card replaces "integrated ethernet adapter"?

Hi again, and thanks for being there to help!

Our (DSL) home network is this:
Phone line comes in the house (bought used) by my desk upstairs. Gazinta phone/DSL splitter, into Best Data modem (bought used), from there into D-Link router (bought used). From there into my computer and by means of a 20-or-so-foot Cat5 cable (bought used, I think) downstairs through a floor register to my wife's computer.

My computer never has any internet connection problems.
Hers has them often --- lately more often, and real lately it's hard for her to stay online much at all.

In the past, various of the following things have fixed the problem:

Wiggle all the connectors (including the jack on the computer), several of which seem loose or able to be pulled partway out.

Swap outputs on the router.

Power cycle both modem and router.

Also, in "the past," a wizard would pop up on her computer sometimes and offer to repair the connection (not, I think, the network repair/setup wizard). I think sometimes it would reestablish the address of the computer. At any rate, sometimes it would fix the problem. These days, that wizard does not appear and I can't find it to call it up manually.

Sometimes I've had to call the tech help desk, and sometimes they fiddle and get the thing going again. Last couple times they can't seem to, and have suggested hardware replacements.



What I've now done, for openers, is ordered a (new) Cat6 25' cable and a (new) Dynex router. Both should arrive in a day or two.

Meanwhile, the next thing to do if they don't fix the problem seems to be replace the ethernet device in the downstairs computer. It's a Dell Vostro Something, running XP Home, and online it sez it has an integrated ethernet adapter. Upon examination of the back, it sure enough appears that the jack is not part of a card as I understand them.

NOW we are at my question (unless, of course, y'all have other observations, comments, things to try based on the description of the system:

In my experience with computers so far, I'd have bought a new ethernet card, taken out the old one, swapped in the new one, probably attached a connecter to it (and then closed the machine up and begun wrestling with the agonies of plug-and-not-really-play).

If "integrated ethernet adapter" means it's part of the motherboard or something like that, and presuming that's not working right, what is the fix?

Thank you!
I will now catch my breath, rest my fingers, and await your learned instruction.

Denno

 

I would have replaced the long cable first. When they say 'integrated' it means it's already part of your motherboard, which you surmised correctly. If it still didn't work then I'd buy a PCI ethernet card. Connectors slipping out will always cause internet faults.

 

OK, so I install a card. What I wonder is will it come with instructions and maybe whatever wire I have to plug it into the motherboard with, and tell me where to plug it in, and will it plug n play and naturally supercede the integrated whatsit, or come with an installation CD, and I wanna drinka water, and are we nearly there yet?

 

Hehehe, you worry too much. You don't need any of the above, these cards do just 'plug 'n play' and every OS already has the needed drivers. The PCI slots on the motherboard are the shortest on there. Remove the case covering slot next to the PCI slot on your case, install the card, hook up your cable and boot. Just to give you an idea of what a PCI slot looks like, quite inexpensive too if changing your new CAT5 cable didn't work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDm5wNhvucg

 

For a DSL line something like this should be fine. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...twork+-+Interface+Cards-_-Rosewill-_-33166005 This would go into an empty PCI slot. If the Vostro is a few years old then it is most likely to have an empty PCI slot rather than a PCIe slot available.

Basically, plug and play. Windows should see the new card and find drivers for it automatically. If not it comes with a CD. If you shop around at newegg you can always read the feedback tab on the item your viewing to see if others have had problems or if installation was easy. I find it useful even if you don't actually buy the item there.

Once the card is installed you just plug your ethernet cable into it rather than the onboard connector and away you go. You can disable the onboard network adapter in Device Manager but that is optional.

 

If that video doesn't help then there are plenty more on youtube tree. It should give a decent idea at least.

Hehe sach2, I didn't notice you were here.

 

Thank you both! I am reassured.

Denno