I'm not an expert on laptop maintenance, but here's my two cents' worth...

If the enet is a separate component (e.g., daughter card), it'll be far cheaper to buy the part and replace it yourself. More than likely, it's not separate but a part of the mother board. In this case, most service places will make you replace the mother board. It's probably not worth the money, in my opinion. If it's just the PHY that's fried (likely), you could buy a replacement and solder it on yourself, but this would require some knowledge of hardware. The cheapest solution would probably be to buy another enet card (PCMCIA, USB, whatever you like and can fit into your laptop) and just disable the broken one, preferring the new one instead.

All this assumes the enet in the laptop is indeed fried. You've replaced the modem and router. Have you been able to confirm 'net access with another computer? If not, how do you know your modem has registered successfully? I believe you need to get it registered with the central office (new MAC address, etc.), else your access may be blocked. Perhaps you've already done this. I just wouldn't want you spending money on a broken laptop if the laptop isn't really broken, so confirm 'net access with a known, good computer. If so confirmed, then see the previous paragraph.

My experience with homeowner's insurance has been very poor. I recommend avoiding using it if at all possible. It's not worth the effort. Don't take my word as authoritative, though.

I'm on the internet with the laptop. It's connected to the new cable modem via direct USB connection. The cable guy got the new modem MAC address registered with the ISP so that's good.

My other computer is toast; it no longer boots up, even though it turns on. Its connection to its monitor is toast as well.

As for the enet in the laptop, I don't know anything about laptop hardware, but I do hope it's just a card by itself and not part of the motherboard. But even if it's by itself, I wouldn't know how to replace it and solder it and whatever else. I've tested its enet connection by using new cat-5 cables and plugging the laptop into the new modem and router, and they don't register the connections. Plus the laptop continues to say that the local network connection (via enet) is unplugged, even though it is plugged in.

My hubby suggested getting a adapter card with an enet connection in it, but I've only got one adapter slot, and I use that for the wireless adapter. So while I could get an enet adapter and use it for a direct connection to the router, I wouldn't be able to configure the laptop to use the new wireless connection with its wireless adapter at the same time. Now if there is such a thing as a card adapter with a USB connection, and if it's cheaper than replacing the internal enet card, then I would go for purchasing that and then I could connect both adapters at the same time and get what I need to get done done. I've only got 2 USB connections on this thing, but I do have a 4-port USB hub I could use. Or, if there is such a thing as a wire that has a USB connector on one end and an ethernet on the other, then I'd just get that. But I don't think that exists.

Thanks for the input; I wasn't really expecting you today with all the ballet recitals going on.

Fyi... just in the time to type this, I've already gotten two intrustion attempts. In the evenings, they are much more numerous.

I guess I should've shopped before posting. I just found a USB to ethernet converter cable, and it was only $15! So I guess I'm going shopping.

It's just a workaround for now, but it will get me back to a comfortable place on using the internet, and I can get caught up on all the financial stuff I need to do. THEN I can consider doing the real laptop repair....

A USB-based ethernet adapter should work fine, but I suggest that you try to find one with an actual RJ-45 (see here), rather than a fold-out tab (like this), that forms the connector. They use the fold-out connectors so that the adapters will fold flat and be easy to carry, but they aren't as secure. I used to have one on my PC at work, and I would regularly disconnect the cable by jostling it with my foot.

Hey Thanks for that. I didn't even know there was such an animal as a fold-out tab. I definitely want the real RJ-45 connector. I've found some on websites but no luck at the box stores. I'm going to try Microcenter next.

Why would you want both wired and wireless LAN at the same time? Seems to me your husband's suggestion is a good one. If you're not connecting wireless, pull that card out and put in the wired one.

On the other hand, if you've already got a working wireless card, why not just use that?

When you say "wireless", do you mean "WiFi"? or do you mean cellular? If the latter, then your husband's recommendation still stands. I don't see a reason to use both cellular and wired at the same time, nor WiFi and wired at the same time.

I need a true ethernet connection in order to configure the new router on my laptop. During the setup, it errored out saying it couldn't find an enet connection. Without this connection, I can't setup the wireless configuration.

Once I get the router configured, then sure, I wouldn't need the enet connection anymore because I do have both the old wireless card and now a new one arrived today in the mail. (I upgraded to g instead of the old b standard.) So I'll be able to get faster responses farther away from the router now with the new card.

By wifi, I just mean wireless. It's not cellular.

I do most of my computing wired up anyway (especially doing financial stuff) as I'm a bit paranoid doing that stuff over wireless. But it's nice to take the laptop into the living room to surf and watch tv at the same time if I want. I used to take it outside on nice spring days and do my work. So I don't hardly use the wireless. Although I have taken it to my parent's house and used their connection via wifi. It's just nice to have the option.

My hubby used the old desktop that's now toast. Plus the kids used it for their games. Now that it's gone, they will have to revert to using this laptop, much to my chagrin. We won't be getting a new desktop until the tax holiday weekend at the earliest. And that's if we don't get the a/c in our van fixed first. We survived last summer without a/c by using another vehicle, but this year, that vehicle's transmission has gone out and we sold it, so van rides will be intolerable in the heat if we don't fix it. It may be a while before we actually buy a new computer. (sigh)

Config can be done wirelessly. All WAPs' factory reset mode will be open. Read the documentation, and it'll tell you what you need to know. Typically it's 192.168.0.*, DHCP on, etc. From there, you'll be able to log into the router and configure it wirelessly. The only reason you wouldn't want to do this is if you have some settings on your WAP router that you don't want to lose by factory resetting.

As for security, as long as you're using WPA security (not WEP), you'll be fine.

I don't mean to convince you to refrain from buying a wired LAN adapter; I just want you to know there is an option such that you need not if you'd rather not.

Yes, config of the router settings can be done wirelessly. Config of the router hardware (getting the laptop to recognize the router is there) had to be done via enet only. That's why I bought the USB to etherner converter.

But now I'm in a real quandry and getting more frustrated by each passing minute. Deep breath, here goes.

I seem to be entering the incorrect settings for the router, and cannot see the internet thru it. I think my ISP has the MAC address for the cable modem, and when it was established, the modem was connected directly to the laptop via USB.

Let's see if I can explain the setup. There's a 4-port USB hub using one of the laptop's USB connections. The USB to enet converter is connected to that. Then the enet side of the converter is connected to the router in LAN connection 1. Then the router is connected to the modem via ethernet.

In the router settings, it wants a MAC address and and host name. There was a clone button to clone the computer's MAC address there and I did it without thinking, and then I could not access the internet anymore. I have been trying to figure out which MAC address to use but none seem to work, and there's an address for both the cable modem and the USB to ethernet converter, plus the old address for the internal laptop enet that's fried.

I could have sworn that I heard the cable guy send in the MAC address to the modem (since at the time it was a direct connection), but even the modem has two MAC addresses on it, one that says modem MAC address (which is the one I think he used) and then a USB MAC address.

Maybe this setup just doesn't like the USB to enet converter.

And the weird thing is that when I am set up as described above, I can't get out but I still get intrusion attempts.

Any thoughts? Maybe it's time I just called the ISP (which I was trying to avoid).

I called the company that made the router, and after about 5 minutes of going thru his instructions, it came down to clicking on a "clone mac address" button. I had done this before but either didn't save the change or added something else which screwed up the config.

So now I have a working internet connection thru the router. Thank God, now I'm going to bang my head against a wall and call it a day. Oh wait, the whole weekend is over.

At least the phone call was free.

Even geeks beat our heads against the wall on a regular basis. The keys to solving computer problems are persistence, keeping your cool, and a willingness to dig in and learn new things. You stuck with it and got the job done. It cost you some time, but not a lot if you compare it to the time that you and your family will spend using the network you just configured. So, kick back, take a deep breath, and surf a bit. You've earned it.