windows can`t load network adapter driver after a thunder

hi,
Windows can`t load my network adapter (Atheros AR8121, integrated on motherboard ) driver after last thunderstorm.
The router went dead, and was replaced with a new one.
I`ve tried reinstalling the driver, resetting BIOS , and still no change;

can anybody help me, please?
thanks!

Uninstall the card in Devices, reboot and see if Windows finds the adapter. If not you could pick up a USB wifi dongle on the cheap...

It was likely also damaged in the thunder storm. Lightning strike would be my guess. One way around that, if its a desktop PC, is to disable it in the BIOS and add a network card. If it's a laptop, use the WIFI adapter instead.

Same thing with flat screens attached to DVR's or STB's with an HDMI cord. Even if you had a whole panel Surge protector, Lightening will always find another way into the house wiring, to destroy stuff.

dclot08 said:

Windows can`t load my network adapter (Atheros AR8121, integrated on motherboard ) driver after last thunderstorm.
The router went dead, and was replaced with a new one.

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First learn from the experience. A direct lighting strike far down a street could be incoming to all household appliances. All were damaged? Of course not. It is electricity. To have damage, a surge must have an incoming path AND a completely different outgoing path to earth.

In your case, the surge was incoming to all appliances and hunting for a best connection to earth. It found one destructively into a computer. out via the NIC, into the router, and out to what would already be properly installed protection (for free by the telco or cable guy).

What in that path fails? Damage is often on an outgoing path. That would be a computer's NIC and modem. Other parts that carried that same current were more robust and not damaged.

Without a 'whole house' protector or that (and this is what most forget to learn) iit s not properly earthed, then a surge incoming on AC mains was probable. This time a modem and PC protected other household appliances. What will protect them next time? Another appliance? Or a 'whole house' protector that earths direct lightning strikes without damage even to the protector? That costs about $1 per protected appliance.

No protector does protection. Protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate - outside and in earth. Only then will a next surge not seek earth ground destructively via some appliance - a modem, dishwasher, air conditioner, clocks, etc.

everything was earthed, maybe it`s ISP`s fault, definitely not mine.

after reinstalling the driver my network adapter appears in dev. mgr., but with status 'not working properly (code 31)',
also, after the storm 2 unknown devices appeared in 'other devices' category. and reinstalling the driver doesn't affect these.

Funny things can happen with nearby lightning strikes. Once I lost a dial up modem and amplifier for computer speakers at same time. Rest was in perfect order.
Cable routers and modems are vulnerable and direct strike even far away can make mess far down the line.

dclot08 said:

after reinstalling the driver my network adapter appears in dev. mgr., but with status 'not working properly (code 31)',
also, after the storm 2 unknown devices appeared in 'other devices' category. and reinstalling the driver doesn't affect these.

Click to expand...

Devices must be removed before corrected. Remove all defective device drivers BEFORE reinstalling any driver. Remove those unknown devices AND the network adaptor driver. And then reboot so that the OS reloads each driver.

If you did not install a 'whole house' protector, then everything is not earthed. Reread that previous post. If any appliance is earthed, then it violates code. Appliances must be safety grounded; not earth grounded. Every wire inside every incoming cable must connect to earth - either directly (cable TV, antenna, satellite dish) or low impedance (ie 'less than 10 feet') via a protector (AC electric, telephone).

Your AC is not properly earthed if you did not properly install a 'whole house' protector - as stated in the previous post.

Defined is why damage may have occurred. In part, because your internet provide DID properly earth. And because you did not finish the earthing as required on every other incoming cable (including invisible dog fence).

CountMike said:

Funny things can happen with nearby lightning strikes. Once I lost a dial up modem and amplifier for computer speakers at same time. Rest was in perfect order.

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Nothing strange about that. That is how surges do damage. A surge incoming to everything only damaged few items that made a best connection to earth.

Normal is for a lightning strike on AC mains to enter a TV, pass through many internal parts, and exit via its HDMI port. Only damaged is an HDMI port (a connection to earth via the TV cable). Surges pass through many items. But only the weakest item in that electrical path is damaged. HDMI is often damaged by a direct strike to AC mains.

Modems are often damaged on their internet port because the surge was incoming on AC mains. And the best outgoing path to earth was via the modems internet port. Remove the modem and a next damaged appliance might be a dishwasher. Because the dishwasher is no longer being protected by that modem.

Lightning is only strange when one forgets what all were taught about Franklin's lightning rods.

westom said:

Modems are often damaged on their internet port because the surge was incoming on AC mains. And the best outgoing path to earth was via the modems internet port.

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Surge protections include an ethernet protection as well. I have one myself, it is worth to pay $20 to protect appliances worth a few hundreds/thousands, it works forever, unless it gets hit (work done), then replace it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzG7A9m1Sys

TairikuOkami said:

Surge protections include an ethernet protection as well. I have one myself, it is worth to pay $20 to protect appliances worth a few hundreds/thousands, it works forever, unless it gets hit (work done), then replace it.

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Once someone is told a surge protector is surge protection, then unlearning that myth is hard. Reality was posted.

No protector does protection. Protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate - outside and in earth.

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How many joules does Belkin claim to absorb? How does its 2 cm part block a surge that three miles of sky could not? If you know the Belkin is useful, then those questions are easily answered.

Also amazing is how a warranty, full of exemptions, is somehow technical proof. Let's learn about other experiences with Belkin - from Newsman in SONY TiVo SVR-2000.

I got a Belkin surge protector with phone line protection soley for Tivo purposes.

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Yet my Tivo's modem still failed. And the '$20,000 connected devices warranty' did not help me. I jumped through many hoops, including finding the original recept for the surge protector (just under a year old) and I sent my surge protector to Belkin (paid for shipping), and was denied my warranty. They gave me a ton of crap, including that it was null and void b/c the Tivo was also connected to the coax line for cable (this was not mentioned as a thing in the warranty that can nullify it). Eventually it boiled down to a line in the warranty that said "Belkin at it's sole discretion can reject any claim for any reason".

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That warranty has numerous fine print exemptions. Read its numeric specifications. It does not claim to protect from surges that typically do damage. Where is best protection? Ethernet ports already withstand up to 2000 volts without damage. Best protection is already inside the appliance.

Any protector that gets hit and then must be replaced is a scam. Effective protectors earth direct lightning strikes and remain functional. One need not pay $20 per protected appliance. The solution proven by over 100 years of science and experience costs about $1 per. And is need to protect that Belkin protector.

You have assumed a protector will somehow block or absorb a surge on Ethernet. Good luck finding any specification that says that. A Belkin is near zero protection. It does not claim to protect from surges that can overwhelm the existing 2000 volt protection already in ethernet ports.

However show me. Show me Belkin specifications that say otherwise. Not subjective claims. Show me the numbers.

Well that fact is, that as long i use it, my devices are as stable as ever.
If you know, how a breaker work, you can not deny, that it works.
Nothing works 100%, if you want a perfection, pray to a god.
I have proven many scientific claims to be invalid by myself.
I love scientists, who saw something themselves and yet claimed, it is not possible.
They forgot, that in the past, the world was flat or that anything heavier than an air could not fly.

TairikuOkami said:

If you know, how a breaker work, you can not deny, that it works.

Click to expand...

Belkin clearly does not protect by disconnecting (a breaker). You should know that for so many reasons - all defined by numbers.

For example, a surge is a microsecond event. How does a breaker (that takes milliseconds or seconds to respond) block a surge that is done in microseconds? It doesn't.

How does a breaker that creates a millimeters gap stop something not even stopped by 3 kilometers of air? It doesn't. Clearly breakers are irrelevant.

Breakers are for protecting human life. A breaker trips AFTER an appliance is damaged. So that resulting damage does not cause a fire and threaten human life.

And finally, a Belkin does not protect by tripping a breaker. That breaker must even exist in power strips that are not surge protectors. That breaker is required for a completely different anomaly - overloading. Because a fire might otherwise result.

Nothing is 100%. IEEE also provides numbers. A consumer earths one 'whole house' protector for 99.5% to 99.9% of the protection. A Belkin might do an additional 0.2% protection. And can compromise protection inside adjacent appliances IF a 'whole house' protector is not properly installed. Belkin is promoted to and by consumers who ignore numbers - such as many posted here and earlier. Why would anyone spend tens or 100 times more money for a Belkin? Because its breaker might trip after 300 consecutive surges passed through it?

So many numbers - all damning.