MR1100 ethernet port dies when charger connected

[mepe]

This is a strange one and it's driving me nuts.

Started about 3 months ago (just after the warranty expired, natch):

The ethernet port dies whenever the charger is connected.

To use the ethernet port I have to:

1) disconnect the charger cable

2) shut down the Nighthawk

3) wait a little while (won't start back up immediately)

4) fire up the Nighthawk

After which it works just fine until I plug the charger cable back in (which I kinda have to do sooner or later).

Have tried everything I can find suggested, in particular firmware is uptodate and I've disabled timeout on the port but nothing seems to work.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[JohnPeng · Accepted solution]

Usually, Power adapters have a PIN for the device to detect the USB cable is connected to power adapter for charging.

The PA you were using may come with device that doesn't need the PIN in PA.

Thanks

[JohnPeng]

MR1100 Ethernet port will be turned off when the device is tethered to your computer. But if you charge MR1100 with power adapter, ethernet will work.

If your MR1100 ethernet port is disabled when you change the device, please let me know what power adapter and USB cable you are using.

Thanks

[mepe]

I'm using the power adaptor and ethernet cable that came with it.  (FWIW, I never tether it; have no need to.)

Thanks.

[JohnPeng]

Please let me know your device's SKU name and FW versiona and PRI version on the device. You can find SKU name on the product label under the battery.

Thanks

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@mepe wrote:

I'm using the power adaptor and ethernet cable that came with it.  (FWIW, I never tether it; have no need to.)

Thanks.

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[IIIGrimReaperII]

Curious if your using the USB as a charging port for your Nighthawk. If you are that is your problem. I have done it and it will reset the hotspot a lot and do weird things as both can be used as a modem port. If your not using ethernet and USB at the same time my apologies for the post and kind ignore it. 

[mepe]

Ooops!  My bad.

It seems that it was not connected to the charger that came with it; it was connected to a Netgear charger that I thought was the only Netgear charger I had since every other Netgear device I own is 12VDC (no idea where this charger came from).  I happened to come upon a Netgear LTE charger while straightening up my bench yesterday; when I connected it to this charger instead, the problem went away.  I've had a ping running continuously since about noon yesterday without a hitch.

Which does propose a question: what's the difference between the Netgear USB charger and the Netgear LTE charger that would account for the ethernet failing with the Netgear charger?  Both list the same voltage and both provide sufficient current to charge the battery fully from zero and keep it charged.

Thanks.

[JohnPeng · Accepted solution]

Usually, Power adapters have a PIN for the device to detect the USB cable is connected to power adapter for charging.

The PA you were using may come with device that doesn't need the PIN in PA.

Thanks

[mepe]

Well, that certainly explains it. 

Thanks.