# Ethernet light turns off on router



## Tecmo SB Guy (Sep 28, 2007)

Okay, here's the story, a few weeks ago when I got up in the morning, I noticed the Ethernet light was off on my router which was unusual because it's always stayed on when I turn off my computer (which I do before I go to sleep every night). All the other lights on my router were still on. So I went to turn on my computer and it wouldn't turn on. Best Buy is currently fixing it because I have a service plan with them. They said something is wrong with the motherboard but didn't give me too many specifics.

In the meantime, my friend gave me an old computer that runs Windows '98 which works okay with my DSL connection except it doesn't play any video so I can't watch hulu.com or Netflix Instant Watch. I can browse text and pictures on the web pages which is good for now. Then, a few days ago I noticed the Ethernet light was turning off every time I turned off this computer at night as well. I got a bit worried and breathed a little sigh of relief that I was able to turn on the computer. And the Ethernet light came back on as soon as I did that.

My question is should I worry about the Ethernet light turning off now when I turn off my computer? When before it would always be on. Does the Ethernet light usually stay on when you guys turn off your computer? Is it normal for the light to be on or off when you turn off your computer? And the light turning off now, is this some kind of important sign I should pay attention to or should I not worry about it?


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

old computer doesn't have a "wake on lan" or "boot from lan".. either of these keep the network up 24/7


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## Zellio (Mar 8, 2009)

You sent your pc in to the geek squad? Seriously? You'd better expect it to come back in WORSE shape.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

Tecmo SB Guy said:


> In the meantime, my friend gave me an old computer that runs Windows '98 which works okay with my DSL connection except it doesn't play any video so I can't watch hulu.com or Netflix Instant Watch. I can browse text and pictures on the web pages which is good for now.


Someone still has a computer running WIndos '98?:eek2:



> Then, a few days ago I noticed the Ethernet light was turning off every time I turned off this computer at night as well. I got a bit worried and breathed a little sigh of relief that I was able to turn on the computer. And the Ethernet light came back on as soon as I did that.
> 
> My question is should I worry about the Ethernet light turning off now when I turn off my computer? When before it would always be on. Does the Ethernet light usually stay on when you guys turn off your computer? Is it normal for the light to be on or off when you turn off your computer? And the light turning off now, is this some kind of important sign I should pay attention to or should I not worry about it?


Newer motherboards support ACPI features that allow them to sleep with a small trickle-charge and even be powered up from a shutdown by the LAN, keyboard or mouse. They keep some voltage on certain circuits of the motherboard and that's why the Ethernet light remain illuminated. My guess is that Win98 PC probably has an older motherboard that does not support these features. When you do a shutdown on this PC , the power is completely shut off, so there will be no lights on the Ethernet port.


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## Tecmo SB Guy (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks for the answers guys. 



Zellio said:


> You sent your pc in to the geek squad? Seriously? You'd better expect it to come back in WORSE shape.


Yup, I'm starting to get annoyed with them. I dropped off my computer there on August 15 and they told me it would be about 7 to 10 days. And now almost 3 weeks later they still haven't fixed it yet. I talked to them yesterday and they said it's listed as _still_ being in the shipping process, as in it hasn't even gone to the place that they're supposed to fix it.


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## Tecmo SB Guy (Sep 28, 2007)

Okay, I just have to ask the opposite question now. I got my computer back and the ethernet light on my router is always on when I turn the computer off. So don't worry about it correct?

It doesn't drain power from the computer or anything like that right? Because I think it was the power supply that had to be replaced on it.


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

Tecmo SB Guy said:


> Okay, I just have to ask the opposite question now. I got my computer back and the ethernet light on my router is always on when I turn the computer off. So don't worry about it correct?
> 
> It doesn't drain power from the computer or anything like that right? Because I think it was the power supply that had to be replaced on it.


It does use some power, but there is no reason to worry about it killing your power supply. Power supplies just go sometimes, there is nothing you can really do about that.

If letting your computer suck juice even when off bothers you, you can turn off all your extended ethernet features in BIOS.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

rudeney said:


> Someone still has a computer running WIndos '98?:eek2:


I maintain a dozen of 'em at my workplace.

The only real problem with Win98SE (outside of the aforementioned media sites) is the absence of an updated version of Flash.


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

I'm curious as to the need / reason to remain on W98 ?


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

dennisj00 said:


> I'm curious as to the need / reason to remain on W98 ?


In my case, we have a software application that won't run reliably on anything higher than Windows Me. Because it was crafted with an tool that Microsoft is trying _desperately_ to destroy all evidence of (Visual FoxPro), porting isn't practical.

The other reason is that it works just fine for what we use it for so there's no compelling reason to spend thousands on upgrades (both hardware and applications software) and training to be rewarded with frequent critical updates and unnecessary peer file sharing complications.


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

Good old Foxpro!! I made a lot of money (at the time) and grew a business on dBase II/III and Foxpro. Of course, that money's gone!!


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

We're running FoxPro applications on XP machines at the air base where I work.


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