Help! Wired Internet Connection using Ethernet to micro USB...

[pymason]

Dear Nexus Community, I am here because I have run out of ideas for connecting my daughter's Nexus 7 (2nd Gen, running Android 6.1 Marshmallow, not jail broken) to the internet.
For various reasons we need a wired rather than wifi connection. Previously we have managed to get it working using an Ethernet cable from the Router, joined to a Female Ethernet to Micro USB adaptor, straight into the Nexus 7 (We were using Android 5.1 at this time, but it also ceased to work whilst using 5.1).

Seemed to work well for a while but the adaptors don't last long in a young person's (ok, my daughters), hands. I bought a new adaptor recently, and since then, haven't been able to access internet on the Nexus. Did the latest adaptor arrive damaged? I don't know, but it shows it's red light upon being connected, and I am under the understanding that this means the adaptor is showing some sort of network link. I have been into the Nexus and checked no obvious lack of connection/damage/wear with the microUSB housing. All is solid there.

I wonder if some kind genius might walk me through the set up for the Nexus to access a wired internet connection, just incase I have missed something obvious, and/or point me in the direction of any tools to analyse where the problem might be located.

Many thanks to anyone who can help on this one! I have a passing knowledge of Android, but probably miss as much as I have found.
Regards,  pymason :-)

[matt]

Out of curiosity, have you tried Daisy chaining a cheap router with wifi access point to the Ethernet of the first router? Seems cumbersome to stay tethered.

[pymason]

Hi Matt. Thanks for answering, but I'm afraid the problem isn't a lack of wifi. It's that we don't want to use it in our situation! This is why I'm looking for a wired solution. Does anyone out there have any knowledge on how to achieve a wired internet connection on the Nexus 7 using Marshmallow? Answers gratefully received! Thanks. Paul :-)

[matt]

Not much on xda., outdated. Otg cable? Or http://plugable.com/2015/01/22/new-plugable-usb-fast-ethernet-adapter-brings-wired-ethernet-directly-to-your-tablets-microusb-port

[pymason]

Hi Matt. Thanks again for your reply. Unless there's an upgrade in tech in the item in the link you provided, I already have been using a USB 2.0 to fast Ethernet Adaptor, albeit a slightly cheaper one. In the past this has either worked as soon as you plug it in, or after some adjustment of Airplane Mode, USB Debugging Mode, and on 6.1, the possibility of choosing which kind of use the USB port will have (last two live in Developer options, which you have to have activated).

Anyone know a way to check /analyse if it's all working correctly?
Anyone know the correct settings to use for 6.1 to access wired Ethernet internet via the USB port?
Many thanks for any help.
Best wishes,

Paul M :-)

[matt]

By outdated, all I found related to jellybean! A borked kernel, which might have happened again on the last security update? Check Google issues.

[matt]

https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=58868

Try turning off wifi, then rebooting with Ethernet attached.
Es file explorer has a LAN section that will scan for a network.
Fing seems wifi centric but might work.

[pymason]

Hi Matt, and thanks for this. It appears from the link that a rooted Nexus 7 can be adjusted to scan for a USB connection. Do you think I should try to root the tablet? If so, can Marshmallow be rooted yet? It's on 6.1 at the mo' and wants to update to 6.1.1. Better to update or keep as is?

Regarding your idea, I tried turning off wifi and rebooting with the Ethernet attached. No change unfortunately.

[matt]

If it was me, I'd take the update.  My camera quit working until an ota fixed it. To rule out a damaged USB or cable, plug into a PC and see if it is recognised. Or try a USB SD card adapter. Rooting is possible, but altering system files will make updates difficult.

[matt]

Found something interesting, if you drag down the top right notification area twice then long press the settings gear icon. It activates a system ui tuner in system just under developer settings. Tap that and then status bar (settings) there is a slider to turn on Ethernet notifications. The gear in the notification area also gets a little wrench beside it.

[pymason]

Hi Matt. Well, it looks like more info is finally coming to light. I tried your idea of connecting the Nexus to my computer (mac) via the USB, and although it needs Android File Transfer on the mac to recognize the Nexus, it works flawlessly. Uses MTP mode on the Nexus.  All the Nexus Data is visible on the Mac and even gets recognized by iphoto using PTP mode on the Nexus. Also, I noticed that the Nexus recognises the connection and shows what looks like an Android icon in the top left menu bar when connected. This would lead me to think that the USB connection in the Nexus isn't the problem, although as I said, I'm not an expert in these things.

I also tried your UI System Tuner tweak. It did exactly as you said, but when I got to notifications, they were all already on, including Ethernet, so other than having a little more flexibility with the UI, I don't think that has got us much further. Interesting though.

That leaves Nexus settings, or a faulty adaptor. The initial reason I didn't go for a faulty adaptor as the culprit was because when one adaptor stopped working (slighty loosened mini USB connector), I bought another very similar one but then couldn't get that one to work either. I suppose it is possible that the first one broke and the second one arrived already faulty. Not my first guess, but perhaps in the light of the above info, it might be what happened. Not surprising in a way.

The only other option I can think of is settings on the Nexus. I am aware of USB Debugging needing to be on, have heard various info about whether to turn on Airplane mode or not (tried both), and now in 6.1 there's the USB mode choices - Charging, MTP, PTP, RNDIS, Audio Source, MIDI, of which I have tried all but the last two, without success.

What are your thoughts to do next, given the new info above?
Again, I very much appreciate al your help with this.
Regards,
Paul :-)

[matt]

I'm flying blind here, my next suspect would have been the cable on the adapter where it is attached to the plug, but with a new adapter the only other thing I can think of is to try a otg cable extension to the adapter. Or one like I linked to above that has otg baked in and specifically mentions compatibility with the Nexus 7. If you plan on rooting, you will need to unlock the bootloader first which will wipe user data, so a factory reset could be an intermediate test.

[matt]

Try searching for a forum or guide for the Ethernet device you have to see if there are user issues or solutions specific to that model?

[pymason]

Hi Matt. I've been looking around for Micro USB to Ethernet Adaptors. I'm finding that all of them seem to have a problem on the Nexus 7 running Marshmallow, including the one you suggested in your link above. This appears to have started around Android 5/5.1. This is starting to look more like a Nexus/Android issue at this point. I read that Google sometimes denies access to certain code blocks, one of them being the USB/Ethernet scanning block.

I'll try the 6.1.1 update route next, to see if they've put it right there, and let you know what I've found...

Paul

[pymason]

Hi Matt. Just thought I'd drop a line and let you know I've found the solution to the lack of connectivity using the Ethernet cable - it WAS the adaptor! So I had one broken adaptor, a new replacement which came non-functional (cheap chinese make!), and then months with no connection. The adaptor that worked - and was guaranteed to by the maker - was the BobJGear model. Expensive, but great that it's 1) guaranteed, and 2) that it actually works.
So thank you for your input and help in all this. Hopefully it might help other folks look at their Ethernet to Nexus adaptor and save them a shed load of time working it out!
All the best,
Paul :-)