This morning, my grandfather informed me that his desktop computer was unable to connect to the internet. This desktop is connected via Ethernet cable directly to the router, which connects to the modem, and ultimately to a cable hi-speed connection.
The wireless router to which his desktop is Ethernet cabled into is operating correctly for all of the computers in the household operating using the wireless function. However, his wired connection provides the error, 'A network cable is unplugged'.
Possibly related, for the first time this morning, he received an error message, indicating that a file (0nhhlw2h6pt6.exe) was had encountered an error, and needed to close. I investigated this file, and found that it was created yesterday, around the last time he had been online. He frequents around various news websites, including drudgereport.com, and the mainstream ABC/NBC/FOX. To my experience, these guys are 'clean' however I can't comment on the possibility that one of the linked sites from Drudge may have mucked things up. I have disabled and quarantined the file, and another related file, on the suspicion that it may be causing the problem.
I've replaced the Ethernet cable connecting the computer to the router, thinking that it may just be as simple as a bad cable. Unsuccessful. I've also attempted to connect the Ethernet cable to the other three available ports on the router. No such luck.
Does anyone have any suggestions?