LAN Problem with windows vista

Hi. I've been using a vista laptop for a while and I've used the wlan on it. But that keeps on being very unstable, so I got myself an ethernet switch and a 15m ethernet cable (RJ 45). So all's honkey-dorie, no? Well, no… my lan says "cable not connected" when it bloody well is. Even when I connect the main cable straigt from the router that I have. So.. as there is no efficient way of getting hold of the chaps in microsoft (even sending to [removed] won't do… because I live in finland)… I need help. Also, if I try to run cmd as admin it asks me about some darn password, which I have no idea about. It won't even let me write one in there even if I would know what on earth it was talking about. Getting desperate here.. spent almost 100 e on it already. Thanks.

Have you checked the manufacturer's website for updated LAN drivers?

In fact, not the manufacturer, but I ascertained that the SiS191 ethernet controller that I have is the newest one available. Thanks for the idea, though.

.though this isn't supposed to matter but just make sure you use a cros cable to connect the laptop to the router. if this doesnt work, try going to network and sharing center, go to manage network connections, rightclick the local area connection icon. click properties go to advanced, try changing the link speed and duplex to match that which is set on the router when you connect directly.