I unplugged the ethernet cable from my desktop, but the connection icon still says connected to a network

CoffeBurps · Apr 10, 2015

Yesterday, lightning struck the apartment building I was in. There was no major damage to anything, so my next concern was if my computer was ok. I was using when the lightning struck and the computer shut off immediately. So far from what I can tell, the only thing that no longer functions is the graphics card. So I feel like I got off pretty well.
But anyways, since then, I haven't been able to connect to the internet. I have a wired connection with my desktop connected through a router. Normally, when I turn off the router, the little connection icon gets the red x that shows no connection. But now, the yellow triangle is still there so my computer thinks theres still a connection. I even unplugged the ethernet cable from my computer.

Can someone give me an idea on what is going on here? Is there something horribly wrong now? I have no idea what the lightning could actually have done. I checked everything to the best of my limited ability.

Seventh · Apr 10, 2015

Hi, try to disable and the re enable your network adapter to see if it will fix the problem, you may also try to reinstall the drivers of your network adapter... Hope it will help

makkem · Apr 10, 2015

Hi
Is your router working ? Have you tried it with something other than your computer ?
If you have tried what Seventh suggests and it does not work then your LAN card or LAN chip on the motherboard could well be fried.
This is one of the most common things to burn out as the lightning strike tends to travel through phone lines go through the modem and router and along the ethernet cable and hit the LAN chip which tends to be the weakest point.
It may be worth trying a new LAN card,they are pretty inexpensive.

CoffeBurps · Apr 10, 2015

makkem :

SO far, nothing I've tried to connect to the router has connected. But Right now I'm not sure if thats a problem with the router itself or with the builidng's data ethernet outlet. I'd have to take the router somewhere else to test that.

CoffeBurps · Apr 10, 2015

Seventh :

Not sure why I never thought to try reinstalling the network drivers. Already tried disabling and re-enabling the network adapter, that didn't do anything. But I'll try the drivers next, thanks

Ralston18 · Apr 10, 2015

Coffee,

Ditto Makkem and Seventh.

I would also suggest that, if possible, you now get a good surge protector. Even though there was no major damage there could be some minor damage or degradation somewhere - even to existing surge protectors. Damaged wiring etc. may or may not be visible presuming that anyone actually looks.....

Lighting may or may not hit your apartment building again but any electrical event (e.g., surge, short) could find a more direct route to your wiring and cause more damage next time. All electronics are vulnerable.

Just a thought.

westom · Apr 11, 2015

A motherboard computer sees a computer in the NIC. Yellow triangle is the motherboard computer reporting problems with an NIC computer. Makes no difference what you do with ethernet cables.

Apparently you had surge damage. Damage means an electric current had both an incoming and an outgoing path via your computers. For example, incoming could have been via the monitor. Outgoing via the NIC. Long after that current is both incoming and outgoing (simultaneously), then some one item in that path fails. In your case, it looks like two items failed.

Best protection at that computer is already inside the computer. For example, an NIC must withstand up to 2000 volts without damage. Your damage apparently is due to a human failure. A 'whole house' protector was not properly earthed. An adjacent protector does not even claim to protect from that type of surge.

CoffeBurps · Apr 12, 2015

westom :

A motherboard computer sees a computer in the NIC. Yellow triangle is the motherboard computer reporting problems with an NIC computer. Makes no difference what you do with ethernet cables.

Apparently you had surge damage. Damage means an electric current had both an incoming and an outgoing path via your computers. For example, incoming could have been via the monitor. Outgoing via the NIC. Long after that current is both incoming and outgoing (simultaneously), then some one item in that path fails. In your case, it looks like two items failed.

Best protection at that computer is already inside the computer. For example, an NIC must withstand up to 2000 volts without damage. Your damage apparently is due to a human failure. A 'whole house' protector was not properly earthed. An adjacent protector does not even claim to protect from that type of surge.

Thanks for the info. So would getting a new LAN card like Makkem said fix this?

westom · Apr 13, 2015

CoffeBurps :

Maybe. Depends on what actually failed. Usually, a weaker and therefore failed part may be in an NIC interface. In one case, the PCI bridge died. Solution was an Ethernet to USB adaptor so as to bypass that PCI bridge. Since a PCI bridge is only repaired by replacing the motherboard.

Meanwhile, a solution means learning from and correcting the reason for damage. In your case, a surge was all but invited inside; to go hunting for earth ground via appliances. A well proven solution means properly earthed surge protectors or incoming utilities wires hardwired direct to single point earth ground. Using a low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meter') connection. A surge, not properly earthed BEFORE entering the building, damaged a computer today. Next time it might be a furnace, clocks, dishwasher, TV, etc. Fixing the computer is really only curing a symptom. Also address a reason for that damage.

CoffeBurps · Apr 28, 2015

westom :

CoffeBurps :

Maybe. Depends on what actually failed. Usually, a weaker and therefore failed part may be in an NIC interface. In one case, the PCI bridge died. Solution was an Ethernet to USB adaptor so as to bypass that PCI bridge. Since a PCI bridge is only repaired by replacing the motherboard.

Meanwhile, a solution means learning from and correcting the reason for damage. In your case, a surge was all but invited inside; to go hunting for earth ground via appliances. A well proven solution means properly earthed surge protectors or incoming utilities wires hardwired direct to single point earth ground. Using a low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meter') connection. A surge, not properly earthed BEFORE entering the building, damaged a computer today. Next time it might be a furnace, clocks, dishwasher, TV, etc. Fixing the computer is really only curing a symptom. Also address a reason for that damage.

I got a new LAN card, and that fixed the internet problem.
But if the PCI is what ended up fried, then would that mean that replacing my graphics card to fix that problem wouldn't help at all?

westom · May 2, 2015

CoffeBurps :

Why assume a failed PCI. That was only an example. Maybe another 70 other parts are also suspect. PCI was only an example of how to think through a problem - how good diagnostic procedure works. You have no reason to believe PCI damage exists. Instead, use same concepts to define what next is damaged long before even considering any part replacements.

After NIC replacement, start again to define a next defective part.

BTW, this is exactly why better computer manufactuers also provide hardware diagnostics. These diagnostics test each part (NIC, sound card, memory, USB port, etc) separately to define what is fully functional and what is defective. Without such diagnostics, you must do same manually. So, what does Device Manager report?

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I unplugged the ethernet cable from my desktop, but the connection icon still says connected to a network

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makkem

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