Ethernet Connection Troubleshooting
If you are experiencing a problem with
your Ethernet connection, please review the following troubleshooting suggestions:
First, narrow down the problem to computer vs. connection
To troubleshoot on your computer...
Do not Auto-Detect
the Network Speed
Look for Firewall Interference
Check for Spyware
Scan for Viruses
If possible, narrow down the problem to your computer vs. your connection
If at all possible, try to narrow down the problem by a) checking your computer with a different port or connection to see if the problem still exists or b) test another computer on your connection. Information from that testing will determine how best to troubleshoot. If none of the solutions described below resolve the problem, then you should contact your Internet Service Provider (or the PCSC if you are in a BU residence or office).
Do not auto-detect the network speed
The BU Residential Network (ResNet) uses a network speed of 10Mbps. While you are on ResNet, you may have connection problems if you set your Ethernet card to Auto-detect the speed. This page explains the problem and tells you how to fix it.
What happens
A network connection in a BU residence might seem to "hang"
every few minutes, for anywhere from 10 to 40 seconds.
Why
it happens
This problem can occur when an Ethernet card is set to auto-detect
the network speed. In BU dorms, the network speed is 10Mbps. A
card that is set to auto-detect will connect at 10Mbps, but then
every few minutes it will check to see if there is a faster connection.
When the card tries to go back to 10Mbps after this check, a negotiation
glitch may occur, causing the connection to "hang".
XP systems may be particularly affected by this problem.
How
to fix the problem
Set your Ethernet card to 10Mbps Half Duplex when using
BU ResNet.
In XP, you do it like this.
1. Go to Start->Control Panel->Network->Local
Area Network and click on Properties.
2. See your card name. Click next to the
card name, on Configure.
3. After you click Configure, THEN click
on the Advanced tab.You will see a heading on
the left, "Property" and a list on the right, "Value".
4. The properties may have obscure names. Find the one that controls
connect speed.
On many cards it may be called Media Type. On
older Ethernet cards, the property may be called External
PHY.
5. Set the value for this property to 10Mbps Half Duplex.
6. Click OK and then OK again until you are back to the Network Control Panel. It may be a good idea to restart your computer to make sure the new card settings are in effect.
BU student residences should all be 10Mbps Half Duplex. Some few areas (offices) on campus may have networks that run at a different speed -- if in doubt, please check with your local administrator.
Firewall interference
Are you running a firewall? For example, if you are running something like ZoneAlarm, Norton Internet Security, or PC-cillan, try updating it with a built-in updater, or failing that, download a patch from the manufacturer's Web site. If that doesn't work, disable the firewall to see if that resolves the problem. If you have to disable, it should be sufficient to, at least for now, use the firewall that comes installed with Windows.
Spyware
Could you have a problem with spyware? Please make sure that you have scanned and protected your computer as described on our related page.
Viruses
Could you have a virus? Please make sure that you have scanned and protected your computer as described on our related page.
