Cable not plugged into Built-In Ethernet

T

techybiz

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Hi.
I have a PowerPC G4 (MDD) dual 1.0GHz MAC running OS X TIGER.
I have been using it just fine with my Westell 327w router from Bellsouth/AT&T, via LAN cable.

Yesterday, I disconnected the LAN cable to move cables. When I reconnected the LAN cable, green lights appear on the MAC LAN port and the router, as they always have.

However, when I access the NETWORK properties of the MAC, it is red and says "Cable is not plugged in to Built-In Ethernet"...BUT... it is... because the green lights on the MAC and router say it is.

I did try another router port and another cable = Same problem.

I rebooted the MAC several hundred times (exaggeration) = Same problem.

I rebooted the router and THEN the MAC again = Same problem.

I have 4 other units there that work just fine (2 Dell laptops, 1 custom PC, and 1 MAC iBOOK G4).

I am bewildered.

Please help.

Thanks,
Shane
 
Check in "System Preferences->Network" and see what it says about "Ethernet" in there.
 
Hi, jbarley. Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, that's what I was mentioning above when I called it the "Network Properties". I meant to say "System Preferences > Ethernet".

It has a red dot and a message that says: "Cable is not plugged in to Built-In Ethernet".
But, again, the NIC has a green light and the router has a green light for that port.

When I disconnect from the MAC and plug it into another laptop, or whatever, the other unit works fine.

It's bizarre.
 
Have you tried re-seating the NIC?
it appears that the signal is getting lost between this card and your computer.
 
Ya know, that's one thing I haven't done.

I wasn't sure if the NIC is integrated on the logic board, of if it is a standalone card.

{Power PC Dual 1gig MDD.}

I can try that tonight.

It was just odd that all I did was disconnect the cable (gently), and plug it in an hour, or so, later.
 
Some of the later model Mac G4 computers didn't like being disconnected from power, then reattached later... they proved "finicky" afterward. Something with the power supplies didn't start up right, or shut down right, or leftover current resided in the wrong place, I don't really know. All I know is that I've seen more than my fair share of MDD G4 machines with either dead or oddly-acting power supplies. Since the power supply supplies power to the ethernet subsystem, something may be wrong there.

Sometimes this was solved with a PMU reset -- if a PRAM or NVRAM reset didn't work first.

First, try these:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

Be sure to do both the PRAM reset (the "hold keys at startup method"), and if that doesn't work, perform the NVRAM reset (the "booting into open-firmware" method).

If neither of those, try the CUDA/PMU reset:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1939?viewlocale=en_US

Be sure to follow the instructions precisely on that page for your model of Mac (G4 -- there are machine-specific diagrams at the bottom of the page), as resetting the PMU can be slightly dangerous to the machine if not done correctly.

That article may not reference your specific Mac model -- the procedure is the same, but the location of the button may be different. Here's a flickr picture (which I'm taking at its word, it's not my photo) of where it should be on your model:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mac_users_guide/3813392795/

If none of those three, post back.
 
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