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MacBHoward · Jul 13, 2004, 08:02 PM

I have a small network. A Blueberry, a Strawberry, an old Bondi Blue, a PowerMac 6500, and iMac DV 400. All on Comcast to a Linksys 4 Port Router. Two computers linked by a hub because one port on the router has to go to the hub. Using OSX and 9.1 on the 6500. All worked fine when I had them on a single port router that linked to the hub. Now the DV does not see a cable connected to the ethernet port. I've tried everything: initialized system, new firmware, new cables, reset router, reset cable modem, reset hub, reset PRAM, reset PMU, new battery, put the old router back on, connected only the DV to the modem, only the DV to the hub, only the DV to the router, reinstalled the RAM.I even tried some open firmware stuff I didn't really understand. I called MacMall and paid $40 for a USB to Ethernet adapter that has no instructions, no drivers, doesn't work, and does not come from a company that answers email. Any ideas other than to replace the logic board?

Dex13 · Jul 14, 2004, 12:05 AM

u tried a new ethernet cable? I severed an old network connection on accident and had the same problem of going insane and then I checked my ethernet cord and kicked myself�

MacBHoward · Jul 14, 2004, 05:17 PM

Thanks for the suggestion, but I tried that. I have about ten good spare cables to try, but no luck.

Dex13 · Jul 14, 2004, 07:46 PM

Archive and Install of Os X or a Clean install?

Eriamjh · Jul 15, 2004, 07:15 AM

Check your preferences and verify that the ethernet port in networking is still enabled. Even if it is, disable it, reboot, then re-enable it. Perhaps the networking preferences got corrupted?

Also take a peek inside the RJ45 connector of the iMac to look for bent pins.

MacBHoward · Jul 15, 2004, 08:03 PM

All good suggestions, but no luck. I initialized the drive when I reinstalled the system. I checked for bent pins, and in the Prefs I get the red dot and the message that says no cable is connected. This weekend I'm going to swap out the hard drive with one from one of the other iMacs on my network. At least it could help me decide if it's software or hardware.

Appreciate the posts.

Krusty · Jul 15, 2004, 10:10 PM

Did you check also in System Profiler/Network and in the "Info" tab of Network Utility to verify that OS X actually doesn't see or recognize the port anymore?

BTW ... welcome fellow Charlestonian

!!

MacBHoward · Jul 16, 2004, 07:34 PM

Thanks for the welcome, Krusty. Sometimes I feel like Bill Gates put something in the water around here. Nice to know we have a foothold.

One of the first things I checked was the system info. It says I have built-in ethernet. In Network Utility it confirms the address. Today I got to swap the hard drive out with a drive that works fine in my Bondi Blue. It didn't work, so I guess it is hardware. I swapped them back, and the Bondi signed right on to the network. Is it possible that something is not resetting in the PMU?

Krusty · Jul 16, 2004, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by MacBHoward:
One of the first things I checked was the system info. It says I have built-in ethernet. In Network Utility it confirms the address. Today I got to swap the hard drive out with a drive that works fine in my Bondi Blue. It didn't work, so I guess it is hardware. I swapped them back, and the Bondi signed right on to the network. Is it possible that something is not resetting in the PMU?

Not sure at all about PMU issues with DV iMacs so I can't help you there. I DID, however, find a couple of things that may interest you:
A thread from another forum discussing the issue AND the possibility of using Apple's nifty IP over Firewire option (10.3 only) to workaround a bad ethernet port. Let me know if you get something working with that ....

Originally posted by MacBHoward:

Thanks for the welcome, Krusty. Sometimes I feel like Bill Gates put something in the water around here. Nice to know we have a foothold.

Heh .. judging from the dearth of brick-and-mortar locations that sell Apple products (other than the iPod), I hypothesize that we are, in fact, the ONLY two people in this town that use macs

.**

**Seriously, I know a few others around but they are pretty casual about it all. My real "Mac community" has primarily been these forums for the last several years.

MacBHoward · Jul 17, 2004, 08:27 AM

Krusty,
That may be the best suggestion yet. I have one thing to go try right now. I've been resetting the PMU with the battery out of the slot. I saw in the PDF that you can reset with it installed. Second, the sharing options look good. The only option missing is being able to share Firewire to USB. Too bad, but if you can share an ethernet connection with Firewire, I wonder why you can't go straight from ethernet on the router to Firewire on the iMac? As for a cable modem with a USB port, that would be fine if I could go from that port to the iMac with the dead ethernet and still use the router for the rest of the network, but I would probably have to pay Comcast for the extra connection. It may be worth the price.

Thanks, for the morning chuckle. When I find other Mac users in they area, most don't even know what model machine they have. I bought two awesome complete PowerMac systems for $45 and $34.

Krusty · Jul 17, 2004, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by MacBHoward:
The only option missing is being able to share Firewire to USB. Too bad, but if you can share an ethernet connection with Firewire, I wonder why you can't go straight from ethernet on the router to Firewire on the iMac? .

Hmmm ... I didn't even know that these contraptions existed. Looks like this (or a similar FW adapter) may be the simple answer. Of course, they cost nearly as much as your PowerMacs

MacBHoward · Jul 17, 2004, 04:22 PM

I keep staring at my iMac DV expecting to have an inspired thought of some kind. I once froze a dead SCSI hard drive inside a ziplock bag in my freezer. For some reason I thought it would make it work. It did, and I used it for years until I bought a new computer. I wonder if I can get my DV into the freezer.

Those adapters on the Belkin site all say the same thing, "PC adapter." I saw a post where a guy responded with instructions to gently remove the adapter from the USB port and drop it in the garbage can, because they aren't supported by Apple. Must be true.

Krypton · Jul 19, 2004, 05:33 AM

My iMac DV ethernet port died, and apparently it's not uncommon.

MacBHoward · Jul 19, 2004, 06:18 PM

I think I may have forgotten to mention that port died about a year ago, and just popped back up about a week later.

misc · Jul 19, 2004, 06:42 PM

Seems weird that your info panel is telling you it's alive and you have an address and it's not working....

Check in your Network Pane in System Prefs, go to "Network Port Configs" and see if it's even looking for your built-in ethernet.

Just a suggestion. Good luck and welcome to the boards!

nebben123 · Jul 22, 2004, 11:31 AM

the indigo imac dv's have an issue with the ethernet port mysteriously failing for good. happened to a friend of mine. bummer