Acer 8204 - Nic Issue?

I rec'd my 8204 yesterday and noticed some strange behavior.

I have a network setup at home with a Buffalo lan station attached and I use it for backup purposes. I had copied the entire contents ( no os stuff) to the lan station from my Thinkpad in preparation for copying this to the Acer. However, the Acer seem to have a problem with the NIC because not only would it periodically lock up when copying from the lan station, it would also do the same thing when trying to access web pages.

For example, I could never get it to log into my Yahoo email account. Just kept loading and loading ... I'm using the new beta of Yahoo's email and it does have to download some AJAX stuff before it can run the email client.

Since both of these activities go through the NIC card, it appears there may be a problem with it. I saw where someone else was having a similar problem. Any resolution or ideas. Haven't tried reinstalling the NIC driver or checking for a later version, but that may be my next approach.

 

I'm very concerned after talking to ACER support.

I talked to a lady named Crystal and she tried to tell me it was a configuration issue with my ISP. Yea, right. I explained to her that I only have 4 other laptops that are using the same cable, same router, and same ISP and they all work fine. I didn't configure this thing any which way.

She was very sarcastic and tried to imply that the issue was with configuration. So I told her that I can go to a webpage with the wireless connection just fine. If I turn off the wireless, then try to use the wired connection to go to the same page, it just loads, and loads, and loads.

I'm more concerned about the lockups that I experienced while trying to copy from my lan station hard drive. I also experienced the same problems when trying to copy from one of my other laptops while using the wired connection.

Anyhow, I finally got a SRN (service request number) and Cost Central will take it back for replacement or a full refund.

I also found out that the NIC card is on the motherboard, so if there is a problem, you can't just replace the card, you've got to replace the motherboard. That really sucks!

Not sure if I'll replace this until this issue is resolved, and this lady didn't seem to think it was them as much as it was me.

 

Well just about all Laptops have those components built on the board. As for your problem, have you tried installing the netbeui or IPX/SPX/Netbios protocal in the network properties. Same area where you can find your tcp/ip settitngs. The windows operating system doesn't install this by default (only tcp/ip). Most home networks/routers work better with this installed. Look into your Buffalo manual also, for the requirements needed to access the network storage would be another place I'd look.

 

Thanks madmike23, but it looks like it may be a driver issue. If you check the thread that I started on www.notebookforums.com regarding this issue, Mike F has a link to an earlier driver for the NIC card that may resolve the issue. I'm going to try it tonight when I get home and see if, in fact, it fixes the issue. I'll post my results later.

Might also give ACER a call regarding this and let them know what the problem is.

 

Hi JJ, haven't had any problems with the NIC in my 8204 (3 days old now), either connected to my ADSL modem/router at 100mbps or direct connected to my desktop using a crossover cable at 1000mbps. Have transferred literally 40+ gigs across, and surfed the net without any dramas. The only problem with networking I've had is that I must "repair" the WLAN connection when resuming from standby.

Are you using DHCP or are you manually config'ing your TCP/IP settings?

 

Mine seemed to have the same issues when I first got it, but after I joined it to my domain there are been no LAN or WLAN issues. I wish you look with getting yours to work.

 

I'm using DHCP. And after installing the new drivers that another user referrred me to, I'm still having the same issues. It's definitely going back. Already got a SRN (service request number).

 

I'm a bit comforted to see that others have this same issue. I got my first 8204 on Feb, 2nd and had it replaced already due to this problem.

Same behaviour on the new one. Upon boot up or restart, network peformance is slow to nonexistant. Web pages would load painfully slowly if at all. Conection to my desktop thru the router, was sporadic. One second i can browse folders, the next it can't conect. Then at other times it ran fine all day, 100%.

I screwed around with it for days. Not the router or net configuration problem. BUT.. I accidentally found a quirky solution that work.. These connectivity problems always occur after power up or restart. BUT, if i immediatley close the cover and let it go into standby even for a few seconds and wake it up, Connectivity is perfect.

It probably is a driver issue. In the mean time i've just installed all my apps on it and just want to get on with using it and see if a solution for this issue comes up later.

Oh, my experience with Tech support... tried to tell me also it was a config issue. Haven't been to happy with their reluctance to help me troubleshoot this issue. Tried leaving messages and have not yet had calls returned. I thought i'd play with it further before i called them back so i could provide more detailed information.

I'll keep watching these threads. There is another Standby issue that has been coming up i'll start another thread on..

Cheers

 

You can also call up Buffalo. I highly doubt it's a driver issue. If your computer can connect to the router and see other computers, you should be able to connect to the network storage. Is there any kind of IP numbers that you may have to set to see it? Buffalo should know.

 

This maybe beyond your abilities but I would personally install a copy of Linux or boot a live distro (knoppix), if the network does the same thing it's for sure the NIC.


Don't want to step on any toes here, but Netbui, IPX/SPX, omg old as the hill protocals. If your network devices need these protocals they are way out of date. Or your running NetWare in legacy mode.

 

You'd be surprised at how many networks would need this for different equipment. Especially companies who don't normally upgrade when the first new thing comes out on the market. As for some Netgear and DLink equipment that I've seen, you'd get drops everynow and then but it magicly works well (or better) after adding NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS protocal into the mix. Some print servers will need this also.

 

No - it's not the Buffalo lan station. One of the really cool things about these network storage devices is that after you run their install (on any computer on the network) it will get an IP address from the DHCP server. Then any computer that is on the network can see without any configuration at all. I use it with 3 other laptops without any problems. Just the ACER.

 

I just got my 8204 delivered today (02/15). I'm experiencing the same NIC problem. I first noticed not being able to get very far into the windows update site. I've been testing FTPing a file from my site. It starts okay then hangs. Same time I'm pulling stuff down on my T30 and D600 just fine. When it's hanging I open up a cmd window and try to ping the gateway but get timeouts 70% of the time.

I don't have netbui installed, but don't have that on my other 3 boxes that I'm testing on and they are working fine.

I tried Yellow11 trick. After it failed to FTP, I closed the lid to put it to sleep. Opened it, woke it up, tried the FTP again and it worked! ... but from what I've been reading, putting it to sleep will cause the USB2.0 power sucking problem to come back until you restart!

Using the sleep workaround, I'm doing the windows update hoping it download something to fix this. I will be calling Acer support tomorrow.

 

Is anyone noticing this effecting the wireless connectivity? In my current apartment I only have wireless access so am not AS worried about the NIC issue if it doesn't effect the wireless card.

 

I have had the same problem with my Acer 8204 network card, loosing connection. Acer has already replaced my machine but I still had the same problem.
I received an EEPROM update from them today (16 Feb 2006) and it seems to have solved the problem.

The file you need is [Intel_EEPROM.zip].

 

"The file you need is [Intel_EEPROM.zip]"

Anywhere that can be downloaded?

- Ed

 

I sent you a private message.

 

I'm having exact issues on My new acer 5670, can you send me a link to that zip file?

 

It is avaliable from the Acer FTP website..
and has been for the last 7 days
Heres the link ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/travelmate_8200/driver/
Edit
-----
If you need help to install the driver icub3d has done a excellent job over at NoteBookForums
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=134696

 

Thanks CHC. Found it earlier today and updated it fine.

- Ed

 

I seem to have the current version of the GigLan driver that's listed on the Acer Euro website. How do I know if I need the eeprom update? Is there a way to check which version I have currently running?

 

If you typed that message to this forum using your Acer machine and you are still wondering if you need the EEPROM fix.. Then you don't. This wasn't a driver issue but a NIC card firmware issue. I had the NIC problem and applied the EEPROM fix. Before that there was almost no connection possible through the wired LAN. It could take 10 minutes to load google, that is if it would load at all. I couldn't even reliably talk to my other local computers on the network. I discovered before the patch that this problem existed after power up or restart and then if you immediately put the system into standby and then brought it out, the NIC would work fine until the next reboot.

I don't quite remember but i believe that you have a more recent build of your 8204 where i'm sure this fix was applied at the factory. Mine is a 06/01 build.

If you are not complaining about hardwired network connectivity, then you are fine.

 

Thanks Yellow11, but I have only used the wireless at this point. I need to go to work, but I don't want to get there and find out that I need to fix something when we don't have wireless there.

Is there a way to check if I have the problem or the fix already?

 

The NIC driver version that i have installed is 9.2.24.0 dated 9/14/2005. I have never updated it since i received the unit on Feb 2nd. It is the same version that is posted on both the Acer Panam site and the FTP site.

The Intel EEPROM update had no version number that i could see. I still have it. There is no way that i know of to determine which NIC EEPROM version you have. Even if it was still available i would strongly advise against installing it unless you know for sure that you are experiencing this problem. Flashing EEPROMS is always a risky business and you may be creating huge problems if you install this update into a NIC that doesn't need it. The "Don't fix it if it ain't' broke" adage definitely applies here. The only way to find out if you have a problem is to try out your wired LAN connection.

Looking at your previous posts you just received your 8204 in the last couple of weeks. It must be a March build. I started hanging out in these forums just after i received my machine because i really wanted to find a solution to the NIC problem that was plaguing all of us that received early versions of the 8204. We caught wind that there had been a fix posted on the FTP after about a week of complaining. I guess we all applied it and it solved our problems. For a week or two after that we had heard of a few others who were experiencing the same problem and pointed them in the same direction. Soon after people started receiving newer builds and told of how they were not experiencing any NIC problems.

It has been a long time since i have heard of anyone complaining about this issue, so it is really safe to say that with your new build you won't find this problem. There must be a way that you can try it out before you need it for work.

Cheers

 

Hi Yellow,

I must have had a brain lapse after staying up all night playing with this baby. After I read your last post, I simply unplugged my desktop from the LAN and plugged the Acer in. No problems.

I don't know if you have had a chance to read my post comparing the Dell E1705 and the 8204 head-to-head. After reading the PC Mag review of the E1705, I configured it to shut down the Acer. Well that didn't happen. I can't tell you how completely I'm impressed with this computer. I have not had any troubles yet, so Acer must have fixed a lot of their issues.

Thanks again for your help and advice. I'm glad there's a place to go when you have questions that can only be answered by people with similar experiences. I plan to stick around these forums for awhile.

 

You are most welcome.

I did read your Acer/Dell comparison post last night and found it both helpful and frustrating. I looked at your benchmarks and it really has me wondering how so many other owners of this machine are getting numbers that high and I am not. I was moved to post a question about this in another thread. I pretty well read anything anybody has to say about their 8204's I love mine too but really just want to get it's speed up to where everybody else's seems to be.

Have fun

 

Yellow,

I think I was able to achieve those speeds because there were not many programs running. I had not loaded anything on the laptop yet (no ms office, email, antivirus, networking) and most of the preloaded programs were turned off in the system tray. I manually turned off Bluetooth and WiFi. And the new ATI driver made the biggest difference.

To make it a fair comparison, I made all the same adjustments to the E1705. However, since doing my tests, I have read reports of people oc'ing the Go 7800 and the x1600. Their numbers are far higher than mine, and I believe that the Go 7800 has more overhead than the x1600 at this time. But I have no intention of using unapproved drivers or oc'ing hacks on my new system.

One thing that I have noticed since yesterday is that sometimes I get a very small electrostatic shock when I touch the laptop. Have you ever notice this? It has only happened twice and it was barely perceptable.

 

Never had this particular static shock.
But it shouldn't be too harmful