Windows 10 Screen blanks when network cable pulled

[my question is]

Discovered this while trying to set up a wifi extender. PC has only one enet port. Couldn't get extender to pair with router via wifi so I connected to the extender direct to the PC with an enet cable. When the cable is disconnected from the router and connected to the extender the screen goes blank (network connection lost?) and stays that way until the router is reconnected. Also couldn't see the extender by hooking it into one of the three open enet ports

Extender is now configured but I'd still like to know what's going on with this blanking.

I'm hoping this just a setting/switch somewhere. Thanks!

 

[holdum333]

Hi ! I have no idea what you're trying to do! You have asked this question on W7 forum and they evidently don't know what you're trying to do either!
Screen blanks when network cable pulled - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[my question is]

I'll attempt to amplify and rephrase. With the network cable in place between the PC and the router everything is fine. The router is a combination landline phone, internet, and wifi type. If I remove the cable from the router and connect it to the extender's Ethernet port, the PC screen goes blank - PC is now connected directly and only to the extender. I connected to the extender with a cable (it has its own webpage for setup) because I couldn't see the extender on the router's wireless devices page.

Apparently the computer is configured to blank the screen if the network connection is lost.

Thanks for the reply. After six days at seven forums I figured no response was forthcoming.

 

[bochane]

...... When the cable is disconnected from the router and connected to the extender the screen goes blank (network connection lost?) and stays that way until the router is reconnected.....

I don't exactly understand what you are doing, but the first thing that comes to mind is that network cables and connectors have a polarity, sometimes you need a cable with all connections crossed (hope you understand me). The cable you normally use is one to one not crossing over, you might need another one (crossing connections) to connect to the extender.
You can easily check the cable by comparing the colours of the wires in the connectors of the cable.

But again it is a wild guess.

 

[Neemobeer]

I would agree with Bochane. Firstly there is no setting to turn off your display when you lose your network connection. If that were the case I would imagine the computer screen would go blank before you plug the cable into the extender. Here's a reference about straight through and cross-over cables. Straight-through, Crossover Rollover Cable Pinouts Explained | Computer Cable Store Computers and routers and extenders all transmit (Tx) on Pin 1,2 and Receive (Rx) on Pins 3, 6 so you cross this pins on the cable so Pins 1,2 transmit to the correct 3,6 on the extender. There is some voltage going across and it's possible however unlikely that it's disrupting your display. You may be thinking it works fine on the router, but in reality your router has a built-in switch and switches receive on Pins 1,2 and transmit on 3,6.

 

[my question is]

sometimes you need a cable with all connections crossed (hope you understand me). The cable you normally use is one to one not crossing over, you might need another on (crossing connections) to connect to the extender.

You can easily check the cable by comparing the colours of the wires in the connectors of the cable.

But again it is a wild guess.

A wild guess. And a good one! I pulled the router connection and left it off for 15-20 minutes. The only change on the screen was a red X on the network connection - to be expected. Apparently the PC port is unhappy seeing a 1:1 cable connected to a peer.

Yes, I know about crossover cables, especially for RS-232 stuff but it never occurred to me that one would be required for this task. It makes sense now from the viewpoint of the router being the superior device and the PC and extender being coequal but inferior connections.

Thanks again for the solution!

 

[bochane]

What a nice message!

Henk