Dell ethernet controller driver PLEASE

I use a Dell Optiplex 260 in Paris and my Device Manager yellow flags my ethernet controller for needing a driver. Dell service doesn't seem to specify any 'ethernet controller driver' and several forums report trouble finding one. It isn't on my original Dell XP2 installation CD, so I'm utterly lost as to what to do. Can any kind MG point the way?

 

Guess would be the "ethernet controller" is being identified incorrectly by the device manager. Added any new hardware recently? Changed connections for any hardware devices? Is your ethernet connection, network interface card, functioning properly? Have had device manager tell me a PCI card for USB connections was an audio device. Is there any hardware that isn't functioning, like a floppy disk drive, optical drive, modem, add ons? Possibly artifact? Hope you can dot that "i", or cross that "t" as the case may be...
:confused

 

Thanks Bugbalou and Halo. I recently changed my Paris ISP from Orange to Numericable, who gave me a new Netgear wireless router, which I have installed wired. It's a heap faster than the old green 'stingray', but seems to have knocked out my ethernet connection - or so my Device Manager is leading me to believe. But can this be possible?
The difficulty in finding a suitable Dell driver is well documented on internet forums, but Device Manager tells me all I am lacking is an Ethernet Controller driver. The Dell XP Pro CD with SP2 doesn't help, despite people saying that SP2 includes the needed driver.

 

As Halo suggested, attaching an Everest report will help us help you. How are you connecting to the new router- wireless, via the ethernet port, or via a USB port? I assuming the ethernet port, but you never know....

 

Thanks again for the great suggestions. I will install Everest and show the report when I get back from holidays in a week. But I am beginning to think that the tech who installed the new wall cable hardware (the original being around 10 years old) may have inadvertently damaged the network connection circuit in my Dell Optiplex, as it may have been switched on during the installation process. I guess at the end of the road I could always buy a PCI card, but I'd rather try to revive what used to work just fine.

 

Highly unlikely. As far as I know, it is almost impossible to damage the on board network adapter whilst installing a new cable wall jack unless the ethernet port on the PC was physically damaged. If an ethernet cable was still plugged in to the PC, and someone yanked on the cable REALLY hard, it might have damaged the socket. Other than that, I think it's highly unlikely that the tech damaged the network chip/circuitry. It's far more likely to be a software problem, or a router configuration problem, or possibly a faulty cable between the PC and router/modem/wall jack.

 

Thanks for the help, dlb, but since the cable works fine connected to my laptop, it´s a certainty to be a fault in my Dell desktop. When I´m back from hols I`ll do an Everest report and post it for you more experienced techheads to understand. By the way, I see there are Ethernet Adaptors available on Dell Support. Are these of any use if all I need is a driver?

 

Thanks again, Halo, I should be back to you on thursday with the Everest report. I´ll take your tip and run a BIOS check first.

 

Right, all you kind geeks who have offered your help. I have the Everest report on my Dell GX260 sitting on my desktop. But how do I show it on this forum? It's in a file, with no URL, so do I email it to you, or what? Problem is this is the first time I ever had to include anything on MG forum.