Damaged lan port, now I really deserved it

strider16

I just use the laptop in the couch, in the lack of a proper desk. But this time I screwed.

I normally connect through wifi, but this time I had connected wired to test lag and transfer some files from my desktop. Not a bit faster, since all is limited to 100mbps due to the router.

Anyway, I just forgot I was on wired and just took the laptop to sit in the spot I usually stay, then a hard pull and the cable falling in the ground forced my memory to get a bit better. I didn't even tried to look in, just plugged the rj back praying everything to be ok, but it was not.

One of the pins got bent. I don't know the way it goes, maybe the solder didn't break, and I can put the pin in the right position. Anyone had tried this before, or saw someone fixing it before?

Or I may just sent it to service. Will be some weeks without it, but it may be fixed right (may, I just don't know if they are used to service this kind of damage...)

Jack22

@strider16
Hi,
Physical damages are not covered under warranty. It will be consider as customer induced damage.
I would suggest you to call Acer support and send it in for service. But i guess it will be a paid service since its a physical damage. But try calling Acer support and check with them
http://www.acer.com/worldwide/support/

Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!

IronFly

i would try to re-bend it in place, i think the solder joint is still intact.
be very carefull on doing it, since you can easily broke a bent pin.

sri369

@strider16 Leave it, and instead of damaging it further with your "self help", get a type C port adapter that includes a LAN port too. You might be better off this way. And disable the built in LAN hardware under device settings.

strider16

Jack22 said:

@strider16
Hi,
Physical damages are not covered under warranty. It will be consider as customer induced damage.
I would suggest you to call Acer support and send it in for service. But i guess it will be a paid service since its a physical damage.

Yeah, I thought is the case, even knowing I would pay for the service it was my first choice, but I'm a bit reluctant sending it to service, I can't dismiss the impression that most of the time the only thing they know is to swap parts, soldering being beyond their scope. I may look for well known electronic technicians, but I'm not sure.

IronFly said:

i would try to re-bend it in place, i think the solder joint is still intact.
be very carefull on doing it, since you can easily broke a bent pin.

I tried, but no success. It is simple, but I don't have the tools to do it.

sri369 said:

@strider16 Leave it, and instead of damaging it further with your "self help", get a type C port adapter that includes a LAN port too. You might be better off this way. And disable the built in LAN hardware under device settings.

I guess this is the safest course of action, and the cheapest too.

I just feel so stupid, planned to keep this laptop for many years and already damaged it like that...

sri369

strider16 said:

I guess this is the safest course of action, and the cheapest too.

I just feel so stupid, planned to keep this laptop for many years and already damaged it like that...

Things happens... its okay :-) don't be hard on yourself. Its just a LAN port and nothing much serious.

xapim

Personally i rarely use the lan ports on any of my laptops but even if i needed it i have 3 routers (fritzbox) 1 as main and the other 2 as repeaters spread around in fact one its in the bedroom so even a short ethernet cable would be fine although i also have a 25m ethernet cable if i need it but as it was said things happen and if u don't feel on spending money to get the port fixed just take @sri369 advice

strider16

Just as a sort of feedback,

I bought an generic usb 2.0 to ethernet adapter, which says in the package 10/100mbps. Well, it reaches 5.9mbps, tops. Already changed from auto-senst to 100mbps tx full duplex, but nothing changed, so I reverted it. And to ping other pcs in lan, the onboard usually says <1ms, this adapter does this most of the time, but sometimes it goes to exactly 1ms too. A bit slower but nothing perceivable.

So, for transfering files, I will be better served through wifi, and for playing, this connector has a ping good enough, at least until I try a decent adapter, or a complete "dock", based on 3.0, with ethernet, usb and sd readers.

sri369

strider16 said:

Just as a sort of feedback,

I bought an generic usb 2.0 to ethernet adapter, which says in the package 10/100mbps. Well, it reaches 5.9mbps, tops. Already changed from auto-senst to 100mbps tx full duplex, but nothing changed, so I reverted it. And to ping other pcs in lan, the onboard usually says <1ms, this adapter does this most of the time, but sometimes it goes to exactly 1ms too. A bit slower but nothing perceivable.

So, for transfering files, I will be better served through wifi, and for playing, this connector has a ping good enough, at least until I try a decent adapter, or a complete "dock", based on 3.0, with ethernet, usb and sd readers.

Strider, the reason I suggested type-c was cos most current and older devices use USB and didn't want to block them. Also type C is faster and can handle a multi port - mine I use for mouse + keyboard + printer + scanner. Its like connect once and forget; leaving USB ports for other things.

strider16

@sri369 Yes, this dongle is just an emergency device, I need to buy a decent hub, but here they are most on the expensive side... $59 for a somewhat decent hub. Anyway, better expanding in a good device than risking more damages due to a faulty piece.

STOPchris

sri369 said:

@strider16 Leave it, and instead of damaging it further with your "self help", get a type C port adapter that includes a LAN port too. You might be better off this way. And disable the built in LAN hardware under device settings.

Yeah, I have a CalDigit dock that has all the connections anyone would (hopefully) ever want.