Ethernet cabling Vs TP-Link dongle.

[MoreCoffee]

My ethernet cabling for my pc failed today. I do not know if the problem is with the cable or with the PC's ethernet port or with the chippery on the mainboard. I am feeling slightly lazy about doing the tests needed to find out which is the cause and then correcting it. However I used to use a tp-link dongle on a second PC in my bedroom. I haven't used any PCs in my bedroom for several years now but I did find the TP-Link dongle and plugged it into my office PC and it is working. I am sure it is likely to be slower than the cable - so far it seems about the same speed.

Isn't modern technology wonderful, when you're feeling as lazy as I am tonight you can just plug a network adaptor into a USB port and off you go, problem solved.

 

[tango]

My ethernet cabling for my pc failed today. I do not know if the problem is with the cable or with the PC's ethernet port or with the chippery on the mainboard. I am feeling slightly lazy about doing the tests needed to find out which is the cause and then correcting it. However I used to use a tp-link dongle on a second PC in my bedroom. I haven't used any PCs in my bedroom for several years now but I did find the TP-Link dongle and plugged it into my office PC and it is working. I am sure it is likely to be slower than the cable - so far it seems about the same speed.

Isn't modern technology wonderful, when you're feeling as lazy as I am tonight you can just plug a network adaptor into a USB port and off you go, problem solved.

True, but if you're using a USB2 port you'll end up with less than gigabit speed, if that matters.

 

[MoreCoffee]

My internet usually managed somewhere around 30 Mbit rates, so I get 3 or so MB transfer rates. I think that is within the capability of the usb dongle. Even if it isn't the dongle is managing to display 1080p YouTube video content very well so that is probably as hard as it gets on my pc

 

[tango]

My internet usually managed somewhere around 30 Mbit rates, so I get 3 or so MB transfer rates. I think that is within the capability of the usb dongle. Even if it isn't the dongle is managing to display 1080p YouTube video content very well so that is probably as hard as it gets on my pc

For internet purposes the weak link will almost always be the bit between the router and the internet. If you're using a home network the reduced speed makes a big difference if you're transferring large files.

I've often plugged things in directly to the computer to speed file transfers - if you're making a backup of several hundred gigabytes of data it makes a big difference!

 

[MoreCoffee]

For internet purposes the weak link will almost always be the bit between the router and the internet. If you're using a home network the reduced speed makes a big difference if you're transferring large files.

I've often plugged things in directly to the computer to speed file transfers - if you're making a backup of several hundred gigabytes of data it makes a big difference!

My backups are stored on an external 1 TB hdd. It plugs into a usb 3 port. it's fairly fast. a full backup takes less than 20 minutes.

 

[tango]

My backups are stored on an external 1 TB hdd. It plugs into a usb 3 port. it's fairly fast. a full backup takes less than 20 minutes.

I use that sort of thing too, a 1TB and a 2TB external drive.

The difference between USB3 and ethernet over USB2 is huge; the difference between that and Wifi is even greater.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I use that sort of thing too, a 1TB and a 2TB external drive.

The difference between USB3 and ethernet over USB2 is huge; the difference between that and Wifi is even greater.

I am about to buy a usb3.1 type c to usb a-type hub that also has an Ethernet adaptor. it is not too expensive (less than $9) and I'll get type c to a-type cable as well as a faster wifi usb adaptor. It's as a contingency measure in case the main board chippery is ill.

 

[tango]

I am about to buy a usb3.1 type c to usb a-type hub that also has an Ethernet adaptor. it is not too expensive (less than $9) and I'll get type c to a-type cable as well as a faster wifi usb adaptor. It's as a contingency measure in case the main board chippery is ill.

My laptop has USB3 but was made before there was anything beyond USB3. My desktop is USB2, I've had that a few years now.

I'm fussy when it comes to IT gear so unless something meets my spec I won't buy it. It does tend to mean I end up buying parts and building it myself, and building a machine with enough grunt to power through large photographic files gets expensive very quickly. Last time I looked into a new PC with the kind of spec I wanted it was going to run to four figures, so I decided to stick with my laptop for longer. That said my laptop is the most powerful PC I've ever owned and, aside from the fact I can't get more than 1TB into it (hence the need for external drives), it does everything I need and means I can pick up and go without having to worry whether my desktop and laptop are fully in sync.

 

[MS140ukn]

dont you just hate pc glitches. i live with them everyday. it is what it is..grin and bear it

 

[MoreCoffee]

dont you just hate pc glitches. i live with them everyday. it is what it is..grin and bear it

my PC is close to 6 years old now. I've added some extra memory and replaced the graphics card's fan and I bought but have not installed a SATA 3 card to allow more SATA ports and last but not least a 500 GB SDD. I think I've spent about 400 AUD on additions to it since I bought it. The total cost is around 1,400AUD now. That makes for about 250AUD/year so far. I can't complain too much about it

 

[MoreCoffee]

I discovered a youtube video about the ethernet problem my PC's been having. A helpful chap recorded a software solution. I tried it today and it worked. The matter was to do with assigning an IP address in the advanced properties for the ethernet device. It's odd that the problem just suddenly appeared. I am wondering it it had something to do with one of the software updates from Microsoft or from the ethernet driver supplier ... anyway, ethernet is working again and I am off the wifi I've been using as a substitute.

I do have some benefits. The USB3 hub with ethernet connector works fine. The wifi dongle works fine. And the USBc to USB 3.1 A-type connector works fine.

I'll try the PC's own ethernet port later and see if it is fixed too.