Machine is HP m1280n originally delivered with XP. After clean install of WIN7 (32bit), realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC functions poorly. Simple ping test (from another network machine to this one) results in timeouts about 75% of the time. Tried wireless PCI card and also a wireless USB NIC, but get the same result. I suspect there is a common hardware element on the motherboard that is malfunctioning due to a WIN7 driver, but I can't identify what it might be. I KNOW the hardware set is OK because I plugged the old XP drive back in and everything works fine. Thanks for any help!!

Got brave and installed these drivers: PCI_Install_5719_0331 from this location: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=6&PFid=6&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3using XP SP3 compatibility mode and they worked just dandy after themanditory reboot. Fixed the wireless NICs too.Lovely

Good. Now that you can connect, Windows Update will probably offer you updated NIC drivers.Bill