I recently had a lightning strike near my house, and now the Ethernet port on my computer seems to be malfunctioning. I noticed a yellow warning triangle on the Ethernet connection in the device manager, which I can't fix because I'm currently without internet. I've already reset everything with a tech guy's help and I got a new router, but the Ethernet cord works fine on my Xbox, just not on my computer. My setup includes Windows 10, an Intel i7-7700k CPU, and an Asus Prime Z270 motherboard. If the port is indeed fried, what do I need to replace? Would it be better to get a Wi-Fi adapter instead? Everything else seems to be working since my PC was plugged into a surge protector. I'm also trying a network reset now, including uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers.
3 Answers
Honestly, a USB Ethernet adapter is an easy fix, and they're really cheap nowadays. At least your whole computer didn't get damaged in the lightning strike!
It's looking like it might be dead. But hey, if you have a spare USB stick, you can test it out with a Linux distro like Ubuntu. Just boot from the USB and see if the Ethernet works there. If not, sadly, the port is probably fried, and getting a network card would be the way to go. You can also find reliable USB docks to add Ethernet capabilities if you prefer to keep it external.
Wow, that’s super helpful! Thanks a ton!
If the Ethernet port is fried, you'll need to grab a network interface card (NIC). They're pretty affordable, just check if you have a free slot on your motherboard. If you'd prefer a more straightforward solution, you could just get a USB Wi-Fi adapter instead.
Or you could go for a USB or USB-C to Ethernet adapter for high-speed connections. They work great!
Just ordered one, thanks! I had no clue it could be this simple.