A Network Cable is Unplugged

I am using Windows XP and I am receiving a blinking error message that says Local Area Connection, A Network Cable is Unplugged. I have a ethernet cable into the ethernet port. The ethernet card is built into my motherboard. I am positive all connections are secure but I cannot get the error message to quit blinking. The cable connects directly to my brother's computer, and he has the same exact problem. I bought a new cable, with no luck. I know this problem can be fixed because someone has fixed it before just several days ago for me. However, he just left to go backpacking for two weeks. My question is, how do I re-establish connection and get the "network cable is unplugged" message to stop constantly blinking?

 

I would start by rebooting Modem, Router, and all computers attached (in that order), and see if you can get a connection. Usually when you get the flashing light, it means that the Router's DHCP server "hick-upd", and needs to be rebooted.

 

Its not a blinking light, its a blinking message above the lan connection icon in the tray.

 

I had to talk my wife thru this same problem this morning. We has some bad storms last night and the Modem needed to be reset. Turned it off for about 20 seconds and it was good.

 

I have a wireless internet connection. This error message appears on every computer. I have tried all of this with the wireless internet off, and it did not work. By the way, this error message appears on all of my three computers.

 

is the error message from your ethernet?Go into control panel-network connections and disable all connections that you do not use

 

I'll try that, I get home tomorrow.

 

ok. my idea of how to setup a lan network, is:
1Plug in lan cables
2set up lan connection in network connections
3good to go
Is there anything i am missing?
I plugged in the cables, set up the connections, and it says when I hover my mouse over the connection in the tray, "Local area connection 4: A network cable is unplugged"
It says this on both computers
I have replaced the cable.
Any help?

 

you say you have "wireless internet connection" yet I hear you reference cables. Am I to understand that your ISP is a wireless service?

 

I have a wireless router in the house, but the connection is screwy, and so I am ttrying to set up a Lan connection in addition to the wireless one.

 

so let me underdstand this. With both wireless and ethernet connections: All 3 computers experience connectivity issues. All cables are ok you say and I find it unlikely that you have 3 problematic Network cards 6 if you count the wireless. My guess would be the router is your problem. Try updating the firmware on the router, try a different router or try a direct connect from one of your PC's to the cable or dsl modem (which ever you have) and see if the problem persists.

 

I am just trying to get them to share files, and play games together.
I am not trying to get internet sharing or anything.
Right now none of them are using the internet connection, (except mine for this, but I turn it off, to test the connection).
None of them are connected to the router, so I dont think that is the problem.

 

Ok, Now you totally lost me.
If they're not connected to the router then they will get no connection.

Can you break it down and layout your setup as to how YOU want it to work?

 

That should work -- unless you have a problem with the cable adapter, the router, or a cable connecting them in the chain. brownizs and Jerkyking have pointed out that you may need to reset either or both of those. Have you done that? With what result?

The fact that none of the computers on your LAN can connect suggests that the problem is in a part of the chain used by all of them -- i.e., the router, or somewhere upstream from the router.

Of course, the above statement assumes that all computers on your LAN are connnected directly to the router, either with a cable or through a wireless connection. If your computer is connected through an Ethernet cable to your brother's machine, how is your brother's machine connecting to the router? Or does it have two RJ45 sockets?

If re-setting the router and cable adapter doesn't get your LAN connected to your ISP, check the status lights on your equipment to confirm a valid cable connection at each point. If your status lights confirm a valid connection, have your router ping your ISP.

If your router cannot ping your ISP, it may be time to call your ISP for assistance. If your router can ping your ISP, the problem is at your end.

 

My lan is just an ethernet cable between 2 computers.
I just want it to work for file sharing and gaming.
No internet in the mix
no router
just a cable between two computers
It used to work.

 

If you're using a direct connection between the two computers without going through a router or hub, you'll need an Ethernet crossover cable. The straight-through cables you use to connect the computer(s) to the router won't work.

Try connecting both computers to the router. It shouldn't matter whether the router is connected to the cable/DSL adapter.

 

ok, i am now going for a wlan connection then... i reconnected both computers to the wireless router.
But, when i go to "my network places", and "view workgroup computers", on one computer, it shows only itself, and on the other one, it gives me an error message after a while saying, "mshome is not accessible. you might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.
the list ofservers for this workgroup is not currently available."

 

It's beginning to sound like a configuration problem, either in the router or in at least one of the connected computers.
However, I know next to nothing about MSHome and its services, so I'll leave it to someone who does.

In the meanwhile, you might try to confirm that each computer can talk to the router. Easiest way to do that is to ping the router from each machine. I don't know what services WinXP offers in that area, but I can tell you that in Win98, just open a DOS window, and give the command (without quotes) "PING 192.168.0.1".

192.168.0.1 is the standard IP address for a router in a home LAN. It is possible that yours is different. If so, you'll need to find out what your router's IP address is.

 

I pinged the router, and both of the computers had a loss of 0%.
in other words, they both have a connection.

 

You're right -- a packet loss of 0% confirms that each computer can maintain a conversation with the router. That being the case, it's not likely that a hardware problem is involved unless it's the router itself, so you might want to do a re-set on the router if you haven't already.

I'd bet on a configuration issue of some kind on one or both computers. I don't know enough about the way WinXP does those things to offer a useful comment.

You might want to consider posting in the Networking forum.

 

Me and my mate use our computers Mobo Ethernet Sockets for playing games and sharing files, you will need Crossover Cables, I have no router so i cant help you there, but the way it should be wired is as followed
on YOUR local area connection, view properties and where it says "obtain IP automatically" set this to "use this IP" and enter a value of your choice but try to stay out of intranet values, try using 180.100.10.01 for yours, and default gateway of 255.255.255.000.thats your pc sorted,
on the recieving computers they all need the same IP +1 for ease of recognition,
so PC no2 should read 180.100.10.02
PC No3 180.100.10.03 etc
all with same default gateways
you also need to disable the windows firewall for each connection on each computer as this can really interfere with file sharing
Next under the same properties for each LAN connection you see the services available to them, all should have "clent for microsft windows" ticked, and "file and printer sharing" ticked
once you have saved the setting on each pc you should then leave the cables plugged in and restart each one for windows to pick up the connections, then enable each LAN (best to have a quick launch shortcut on start bar for this ) im naff at explaining things but if you try this with no luck il try and help further in single steps. Good Luck

 

So, let me clear this up. All your clients are now sucessfully connected via the Wireless AP. So all we are troubleshooting now is Windows Share access.

Make sure that any firewall rules are set up to ALLOW File and Print Sharing.

I've got somthing for you to try.
Start -> Run -> cmd -> ipconfig /all

Under Windows IP Configuration, you should have a field named Node Type. Can you tell us what it is?

Also, out of interest, what flavour of XP are we working with? Home or Pro?

Related links:
"Ipconfig /All" Command Shows the Node Type as Unknown
Microsoft Windows XP - NetBIOS Name-Resolution Basics
TCP/IP and NBT configuration parameters for Windows XP
Windows XP SP1 Network Problem Solver

 

Under node type, it says "broadcast"
All my computers are running XP home edition.
ALso, i am kinda embarassed about this part, I bought a new cable, which cleared up my "a network cable is unplugged" message.
But, I have two computers connected now, with no firewalls running, and there is still a problem. My PC(the main one), is still having the trouble that I posted earlier,

Quote---
"But, when i go to "my network places", and "view workgroup computers", on one computer, it shows only itself, and on the other one, it gives me an error message after a while saying, "mshome is not accessible. you might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions."

Mine doesnt allow me to view network computers, and the other one only views itself, and not mine while it is connected. I believe the problem is in my computer. I am now going to try to switch the network name to home instead of mshome, and see if that helps.

 

now, in my network places(on the main computer), see all of the files that the other computer is sharing, but i cant access them... but I still cannot access "view workgroup computers" . I pinged the other one, and it timed out, leaving 100% loss...
On the other computer, I see none of the main computer's files in my network places... I can see only itself in "view workgroup computers". I pinged the main computer, and got 100% loss...
I am lost here.
Thanks in advance.

 

i connected 2 computers now... my moms and my brothers...
They connect, but i cant get them to see eachother's shared files. I just dont get this.

 

they also time out when they ping eachother... and my moms computer had the same error message that mine had before, even though it didnt have the message previus to connecting to my brothers computer...

 

i disabled the lan connection on my moms computer, and the error message went away, and it read no computers(obviously), but the error message was temporarily gone.
that did not work with the main computer however.

 

It is working
I had one thing unchecked on my computer "odyssey network services"... thats for wireless.
Same with my moms, wireless stuff.