internet cable works on XP but not Windows 8

We finally got a windows 8 laptop and I expected it to be not too hard to set up. I was working on it non stop for about 7 and a half hours!

There is an Adobe operating manual already installed on this ASUS machine and I must admit I got it to work on pure luck. I was suffering from future shock as windows 8 is so dissimilar to my precious XP. I was about to return it to the store but called their Geek squad who said getting on the internet via DSL only required a cable and one of their connection wizards (some are very hard to hunt down).

My XP cable worked fine on the XP connection but not on windows 8, and was only about a year old. I dug up a new cable I had and connected it and it worked! Weird as the old cable still works on the XP. I guess the new Windows wanted a new cable.

I recommend trying a new cable (or other peripheral) before wasting so much time.

This is a lesson I had to relearn as it is a newbie mistake.

 

I wonder if the problem is on the new laptop instead?

 

Are you sure it was the cable? Cables have nothing to do with operating systems, and if one cable works with one OS, it should work with others too.

 

By "Cable" you mean https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_physical_layer ?

It's probably your lan drivers, that'd explain the difference on why it works on one OS but not the other. Post your laptop model and I'll go find the driver.

edit

I just re-read your post.

There's also different versions of cat, like cat5, cat6 etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_5_cable

That could also explain it.

 

Both cables are Belkin: 5e#R7J304.

I suspect the older XP computer is ornery somehow and is wedded to this older cord.

Weird things electrical happen all the time.

 

LAN drivers are native under Windows. Every PC has its own Ethernet card and when you plug in your Ethernet cable, you're usually good to go online.

A wireless adapter needs drivers provided by the manufacturer to enable full Internet connectivity.

 

I have no wireless modem. At&t was able to get me connected with my old "Speed Stream" modem but said the "Air Link" 101 router was not supported by Windows 8 and said to abandon it and see if an AT&T store had a newer modem-router that could do the job.

The tech tried to get my old modem to connect my XP machine but could not.

I re-did her procedure to connect Windows 8 with the Speed Stream modem and used it on the XP machine and after a simple re-boot it worked (it did require setting up a new connection in the control center but this takes only a minute or so).

I was happy to not lose my multi-boot XP set up even if it takes a little longer to set so.

 

I have a Zyxel wireless modem given to me for free by the phone company since my old 2 Wire wireless modem died.

Its performed flawlessly. Every now and then hardware wears out and needs to be replaced.

 

Free? I must convince them to do this for me! Free is always good. Thanks for the heads up!