Windows 7 Network Cable Unplugged

DrY

New Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
I'm sure a million others have asked about this, but here goes:

I've had to replace my router. My old router had gigabit LAN ports, and so does the new one.

With this one, Windows reports "Network cable unplugged" when my NIC is set to Autonegotiate (Realtek GBEe gigabit LAN). If I change it to 100mbps Full duplex, it works fine.
The cable is obviously fine, since the old router waorked at gigabit speed with it, with autonegotiate.

I think, as usual, Windows has done something to its settings.

Can anyone help? Please. It's pointless I have a gigabit NIC, and router, and then am forced to use 100mbps speed!

My ipconfig /all:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : YahyasPC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 8C-89-A5-63-FE-22
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::24de:8cf2:3a2c:531%13(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 21 September 2012 22:31:28
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 22 September 2012 22:31:28
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 227314085
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-17-21-06-36-8C-89-A5-63-FE-22

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{C58E4104-B9F0-420A-853C-B041B86F89B5}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:953c:1031:102f:d67b:5308(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1031:102f:d67b:5308%11(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
 
Autonegotiate is a mandatory component of the standard for gigabit devices but variations in implementation have resulted in many devices failing to do so. Even so, manual configuration should work - you say that manual connection at 100mbps works but you don't say if you have tried manually configuring for 1000 - does that work? I also note that you have IPv6 configured - it is worth trying to run with this disabled.
 
Last edited:
I tried forcing 1000FD (no HD option available), but no luck. I didn't configure IPv6 - that must be a default or something. How do I disable it?

I've reset the TCPIP with netsh int ip reset. Thought that might do the trick.

After the first router blew, I was using a temporary one that had only 100mbps LAN. Is it possible that Windows reconfigured itself to accommodate that router, and now "forgot" how to use a Gigabit connection?

Sorry if the questions sound stupid; I don't know much about networks.
 
No such thing as a stupid question! To disable IPv6 goto control panel, network and sharing centre, change adapter settings, right click on the network connection you wish to change, select properties. Uncheck the box against Internet Protocol v6, click ok ok and exit all.
 
So I connected my laptop, using the same cable, to the router, and it works fine. Difference is, it has a Broadcom Netlink Gigabit NIC, while the desktop has a Realtek PCIe GBE NIC.

So I'm thinking there's either some setting on the NIC that's wrong (I don't know what), or the router/NIC combination is not compatible.

Disabling IPv6 didn't help either. This is extremely frustrating! I can't even bawl Netgear out, cos it's not their router at fault!
 
New info:

By disabling "Use router as DHCP server" in the router config, the autonegotiate starts working. Problem is, any device trying to connect wirelessly (such as a smartphone), can't get an IP address.

So it seems there's a conflict between the router's DHCP, and Windows. I can't understand why it's only on the desktop, though. I tried checking the laptop's settings, and the only difference I could find was "Flow Control", which was disabled. Disabling it on the desktop didn't make a difference.
 
Success! I said "screw you" to Realtek, bought a D-link DGE 528T, CAT 6 cable, and I've got 1gbps, autonegotiate.
Doesn't solve the problem, since not everyone can just go buy a new adapter, but what the hell! It works, baby!
 
Success! I said "screw you" to Realtek, bought a D-link DGE 528T, CAT 6 cable, and I've got 1gbps, autonegotiate.
Doesn't solve the problem, since not everyone can just go buy a new adapter, but what the hell! It works, baby!

Hi,
Last week, i met the same problem as yours.
My NIC is realtek onboard, and i bought a new router "Mercury MW4530R" from newegg , Windows 7 prompts the "network cable in unplugged" , I can definitely say the cable is fine because it works between the new router and my HP laptop with intel NIC.

I've replaced the Mercury , but it doesn't help then i chose to return to newegg.

Now, i read your thread, Realtek's fault, cheap is not always good.

Anyone knows which 1000M router can work with Realtek NIC?
 
Has anyone thought of update the NIC drivers from the vendors website? I see no mention of that at all. That would be the first place to start with, is to have the latest driver.
 
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