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“Ethernet Cable not Working” issue [Fixed]

Ethernet and Wi-Fi are two modes of connection used by a computer to connect to the Internet. According to networking experts, an Ethernet connection is considered more stable since it creates a direct link with your computer and consequently there are few chances of interruptions or congestion.

Many times, however, users suddenly find that the Ethernet cable is not working. And to make matters worse, they often cannot think of any reason behind the problem.

If you are facing the “Ethernet cable not working” issue, rest easy. In this post we’ll show you three solutions to this problem. Let’s get started, then.

Solution One – Try a different port on the router and Check Cable

A router has 3-4 LAN ports and there is a possibility the LAN port currently in use is not functioning properly. To ensure there is no problem with the LAN port, just try a different LAN port on the router and see if the problem is solved.

You need to also try different Ethernet cables for making the connection. This will rule out any problem with the Ethernet cable. If both the Ethernet cable and LAN ports are working fine, you can conclude, the problem lies somewhere else. In that case, you need to move to the next solution in the post.

Solution Two – Update Network Card Driver

Like any hardware device or port, your Ethernet port also needs drivers to function. Without a network card driver, Ethernet connectivity cannot be established between your router and computer. Here are the steps to update the Network Card driver

Click Start
Type Device manager in the search box and click Device Manager from the list of results
In the Device Manager window, go to Network Adapters and expand the section
Look for Ethernet or PCIe driver in the list. If there is any Red Cross or yellow exclamation mark beside the entry, you can conclude the root cause of the problem is the network card driver.
In that case, you need to go to OEM or motherboard manufacturer website for your region and download the network card driver for your system. Pay attention to the OS and the bit architecture (32-bit/64-bit) when downloading network drivers.
Download the network drivers and install them and restart your PC. Now check whether the Ethernet cable connection is working.

Alternatively, you can also use a driver software to automatically download and install network card drivers.

Updating Drivers Automatically

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

You can update device drivers automatically
The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

Start Download

Solution Three – Make sure Ethernet is enabled

There is a possibility the Ethernet connectivity in your computer is disabled which is causing the Ethernet connection problem. In that case, you just need to enable the Ethernet connection to make things right. Here are the steps to follow.

Press Windows key and R simultaneously to bring up the Run command
Type devmgmt.msc and click OK. This will open the Device Manager window.
In the Device Manager window, go to Network Adapters
Expand the section by clicking on “>” sign
Look for a PCIe adapter in the list. If the Ethernet icon has a downward-facing arrow, it means the Ethernet port is disabled. Alternatively, you can also right-click the Ethernet icon and you will see an Enable option in the menu which means the Ethernet connection is disabled.

Right-click the Ethernet icon and click Enable

Now the Ethernet connection is enabled and you can see the Ethernet Cable has started working

Solution to “Ethernet not working” issue

Today, most Windows users especially laptop users connect to the Internet using Wi-Fi. But there are times when you might feel the need to use an Ethernet connection. Here Ethernet connection refers to a wired Internet connection through RJ45 port.

If you are facing “Ethernet not working” issue on your computer, this post is for you. Here we have provided some easy solutions that could fix the issue.

Before Anything Else

If the Ethernet connection is coming through one of the port on your router, there is a possibility the router port you are using currently has gone bad. Try using another port on the router for the Ethernet connection.
Make sure the RJ45 connector on both ends of the connection are in good condition and the Ethernet cable is not broken. Check the wire and look for any signs of damage.

After you have confirmed there is no problem with the router or the Ethernet cable, you can go ahead to perform troubleshooting steps given in solutions below. You don’t need to try all solutions. Start with the first solution and work your way downwards until the “Ethernet not working” issue is resolved.

Solution One- Ensure the Ethernet is enabled on your computer.

There is a possibility the Ethernet connection on your Windows PC is disabled accidentally. In that case, you need to enable the Ethernet connection to resolve the issue. Here are the steps to follow.

Press Windows key and R simultaneously on the keyboard to bring up a Run command box
In the Run command box, type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter on the keyboard
In the Device Manager window, go to Network adapters and double-click on it to expand the category

Locate and right-click your Network device from the list
Click Enable from the menu

Close the device manager window

Now open a browser and check whether the Ethernet not working issue is resolved. If the issue still persists, move to next solution

Solution Two- Disable anti-virus temporarily

Anti-virus software tools are known to sometime block Internet connectivity. You need to ensure the anti-virus is not causing the issue. Disable the anti-virus temporarily and see if the issue is resolved.

The steps to disable anti-virus differs with every software tool. Here we have given general steps that can be used as a reference. The menu and the options and the steps to disable anti-virus may be entirely different in your case.

go to system tray and click on anti-virus icon
Click Open
Under Realtime protection, move the toggle switch besides Anti-virus to Off position

Check whether the Ethernet not working issue is resolved. If the issue is resolved, you can conclude the anti-virus is the cause of the issue. In that case, you need to contact the software manufacturer and explain the issue and ask for a solution.

Note- If your Ethernet connection as started working after disabling anti-virus, be careful when visiting sites or opening files.

You also have the option of using another anti-virus to secure your computer. However, if the issue remains unresolved even after disabling anti-virus, enable it again and move to the next solution.

Solution Three- Uninstall Driver

There is a possibility the network driver is corrupt and causing the issue. You can try uninstalling the driver which will force the Windows operating system to use a generic network driver that might resolve the “Ethernet not working” issue. Here are the steps to follow.

Press and hold Windows logo key and R on the keyboard to launch Run command box
In the Run command box, type devmgmt.msc

In the Device Manager window, go to Network adapters category and expand it

Locate the Network device and right-click on it
Click Uninstall from the menu
If prompted for confirmation, click Yes
Wait for the operation to complete and then close Device Manager window
Restart your PC.

Check whether Ethernet not working issue is resolved. If the issue still persists, move to next solution.

Solution Four – Update Drivers

An outdated network driver can cause ‘ethernet not working’ problem. You may be able to fix the issue by updating the network driver.

The easiest way to update your network driver is to use a fast, accurate, and advanced driver update tool.