Vista - network cable unplugged error

Okay I know there are similiar posts out there, but I've tried everything I've seen so far and haven't had any success. Here's the problem: my internet (charter cable modem) worked fine until our modem stopped working. We replaced it with a new modem and suddenly our connection didn't work, with the error that the cable was unplugged. I have vista home basic 32-bit. The modem is working fine, b/c I'm using it with the same cable on my laptop now. Here's what I've tried so far:
>having cable guy come out and check it (modem is recieving signal)
> uninstalling and reinstalling drivers
>disabling and re-enabling adapter
>turning on and off modem and computer a million times
>resetting IP stack, and then winsock
>trying different cables--it's not the cable, b/c it works fine with my laptop
>entering custom IP address (changed last digits from laptop's ip address)
>re-installing the OS
>disabling IPV v6
>looking inside my computer in the impossible chance something happened to the hardwear (it's fine)
There is one light on the ethernet port that blinks when the cable is plugged in. Another light above it is not blinking.

I really don't know what else to do. I can't possibly think what the problem could be. Any ideas?

Almost sounds like it's failing to negotiate the link speed.

Try going into the network card properties in device manager, select the advanced tab and try manually setting the speed and duplex, in this day and age it will likely be 100Mb Full Duplex.

thx for the suggestion. I tried that, and it turns out i do get a realllly slow connection by setting the speed/duplex to 10 mbps/half duplex. nothing else would work. I called charter, and there's definitely nothing wrong with the connection. I'm guessing that my network card is somehow damaged, even though in its properties it says it is working properly. I think that's the only thing to explain why it only works on one setting and why on that one it is sooo slow.