the cable connection for file transfers on your network. I would get a Netgear or DLink router. Everyone seems to default with Linksys but I do not like them, many models do not have all the network customization settings such as assigning Static IP addresses to each network device.

Appreciate it but I live in Japan... I have a wireless router but the modem itself is faulty. Just need to replace it with another from the broadband provider.