Can't get Ethernet to work for my Macbook Pro 2019 Caldigit thunderbolt 3 mini dock

[macproprime]

I am having a really annoying issue with ethernet not working for my brand new Macbook Pro 2019. I have tried everything from wiping the hard drive and reinstalling Catalina. I have tried unplugging the cable and plugging it back in. I tried adding Thunderbolt Bridge and deleting it and trying Thunderbolt Ethernet slot 1. My Wifi is fine but I can not get my ethernet to work and I am stumped. I have spent hours on this already. My docks USB 2 and 3 works, as well as the two HDMI ports but the ethernet, does not work. I do not know what is going on and I have spent hours working on this with no success. Thank you so much! The dock which I am using is the Caldigit Thunderbolt 3 mini dock. The latest operating system I have installed is 10.15.4 and I have tried three ethernet cables and nothing. Is there something I am missing or doing wrong? Thank you so much!

MacBook Pro 2019 specs

4 Thunderbolt 3 ports
16gb of dd4 memory
2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7
512 GB SSD
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8gb

 

[MacInWin]

Did the bridge ever work? I ask because it could be the bridge, not your Mac.

On the Mac, open System Preferences/Network and in the left hand panel find the Ethernet interface. Does it have a green dot?

Can you describe more about what you mean by getting ethernet working? Do you see other devices in your network? Does it show up if you look at the router for attached devices? Is the problem that you are not able to get to the Internet? What else is connected to the network?

 

[macproprime]

I have tried ethernet slot one many times and I get nothing. It says cable unplugged, 'Either the cable for Thunderbolt Ethernet Slot 2 is not plugged in or the device at the other end is not responding. The wifi works fine and I also have a windows machine with ethernet and it works fine. There is a red dot for the ethernet.

 

[MacInWin]

So what is on the other end of the ethernet cable? Do you have it plugged into your router properly? Red normally means no connection, so if the cable from the router to the bridge isn't properly configured, or has a break, you won't see the network through Ethernet. And how is your Mac connected to the bridge? I presume a USB-C to USB-C cable, right?

 

[ferrarr]

Maybe an SMC Reset will fix the “cable unplugged” error?


How to reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[macproprime]

I will try an SMC reset but so far my ethernet cable is plugged into the wall and directly into the router. Thanks guys!

 

[MacInWin]

@macproprime, I'm trying to figure out the topology of your network, and I'm confused. You should have a router from your ISP provider that connects to the cables from the outside that bring the Internet to you. That router has Ethernet ports on the back. Now at this point there are a couple of options: 1) The router has a cable from the back of the router to some junction point in your house and that your house is entirely wired for ethernet, so at your computer station, the bridge ethernet cable goes into the wall socket in that same network. From there your computer is then connected to the bridge with a USB-C cable, or 2) your house is NOT wired for Ethernet, in which case the wire from the bridge at your computer has to go to the router from your ISP.

So, the question I need to ask is, is your house wired for ethernet and is the ISP router plugged into that network? If either of those is "no," then that is the issue that needs to be resolved. Your symptoms tell me that one of those questions might well be "no," and the source of your problem.

 

[ferrarr]

I will try an SMC reset but so far my ethernet cable is plugged into the wall and directly into the router. Thanks guys!

If the Ethernet cable is not plugged into a port on the computer, then you are not using Ethernet.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[MacInWin]

Bob, that MBP doesn't have an ethernet port. Only the USB-C port. But the bridge does have an Ethernet port that can be connected to the ethernet LAN and then a USB-C cable from the MBP to the USB-C port will be the connector for the signals. I have a similar setup on my MBP mid-2015 that also doesn't have an Ethernet port and it works well. My bridge is a different brand, and I use Thunderbolt instead of USB-C but the principle is the same. I have an Ethernet cable from my router to the bridge and then a Thunderbolt cable from the bridge to my MBP.

 

[macproprime]

Hey, guys, it seems like the same Caldigit bridge ethernet works in my Windows Bootcamp installation but not Catalina. So the bridge is not broken but it must be something with the software. it still says cable unplugged in the Network pane even though the cable is plugged in. I tried renewing the DHCP license and nothing.

Bridge Status

Thunderbolt 1 Inactive
Thunderbolt 2 Inactive
Thunderbolt 3 Inactive
Thunderbolt 4 Inactive

 

[MacInWin]

You could try what this fellow did: https://www.mac-forums.com/forums/i...won-connect-internet-devices.html#post1846416

 

[pm-r]

Hey, guys, it seems like the same Caldigit bridge ethernet works in my Windows Bootcamp installation but not Catalina. So the bridge is not broken but it must be something with the software. ...

I wonder if this could have anything to do with the problem:
Important macOS update and Thunderbolt Firmware Information
Important macOS update and Thunderbolt Firmware Information – CalDigit

To ensure optimal Thunderbolt 3 performance and compatibility with your Mac, please refrain from using non-CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 cables with the Thunderbolt 3 device. Not all USB-C cables are equal and cables such as the Apple USB-C charging cable will not work with any Thunderbolt devices.

- Patrick
======

 

[macproprime]

I wonder if this could have anything to do with the problem:
Important macOS update and Thunderbolt Firmware Information
Important macOS update and Thunderbolt Firmware Information – CalDigit







- Patrick
======

I will try resetting my NVRAM and see what happens. Thanks again for the tip!

 

[pm-r]

I will try resetting my NVRAM and see what happens. Thanks again for the tip!

It may help but be aware that a NVRAM reset is not necessarily related to the thunderbolt firmware and cable notice they were referring to.





- Patrick
======

 

[macproprime]

Hello everyone! I did check the firmware and 55.3 is latest firmware version and the boot from version is 1037.100.362.0.0 (iBridge: 17.16.14281.0.0,0). I have reinstalled Catalina twice already after wiping the drive and reinstalling with no luck. The ethernet works in my Windows Bootcamp with no issue.

 

[MacInWin]

Does Caldigit have a help or support line you can call/chat? I think it's time to see if that unit is compatible with macOS.

 

[macproprime]

Does Caldigit have a help or support line you can call/chat? I think it's time to see if that unit is compatible with macOS.

I think they do have customer support but I did purchase this from the apple store and they are sending me a replacement.

 

[macproprime]

I tried the replacement and one and still the same issue lol.