The Network Cable Is Not Connected: Possible Causes Of The Error And How To Solve It

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

The network cable is not connected - causes and solutions

A mistake about an unconnected cable can be a cause for confusion. After all, surprisingly, most of this message appears when, in fact, everything is connected and should work. Moreover, the problem is equally relevant for stationary computers and laptops, does not depend on the operating system and the type of connected equipment, be it a direct Internet, another computer or a router. Nevertheless, you should not immediately complain about the provider's negligence and demand to "fix it" - often the problem is solved on its own in a few mouse clicks.

Content

• 1 Physical check of the network cable

• 2 "Network cable not connected" message when connecting - causes and solutions to the problem

  • 2.1 Video: what to do if the network cable is connected but not working
  • 2.2 Problems on the provider side
  • 2.3 Outdated or incorrect network adapter drivers

  • 2.4 Incorrect network card settings

    2.4.1 Video: Network Card Settings to Restore Cable Connection

  • 2.5 Problems with the router or modem
  • 2.6 Viral activity
  • 2.7 Other problems and solutions

Physical check of the network cable

First of all, you need to make sure that the network cable is actually connected. It is quite possible that it "sits" loosely in the connector. If outwardly everything is in order, and reconnection did not lead to anything, then try unplugging the patch cord and restarting the computer. This will eliminate failures within the operating system. Wait a few minutes before reconnecting the cable. Please note that there is a special mount on the connector - a short click indicates that everything has been done correctly. On some multiplayer maps, you can also find indicators in the form of lights. If they light up or flash when connected, then most likely everything is in order with the connecting wires.

The network cable may appear "not connected" even when it is actually connected - the problem lies in the availability of the connection

I occasionally use a network cable to connect my laptop and old computer. You can easily throw off any files, and you don't have to bother buying a router or other equipment for public access to the network. But it so happened that from frequent pulling out of the connector, the "clothespin" on one of the connectors broke. Now it periodically goes away, giving out the same error message … so I still advise you to make sure that the cable really sits firmly in the connector and connects the devices.

If you have many connections, then there is a possibility of confusing a working connection with an inactive one

If the cable stubbornly does not show signs of life, then you should pay attention to the condition of the connector, connector and external winding. It is advisable to check the latter from the "threshold" itself - the integrity of the wire may suffer from compression, friction or pets. When inspecting ports and connectors, in turn, you need to carefully examine the contacts for cracks and other damage. And when connecting, gently wiggle the cable at the base - if at the time of these manipulations the adapter's status has changed at least once, then the error clearly lies in the damaged contacts.

The message "network cable is not connected" when connecting - causes and solutions to the problem

The "cable not connected" error is actually one of the very standard statuses of a network card. Appearing in connections, it reports that the signal does not go through and the connection is not established.

The reasons for this problem are very different. But most often, the lack of connection is to blame:

• incorrectly connected or damaged cable;
• problems with the modem or router;
• problems on the side of the provider;
• incorrectly working driver;
• incorrect settings of the network adapter;
• activity of viruses or firewalls, less often - third-party applications.

Video: what to do if the network cable is connected but not working

Problems on the provider side

The "network cable not connected" error can occur even if the drivers, settings and equipment are in good working order. Then we can already talk about the problems on the part of the provider, occurring for one or several reasons:

• engineering works;
• erroneous disconnection from the network;
• power outages;
• incorrect work;
• damage to communications (cable integrity) outside the apartment, etc.

To clarify the situation, you will need to contact support. If the provider has its own website, then there is almost certainly an opportunity to leave a request for repair or troubleshooting.

In May 2017, residents of Cherkassy, who were connected to the network of the local provider McLaut, were left without the Internet - unknown persons cut network cables

Outdated or incorrect network adapter drivers

If a physical check of the cable and equipment did not reveal any problems, then, most likely, an elementary reinstallation of the drivers is required:

1. To call the "Device Manager", hold down the "Win + R" combination on the keyboard. In the window that appears, the line "Open", enter "devmgmt.msc" (without quotes). The command will launch the desired control panel item.

   

   Using the Run window, you can open applications and run system commands on your computer

2. Among other devices we find "Network adapters" (cards) and the device we need. Click on it with the right mouse button and select "Delete". After restarting, the computer will re-detect the network card and install the system driver.

   

   The "remove" option removes the network card from the list of devices and removes the current driver

3. In addition, by clicking the right button, the "Properties" of the network card is available, where there is a "Driver" tab with more complete functionality: information about the driver in the system with the ability to update, rollback or delete it.

   

   The "Driver" tab in the network card properties window contains detailed information about the installed driver

Incorrect network card settings

The cable connection may not be possible due to incorrect settings on the network card. To change them:

1. You must go to the "Device Manager". It is located on the "Control Panel" in the "Hardware and Sound" category, but it's quicker to press "start" and use the search, typing the word "dispatcher" into the line.

   

   Search - an easy way to find the required control panel element in 2 clicks

2. In the window that opens, we are looking for "Network adapters", clicking on which will display a list of network cards available on the computer or laptop. Right-click on the problem one and select "Properties".

   

   Using the "Device Manager" you can view devices connected to your computer (laptop), install, update or remove drivers

3. First, let's configure the "Speed and Duplex Mode". This parameter is set to "auto-negotiation" by default, but network cards are often unable to determine it on their own. Therefore, in the properties, go to the "Advanced" tab, find the required property in the list on the left, and on the right, specify one of the available values.

   

   Typically 100 Mbps Full Duplex is selected, but the value may differ depending on the card used.

4. After that, switch to the "Power Management" tab. Uncheck the box next to "Allow the device to be turned off to save" and save the changes by clicking on the "OK" button. Then it is advisable to restart the computer.

   

   The option "Allow the device to be disconnected to save" is one of the reasons for the "cable not connected" error that occurs on a laptop

Video: Network Card Settings to Restore Cable Connection

It also happens that when you open the "Device Manager" list of adapters does not contain active network cards. This occurs in just two situations:

• there is no driver;
• the network card has been damaged.

First, you need to manually find the required driver. If, after installing it and restarting the computer, the device is still not displayed, and the cable is still "not connected", then the problem lies in physical breakdown. The only way out of this situation is to buy a new network card.

If you did not find the network card among the manager's devices, then it is she who is to blame for the error "network cable is not connected"

Problems with a router or modem

The cable connected to the router may well cease to be detected due to power surges, sudden power outages, system failures, etc. Simple method: disconnect the cable and reconnect after 30-60 seconds. You can also temporarily de-energize the device or press the shutdown (reset) button. If there are indicators on the dashboard, be sure to check if they light up after connecting the cable. Still, the best way to make sure that a router (modem) is working is to exclude it from the "network". If the error message disappears when you connect the cable directly to the network card, then the device or its ports are almost certainly broken.

Sometimes the problem with the connection is solved by just restarting the device

Viral activity

If the cable, connectors and equipment are working properly, and there are no problems on the part of the provider, then it is highly likely that the reason for the lack of connection lies in malicious software. There are a lot of ways to catch this "infection", you can list them for an infinitely long time. And the installed antivirus is not always able to recognize and intercept a threat. In this case, only a full scan (scan) of the computer will help, and not only with installed, but also third-party tools. So, among users, the free utility Dr. Web CureIt.

Even if an antivirus is installed on your computer, it is advisable to check it using additional means

Other problems and solutions

In extremely rare situations, the connection does not work due to the network adapter being disconnected. In the "Device Manager", such equipment is indicated by a certain icon - an arrow down, placed in a gray circle. To make the network card work again, you need to click on its name with the right mouse button, selecting the "Activate" item.

The device can be turned on or off - use the "Disable" option

To summarize, not every “network cable not plugged in” problem requires contacting your ISP. Sometimes it is easier and faster to solve it yourself. Of course, if we are not talking about damaged equipment or cable - in these cases, only a replacement will help.