ethernet cable attached but no internet on Acer Aspire 5000

[JanetBiggar]

I quickly checked LL 3.4 on an older Acer Aspire 5000 that was running XP. BUT I forgot to test the ethernet cable before I decided to install LL 3.4 

So unlike the other two computers that didn't connect to the WiFi, but did so via ethernet cable with me doing nothing this computer isn't connecting via the ethernet cable.

I'm unsure if I simply need to go in and add a network (I am a real newbie).  I am figuring it may be a driver issue, but have no way to get the driver.

I am wondering what to do?

My thoughts were:
1) use the ethernet cable (which itself does work) and hook it to another computer then look at all the network info (not sure exactly what I need, but maybe ip address..?) and then hook it to the non-connecting computer and put in all the same settings so as to hopefully get it connected to do all the updates (which with the other computers resolved the WiFi problem).

2) is there a way I can download the driver or update or kernel needed on another computer for this one?

Thanks,
Janet

[Valtam]

What is the output of:

ifconfig

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[JanetBiggar]

HI Jerry (and others), sorry 7 hour time difference.  I ran ifconfig this morning:

Link encap: Local Loopback
inet addr: 127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:65536  Metric:1
RX packets:192 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX pactets: 192 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
collisions;0 txqueuelen:1
Rx bytes:15136 (15.1 KB)  TX bites:15136 (15.1 KB)

I ran this NOT plugged into the ethernet cable.
Not sure if these two things are significant:
1) when I clicked to install LL a message popped up about needing a "kernel" (not sure if said it was missing or needed updating...I was going to take a picture of the message, however it did not remain on the screen to allow me to do so and simply went on to load LL.
2) unlike any of the other computers, LL shows up on my screen "extra large" (larger than the screen).  I will go into desktop and see if I merely need to adjust this.  Thought I should mention these two things in case they are relevant.

[Valtam]

Hi Janet. You will need to run the above command again with the cable plugged in. Thank you.

[JanetBiggar]

Oops, my apologies.  Here it is:

The first 7 lines are the same (other than at the end of TX packets it was suppose to read carrier:0)

then the last one now says:
RX bytes:27872 (27.8 KB)  TX bytes:27872 (27.8 KB)

[Valtam]

Janet, can I suggest you run the command, copy it to a text file, save it to a USB then publish the full output here. We'll need to see everything in order to progress with accurate Support. Cheers.

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[JanetBiggar]

Sure Jerry I will ai to do this tomorrow. I appreciate your support.

This may be a naive wuestion, however might it be worth a try to see if I can borrow a “dongle” (that’s what they call it here -it looks like a USB and usually plugs into a desktop computer thus allowing the computer to access WiFi)? Am I assuming correctly that like an audio USB this dongle has a driver built in that allows wifi access that otherwise wouldn’t be there? If that might work might then the updating process resolve the wifi issue much like the updating via the Ethernet connection on the other computers resolved the wifi issue?

[JanetBiggar]

Here is what I got - I copied and pasted it here from the USB:

administrator@administrator-Aspire-5000:~$ ifconfig
lo
Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1 RX packets:192 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0 TX packets:192 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0 collisions:0 txqueuelen:1
RX bytes:15136 (15.1 KB) TX bytes:15136 (15.1 KB)

is this okay or do you actually want the info as a file from the Acer command line?

[Valtam]

OK so we can now see that the ethernet connection does not show. Next, check your BIOS and make sure ethernet is enabled. Also there may be an actual toggle switch somewhere on the laptop. Check for that too.

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[JanetBiggar]

Thanks for these ideas.  So I went into BIOS and it does not have an advanced tab. Only Info, main, security, boot and exit.  The only thing that mentions LAN is in the boot tab (Boot to LAN, but I did not do anything with this).  In the main tab I did see something called "network boot" which is enabled.

I've googled to see if the advanced area is hidden, but still can't find any advanced tab or "+" that might open it up...

There is a wireless button I can press, but no light comes on and from appearances it does not appear that something is wrong with the ethernet hole (the cable plugs in with a good secure click).

So, any chance one of these wireless dongles put into the USB slot would connect me to internet to update LL 3.4 which then MIGHT resolve either or both the wireless/ethernet issue?

Or is there more I can do? Thanks for your persistence in trying to help me.