I recently moved into a new home and set up internet service with Bell MTS. The Wi‑Fi works normally, but connecting my computer by Ethernet only gives me "Unidentified network" and "No Internet." I'm using a 50-foot flat Cat6 cable connected to the modem's 10Gb Ethernet port. The port light blinks orange, so I'm not sure whether that indicates a problem or simply the negotiated connection speed. What should I check to get the wired connection working?
4 Answers
Try a different Ethernet cable first, preferably a shorter one, and test another port. A blinking link light means the physical connection is being detected, but it doesn’t guarantee that DHCP or internet access is working.
Try connecting the computer directly to the modem, bypassing any separate router or switch, just for testing. Also check the router or modem logs to see whether the computer is receiving a DHCP lease. If it still shows an unidentified network, the computer may not be getting an IP address or DNS settings.
You don’t need a 10Gb network card just to connect to a 10Gb port. Ethernet devices normally negotiate a compatible speed, although the computer’s adapter and the modem port must support compatible standards. The more likely causes are a bad cable, an incorrect port, or the computer failing to obtain an address automatically.
I’m not sure what speed my computer’s network card supports, so I’ll check that too.
The orange light probably isn’t a failure indicator. On many devices, the color shows the negotiated speed, while blinking means traffic is being detected. Check the modem’s specifications to confirm what the colors mean. On the computer, make sure the Ethernet adapter is configured to obtain an IP address automatically through DHCP. You can also try another LAN port if the modem has one.
I’ll try another cable and port, then check whether the Ethernet adapter is set to DHCP.