NEC Powermate ML450 networking problem

[anne1]

We bought 80 odd of these in 2006 and they were fine to start with, but over the last 6 months we have realised that every time a machine falls off the network, or a kid can't save a big file or a big sims update won't work it is one of these machines.
We have put extra network cards in about a dozen of them and they have had no further problems. It is very hard to tie down an intermittent problem like this and NEC 'do not recognise that there is an epidemic issue with the networking capability of these machines.' has anyone any experience of these machines with or without this problem?
The same issues have occurred all over school , though we did initially test cables and replace switches in a suite where the first problems appeared.

Thanks

[srochford]

What network card is it? I'm guessing on-board of some kind?

Have you tried forcing 100Mbit full duplex in the Windows settings? (or just forcing to some fixed setting) - some drivers are poor at the auto-negotiate stuff.

Although it's a pain to have to do it, the simplest thing (which probably equates to cheapest in the long run!) is to replace cards in machines which have problems. Intel gigabit cards are about £20 each and I've never had problems with Intel network cards (I know at this point you're going to say that it's an Intel network chipset :-))

[anne1]

Sorry for the delay, and thanks for the input, yes its onboard RTL8168. I have come to the same conclusion as you and now have a stack of cards ready to put in when trouble occurrs. As these machines are still in warranty I was hoping NEC would pay for the cards, but the intermittent nature makes it too hard to prove. I just wondered if anyone had similar experiences?