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I have a Windows 10 computer from a few years ago and a modem/router (ARRIS) connected through a cat 5e cable and everything works well; I get gigabit speed (which I don't need). If I plug the computer via a Cat 6 cable into another port of the modem/router, it doesn't recognize the network. The lights on the back of the port blink every few seconds as if the computer was trying to connect but it doesn't manage to. I tried the other port with another computer and it worked, but the computer was older and as far as I know could have connected through a lower speed. I tried disabling/enbaling adaptors/checking for updates/resetting the machine. I also reset the modem/router. The cables are buried in walls. What can I do?

  • Is it possible that for some strange reason the modem/router has associated the first port on the machine and now won't accept switching ports?

  • In the strange case that for some reason the Cat 6 is not wired right, is there a way that I can select a lower speed so that the connection would work as it does on the other computer? I read somewhere that there can be an issue of the computer trying to connect at a faster speed but not managing due improper cable wiring.

Any other thoughts or tests I can do?

Giacomo1968
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Manu
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  • Buy or borrow an Ethernet cable tester. – DavidPostill Aug 30 '20 at 17:45
  • 1) check if the cable is working on a known-good port combination 2) check the port with another cable – Zac67 Aug 30 '20 at 18:29
  • Could this explain the problem? Also, the cable is buried in the wall, many feet apart, is there a tester that works in this case? I guess it'd have to be remote? – Manu Aug 30 '20 at 19:19
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    You need to do what's been advised and test the cable with a port that you know to work and then test the port with a known working cable. This will either show or rule out any issues with either one. – Nasir Riley Aug 30 '20 at 19:53
  • Most network testers are a pair of devices that you plug into both ends of the same cable, to make sure its working from end-to-end. I've had switches that were not compatible with newer media types, switches where a single or a few ports were burned out due to an electrical event, cables that have gone bad due to electrical or physical damage, cables that are strangely wired, ports that support MDI-X and not, issues with autodetect settings, etc.if you are not willing to swap cables, try different ports/devices, etc, then you have little hope of resolving the issue. – Frank Thomas Aug 30 '20 at 20:43
  • I am willing ;-) But the issue is that I already know that the cable and port do work with a different computer. I am trying to understand what could have caused them not to work on this machine. I am not sure how a tester would solve this issue...? – Manu Aug 31 '20 at 01:10

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