Basic Internet Connectivity And Modem Help

[dancelady]

My Dell Desktop XPS Studio hard drive failed, and it took a while to get a new one. I do not have the RCA Thomson Modem DCM425 ethernet adapter file now. Can anyone help me to find it, as the manufacturer doesn't answer. Comcast told me twice it doesn't deal with this, and there was NO HELP from them. What is so difficult about having the file? Please somebody help me!!

[i-am-nerdburg]

You should be able to find the ethernet adapter driver on the Dell website or on a Dell recovery disc if you have one.

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriversHome/NeedProductSelection

[BruceW]

Any "files" required by the modem are delivered directly to it by Comcast over the coax line. Customers can't load any modem files even if they had them.

Drivers for the Ethernet adapter on your computer come from the adapter's manufacturer, probably by way of Dell. What "files" are you looking for, exactly?

Trivia note: RCA Thomson calls itself "Technicolor" these days.

[dancelady]

Are you serious -- Technicolor! Did RCA Thomson sell to Technicolor, or is it using that really old name; remember when Technicolor first started doing color pictures and we all knew who Technicolor was. Anyway, I have some of the originial disks for the laptop, but not the desktop. The laptop is a wireless and a different mfr., so it doesn't work. I will go and check the Dell support site. I am looking for the specific driver files for the Thomson.

[EG]

You don't need any driver files for the modem unless you are using a USB port on the modem. As was stated, you are looking for the driver for your NIC card (whatever you are using / a wired or wireless adapter).

[BruceW]

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dancelady wrote: ... Technicolor! Did RCA Thomson sell to Technicolor ...

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It's complicated ... see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technicolor_SA.

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... The laptop is a wireless and a different mfr., so it doesn't work. ...

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Do you have a router, or are you switching from the laptop to the desktop by changing which device is plugged in to the modem?

Remember that, if the modem is a straight modem and not a gateway (modem/wireless router combo), whenever you change the device connected to it, you have to reset the modem before if will work with the new device.

If still having trouble, please post the brand and model # of the modem (and router, if you have one).

[dancelady]

I have both the desktop and the laptop connected to the modem by gateway, desktop by PC hookup with a router cable connection, and the laptop with a wireless connection. I have a router which hooks to the modem and to the desktop which is a Netgear 300G (need to look at it again to get it all).  I downloaded a file from Dell which is the R235168.exe. Maybe this is the adapter file... I will check it out later after the Patriots game. Modem is RCA Thomson DCM425. The laptop works fine, streaming a webinar all day. Both did work great until the desktop drive failed.

[dancelady]

The update file did not work, it is not correct for my computer even though it has a lot of details in there. Apparently it doesn't cover my XPS 8000 ethernet adapter. Can anyone tell me what file to get from the Dell people, I am really getting distraught about this, I need this computer ASAP. When I go to install it, it still says "no file" and this is in the Computer Management>other devices>ethernet controller>no file. It has been extracted, and is ready to be installed. I even gave it the right address in the computer, etc. What do I need to do to get the right one?

[EG]

Is that "ethernet adapter" manufactured by Broadcom. If so, is the model number BCM57780 ?

[dancelady]

I am checking the router mfr. it is Netgear and is 300  something, I have to dig it out to look. Now on phone with Dell, and they haven't kept me waiting for 20 minutes...

[EG]

Not the router... The ethernet card in your desktop computer ?

[dancelady]

The ethernet card is covered up with a metal housing going to the motherboard, can't see it. And nothing on the outside, just the cable plugin. But it comes from the router which is a Netgear Ranger Max WNR3500v2 wireless N Gigabit router. This is the exact info on it. And finally Dell just went into a busy mode with the telephone, and didn't help me at all. I had all the information, but the guy said he needed to check on something, and he put me on hold forever. In my comp I tried to update the driver of the ethernet controller in Devices, got as far as the TYPE which didn't have RCA or the Netgear specifically, but had many Broadcom choices, tried several, but got on the installing the driver -- "This device cannot start. (Code 10)"  Even tried Microsoft choices, but nothing there that worked either.

[dancelady]

I checked the Broadcom choices, and it didn't have the BCM57780 one, but had a bunch of others. ranging from BCM5706C, through 5709, 5716, 57710-11E.See anything there you like?

[EG]

It's not a matter of "seeing anything I like". Without knowing the exact model number of it, a driver version can not be recommended.

You are likely to be better off getting back on the horn with Dell support.

[dancelady]

I am sorry, after all the time on the phone with no results, I was just trying to be amusing a bit ("anything you like?"). I will try again, but really I DO NOT RECOMMEND DELL to anyone, their 2 computers that I have gotten have failed, or found a bad problem with each inside of 2 years. The laptop keeps restarting itself, I have gone back a couple of weeks in recovery, and the desktop failed in the hard drive which had a lot of stuff on it that I need to get to. And they (Dell) never answer you, just keep sending you to a different person with no one doing anything. It is beyond my belief -- I have been at this computer jazz for over 50 years, and never had anything fail ever before. And never showed such a hard time helping you with a problem. Thanks for listening!

[EG]

No worries !! I wish I could help you further. Best of luck with this !!

[BruceW]

If you follow the link that nerdburg provided and enter the desktop's "service tag", it should provide you with a list of the computer's hardware, and a link to the drivers for that hardware.

[dancelady · Accepted solution]

I did call Dell support and gave them the info, all of it, and they actually said they didn't have the right one in the downloads. They looked for it, finally gave it to me, and we put it on my desktop. It was a bit longer than I described, but now it works, and I am happy. And it was Broadcom 57780 for your experts.

[Jim721]

if you have a empty PCI slot in your computer you could purchase a new NIC card and install that with the driver provided with it. Also you could buy a network adapter and plug that into a usb port install the provided driver and use the computer wireless if you have a router. There are options out there. The above is for if you have this problem again. Good Luck !!

[EG]

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dancelady wrote:

And it was Broadcom 57780 for your experts.

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A-HA !! Glad you got it sorted !!!