Is my network card broken? How can I check?

[Sketcz]

OK, I normally access the net via USB broadband modem, but I use my network card on my PC for connecting with my Xbox to retrieve screen grabs. Yesterday I couldn't do this, Filezilla couldn't detect anything. Even when shutting my Eset firewall it couldn't detect anything.

So! I tested my router box, all cables, and the Xbox, in varius permutations, and it turns out it's definitely my PC which isn't working for some reason. It can't even connect to the internet via router any more, whereas another PC can.

Is the card broken, or did I accidentally switch it off somehow?

Thing is, moments before attempting to connect to the Xbox there was a 30 second period where I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and clicked some icons, one of which looked like two little connected PCs in the corner of the screen - it's all in French (my Windows XP is French) so I don't know what I clicked.

Can someone talk me through how I could check to see if the card is working? Is there a test you can run via command prompt? Is it possible to switch the card off/disconnect it via software? Is there a tickbox somewhere to re-enable it?

Any advice much appreciated.

[smouty]

Any lights on the connector?

Try ipconfig /all in a cmd window and look for DHCP info. If there is none listed you might have assigned a static IP at some point.
Control panel - network settings to make changes.

[Sketcz]

Yes, there is a light when it's plugged in. I tried the ipconfig thing yesterday actually, but absolutely nothing popped up. As in I'd hit enter and it behaved as if it didn't recognise it, no wall of text.

I'm on another PC now, but I'll try to change the settings later. Problem is, it's a French OS so navigating is like walking blind through a maze of razors.

[smouty]

The icons are the same in all languages
The menu items are almost always in the same place too so open up the network settings (see image below).
If your network card doesn't appear check device manger - the commands do not change between languages either - devmgmt.msc
If your network card is list then right click and select the bottom option (properties)

I can navigate my way around other language versions 95% of the time even on a mac which I'm no expert on.

[Sketcz]

Thanks for the screengab.

I eventually stumbled across the problem by going to Systeme, Materiel, Guestionnaire des Peripheriques, and discovering that the nVidio network controller had been disabled for some bizarre reason (actually the reason was clicking willy nilly the other day).

Now sorted. Ace.

Thank you!

[randombs]

"by going to Systeme, Materiel, Guestionnaire des Peripheriques"

I properly laughed at that one

There's a big French company holding presentations at one of our hotels and they thought I know French because I knew what buttons to click but it's just from using Windows so much. You just get used to it after a while.

Later on I was showing the concierge how to download a Powerpoint presentation from Hotmail - I clicked the 'telecharger' button. When they asked how I knew that was the download button, I said I'm **** hot at French but really it's because I've used planetemu.net(French rom site) enough times to learn what the word means

[Sketcz]

but really it's because I've used planetemu.net(French rom site) enough times to learn what the word means

Haha! Nice one. Best emulation site on the net, clean, with a perfect selection of what you could want. And crazy fast speeds.