888E: replacing the ethernet jack?

Hey all,

My old, heavy Clevo 888E's ethernet port seems to have crapped out. No matter what cable I try, it always says 'little or no connectivity.' Updating the drivers didn't change anything, so I'm trying to determine the best approach for further troubleshooting and possible repair.

I'm not averse to repairing it, unless it takes a needless amount of time. I know it's old, but everything else works fine, it still has a great screen with a solid 2.4ghz P4. At worst, I could probably get a pcmcia wireless card, but fixing the ethernet would be my preferred approach.

Thanks,

Arp

 

If you plug an ethernet cable into the jack, is there an excessive amount of play or wiggle in the connection? If so, then the physical jack itself probably needs replacement, which might, or might not, be a bit hairy. Have you disassembled the system yet to take a look at the ethernet jack and how it's connected to the motherboard?

 

It seems that the plug doesn't 'click' in anymore. I haven't taken it apart in awhile, I'll give it a go and see how it is. I know one of my two laptops was easier, and I think it was the Clevo rather than the Dell.