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Hardwired Ethernet Connection and Wi-Fi Problems with My HP or Windows Comp

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Tags: Networking, Operating Systems, Windows

I’ve been having trouble trying to get a hardwired ethernet connection with my HP Pavilion desktop since I moved to South Carolina from North Carolina in February, 2021. I had a dual-band Netgear Nighthawk router before my last move and there was no problem with internet intermittency, let alone a dead hardwired ethernet connection in my new home. I upgraded to a tri-band Netgear Nighthawk router (R8000/AC3200) last year and took care of the buffering issues on Netflix, but there was still the internet intermittency with my HP computers. A message still pops up saying “Hmm…We’re having trouble finding that site…Try again”, which eventually loads after several clicks, but it shouldn’t do that. Our mobile devices include: an android phone, a MacMini (2011), an iphone, two ipads and a Roku, all of which do not have internet intermittency or wi-fi issues of any kind. I never had any internet intermittency or ethernet connection interruptions in my NC home. It all started to happen the moment I moved here to SC. Other technicians have suggested an ethernet adapter, which will be my next troubleshooting step, followed by a portable router/hotspot to see if that takes care of the problem. Our neighbor next door has solar panels and its box is right next to my hardwired computer, but I don’t know if that’s creating any kind of intermittency in the signal.
I contacted Spectrum (my ISP) to come and check out the issue. The first technician that came picked up that the internet signal intensity was 38.5 dBmv, so he tweaked it down by adding a splitter on the circuit panel, but that still didn’t solve the problem. I then asked for a new Spectrum cable modem and they gave me a Hitron, but that didn’t fix the issue either.
I then bought another HP desktop (Win11, Intel Core 10th Gen) about 18 days ago to see if that would take care of the problem, but it didn’t. I tested connecting the ethernet cable from the modem to this PC and disconnecting the router to see if I got a hardwired connection with this new computer, but strangely, I didn’t. Today I tested my MacMini by doing a hardwired ethernet connection and disconnecting the router, and it worked flawlessly. But what puzzles me is that there were no intermittency issues in my previous home with the oldest HP desktop. It can’t be the Nighthawk Tri-band router because it’s a year old and it works awesomely. Has anyone had this issue? What do you think the problem is? Is it the cable modem? Th

Topic

I see a few missing steps. Let’s cover them now.

In reply to Hardwired Ethernet Connection and Wi-Fi Problems with My HP or Windows Comp

1. Always try another DNS. I’ll avoid duplication of web pages on this but you can try 8.8.8.8 on the PC and see if that helps.
2. Routers often arrive with outdated firmware. I’ll update that, factory reset the router then set it up again. IT DOES NOT matter that it’s just this or that PC or device that doesn’t work. That is not proof it’s not the router.
3. Try a VPN. For me the quick test is the free VPN in Opera or such.
4. It’s not puzzling at all. New ISP, they usually hand out bum DNS services. See item 1.

Re:

In reply to I see a few missing steps. Let’s cover them now.

I don’t have a new ISP. This isn’t puzzling to you because I know a whole lot less than you do. Your response was smart-alec and curt. That’s the kind of responses that shouldn’t even exist in forums, which is where people who don’t know about a topic, ask a question. I’m not even going to ask you anything more because that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

If you’re going to reply, count on a report from my part.

“since I moved to South Carolina from North Carolina”

In reply to Re:

That would have you on another branch of their system so we’ll tackle this as if it’s another ISP.

Anyhow if I were to rewrite this to not get down to business then I wouldn’t be able to answer as many questions as I do today.

You ask for help, I get to work on areas that I find helpful and you took it as offensive.

In your case, call your ISP and have them fix it. You pay them, you don’t pay me. Please report me!

Manners

In reply to “since I moved to South Carolina from North Carolina”

I don’t care how many people you answer or how busy you are. If you don’t know or haven’t learned any manners then don’t even bother to reply.

Just because you’re replying doesn’t mean you have a right to be dismissive and a smart alec, and yes you were.

Reported!

At the risk of being labeled a dismissive smart alec,

In reply to Hardwired Ethernet Connection and Wi-Fi Problems with My HP or Windows Comp

Have you checked the ethernet cable itself? It could be something
as simple as a worn out connector, bent pin, or a break in the cable
wire giving intermittent problems.

[Author]

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