Anyone know why sometimes ethernet adapters just... need a break?

[crumbworks]

I know this sounds like a weird question, but here are my scenarios:

 

- 7 years ago, on my old PC, the on-board ethernet port stopped workingaltogether. all troubleshooting didn't help. I got a PCI-based eth card, used that... 4 days later, tried the onboard again, and it worked fine for the rest of the PC's lifetime

 

- The past 4 days, my desktop's connection has been unusable. stalling / dropping / timing out every 40-60 seconds (for at least 10 sec each time), losing packets at a furious pace.... even accessing my router IP wasn't loading during those 'stall moments'. All normal troubleshooting yielded no help, but narrowed it down to my desktop or my router. Borrowed co-worker's wireless USB yesterday, and used that all morning/afternoon today (with LAN adapter off) ...just switched back to LAN, all the problems of the past 4 days are gone.

 

- Last year, with my brother's PC... he said: "Like when my router stopped serving ETH, only wifi. Rebooted. Same deal. Off on. Fixed it for 10sec... Off for hour... Hasn't happened again"

 

Seems a quick disable/enable of network adapter doesn't help... but give it some time, and it's back to normal.... whyyyyyyy? lol

 

(what's weird was sleeping my PC for 18 hours while asleep / at work didn't help, but actually going in and turning off the adapter for a few hours and back on did.)

[Enderman]

probably cause its overheating or some of the electronic components have gone through their lifetime

leaving stuff off for a few hours completely discharges the capacitors which may also be why it starts working again just fine