The internet stopped working. Faulty network card?

[Binary]

Quick update: installed Zorin OS Core (Ubuntu-based distro) and my ethernet worked until I updated the software. After that, it stopped working again, but I can still use USB tethering to gain access to the internet.

One of the last solutions I had planned was to install Windows to see if my Ethernet would work there. That would mean there’s a problem with Linux and not my network card.

I’m still trying things and will update the thread after I gain new insight.

[Binary]

Yesterday I learned how to install drivers on Linux. Today I will try different ones and if I do it right it could be the solution to this.

Maybe I will install Windows today also to be sure it’s not my network card’s fault.

[Rustys]

When you install windows follow the instruction for the link for
[COLOR=rgb(243, 121, 52)]Windows disables NIC (Network Interface Card) on shutdown[/COLOR]

[Binary]

My plan was to delete Linux and install Windows instead. And if the Ethernet worked as it should, then I would install Linux again and try to find a solution.

I have some good news though and maybe there won’t be a need to install Windows. My Ethernet works now. I tinkered about late the previous night trying to install the right driver and at last I called it a day and thought of proceeding tomorrow anew. However, after I started my PC today, the Ethernet worked. I’m not 100% sure it’s fixed, but it could be.

I will need a day or two more to monitor if there are any changes in speed or loss of internet access. If everything’s right, I will write a tutorial on how I made it work. This wouldn’t be possible for me without your guidance though. Thank you, but I still need to make sure it’s fully resolved. After that, I leave a tutorial and you can close the thread.

[Rustys]

No worries glad to help looking forward to the results.

[Binary]

Unfortunately, my Ethernet stopped working again after a few hours. I’ll need to try more drivers and maybe even different kernels.

[Rustys]

Think what need to be done it attempt Windows and just bite the preferable bullet.

One way without installing wiping and installing is to use a VM and see if that does it otherwise may just have to.

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads

[Binary]

Useful tip with VM.

I’ll try a few more drivers first and if that fails again, then I’ll try Windows and see how that works.

[Binary]

I see no driver for my NIC when I run the “lsmod” command in terminal. Something went wrong after I used a few commands I shouldn’t while trying to install the right driver (r8168).

Soon I will install Windows 10 and monitor the internet for any changes or loss of access throughout the next day.

[Binary]

I had just finished installing Windows and I had no internet. I used USB tethering to install missing and outdated drivers and my Ethernet works for now.

I’m sure it’s a driver problem on Linux, but I will wait half a day or more to see how the internet will behave on Windows. My sound and microphone don’t work on Windows though. On Linux, depending on the DE, it’s just the microphone not working.

[Rustys]

Hardware sometimes does not work properly without the drivers being installed and usually without the chipset being installed first.

Once validated that work follow the instructions in post #11 for the windows section then install Linux on to a USB drive and see if it works correctly.

Might have to turn off fast boot in both power and BIOS settings.

[Binary]

Well, the internet stopped working on Windows too. After troubleshooting, I get an error that the Ethernet cable is unplugged, but it’s not, and neither is the cable faulty since one of the first fixes I tried was switching the cable for a different one. That didn’t work for long, and I started losing connectivity again. A few Linux distributions also report the same issue. I read somewhere about a very similar experience to mine. The root cause was a damaged network card.

Tomorrow I should have a Wi-Fi USB adapter and will report back on how it works.

[Rustys]

Thank you for keeping us informed.

You can also get the USB to Ethernet card or like you asked about here.

Would you suggest trying a different network card or perhaps (which I would prefer) a USB ethernet adapter?

[Binary]

The shop didn’t have a USB to Ethernet adapter available yesterday, so they ordered one for me. It didn’t arrive today, but hopefully tomorrow it should.

[Rustys]

Let us know how things go.

Could also look into powerline adapters and or WiFi extenders.