Ethernet port suddenly stopped working - HP HDX 16 Laptop

Hello Everyone, Please help with my problem!!

My ethernet port has stopped working. When I connect my ethernet cable to the port, I don't see the normal green and blinking orange lights. I don't see the orange light on my Belkin router that comes on when my cable is connected to the laptop port. Most importantly, it was working perfectly 12 hours ago, last night, when I was watching a number of videos. I currently don't have any internet on that laptop (I'm on another one now), due to a known wireless card problem (it's physically broken), but I'll worry about buying a new wireless card later...

This ethernet port problem has happened before, but I usually just had to restart my computer and it would work again. This might mean that this is a driver problem.

I have recently downloaded a windows update for my ethernet drivers, but the ethernet did work after the update so I don't think that could be the problem.

After a bit of sleuthing here's what I know:

Under device manager my network adapters:
-Intel(R) WiFi Link 5100 AGN
-Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (**this one wasn't there when I restarted a minute ago, I'm guessing it's the one for the ethernet port? It has a yellow triangle on it with "!")
--Although I don't have internet I have run the "update drivers" process from my computer.
--Driver Version: 7.12.1218.2009

Under the "uninstall programs" list I found there was a realtek program listed
-Realtek 8169 8168 8101E 8102E Ethernet Driver (with the icon of a blue crab with a white letter R on it)

The recently installed windows update on 3/24 for my ethernet was (update history):
-Microsoft driver update for Realtek RTL8168C(P)/8111C(P) Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20)

My system (from control panel):

Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P7450 @ 2.13GHz 2.13GHz
RAM: 4 GB
64-bit Operating System
HP HDX 16 Premium Series Laptop

Router: belkin 2.4GHz 802.11g Wireless

I'm not a computer genius, so when you help me please give me clear instructions on what to do and why. Thanks!!!

 

Hi Microcron and Welcome to MGs.

A couple things you can do to try to troubleshoot your problem.
Go back into Device Manager and right click on the adapter, choose uninstall and reboot. This could possibly reload a faulty driver installation.

You could also choose Roll Back driver (at the same location in Device Manager) to go to a previous version in case there was an underlying problem with the Windows Update driver.

You could also try a System Restore to a date before the problem date to see if anything else from a software standpoint might have changed that you are unaware of.

 

Alright let me update my problem for everyone.

I realize now that I do get internet via the ethernet port for a short duration of time before the port somehow stops working entirely. During this time Device manager does recognize my ethernet controller under network adapters. As soon as my ethernet stops working the Device Manager stops recognizing the ethernet controller.

This happens usually after I stop using my computer for a while and resume using it, so after I leave my computer on hibernate for a day or restart my computer the port starts to work again. It is almost as if my port can't handle being connected?

Some questions:

-If this was a cable related issue, my router should still recognize that connection is there (so the orange light on my router should turn on)?
-Could this problem be caused by a conflict in my driver? (if so how should I fix it since the ethernet controller can't be recognized through Device Manager, where else would I find the ethernet drivers?)

I'll try the system restore and a few other things and report back.

 

You can try updating the drivers. Is your computer going to sleep and not connecting when it comes on again? That is not unusual, even if it used to work. Changing the power settings for what the card can do will sometimes help, as will updating or sometimes rolling back the driver. It's usually microsoft updates that kill me but some driver updates can cause more problems than they fix and rolling back with help.

How often do you shutdown completely?