# Acer C720 Chromebook-No ethernet port!??



## DeltaDart1 (Apr 9, 2014)

Is it possible to connect an ethernet cord directly to this Chromebook to run the internet that way? It seems the C710 model you could but there is no ethernet connection on this model. Adapter? Thanks!!


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## DMGrier (Apr 10, 2014)

No, they are doing away with ethernet ports cause chromebooks are meant to be online all the time so wireless only made sense. Even if you found some wireless device that did work with USB since you are running Chrome OS you could not install the necessary drivers. Sorry.


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## strollin (Apr 10, 2014)

DMGrier said:


> No, they are doing away with ethernet ports cause chromebooks are meant to be online all the time so wireless only made sense. Even if you found some wireless device that did work with USB since you are running Chrome OS you could not install the necessary drivers. Sorry.


If it was true that Chromebooks are meant to be on-line all the time (they aren't) then dropping ethernet doesn't make any sense at all since it would give you an additional way of being on-line, thereby increasing your ability to be connected.

More likely, they figured that a Chromebook would probably be used as a portable and not likely to be used where an ethernet port was available so left the port out as a cost cutting measure.  The same reason why very few (none I've seen) tablets have ethernet ports.

Here's a USB to ethernet adapter that claims support for Chromebooks: BobjGear USB to RJ45 Compact Fast Ethernet Adapter


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## DMGrier (Apr 10, 2014)

They are meant to be online all the time, point of a cloud based OS. Plus for most people I can't see why you would plug a chromebook in and that is why it was probably dropped. Not saying some don't need to in this case but a majority probably not.

I read the full description and it does not mention Chromebook support, so I would be cautious as it is not the first time the general description says one thing but then when you read the fine print you find it was a typo. Plus it also might depend on your version of Chrome OS, it is a rolling release after all (updates every six weeks) which who knows which version of Chrome it was tested on, if any version at all.


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## strollin (Apr 10, 2014)

DMGrier said:


> They are meant to be online all the time, point of a cloud based OS. Plus for most people I can't see why you would plug a chromebook in and that is why it was probably dropped. Not saying some don't need to in this case but a majority probably not.   ...


If they are meant to be online all the time, why does the Chrome Store have a very large section of offline apps?

Why do people insist on spreading the misinformation that Chromebooks are only useable while online?


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## Okedokey (Apr 10, 2014)

DMGrier said:


> No, they are doing away with ethernet ports cause chromebooks are meant to be online all the time so wireless only made sense. Even if you found some wireless device that did work with USB since you are running Chrome OS you could not install the necessary drivers. Sorry.



Yeah this is complete nonsense.

Some Chromebooks have Ethernet, the absence is simply a cost cutting exercise.

You can get ethernet via this http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Ethernet-Chromebook-Specific-NT-USBC/dp/B00BJOZNV2


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## DMGrier (Apr 10, 2014)

strollin said:


> If they are meant to be online all the time, why does the Chrome Store have a very large section of offline apps?
> 
> Why do people insist on spreading the misinformation that Chromebooks are only useable while online?



It is a cloud OS, that part of the store is newer and has the smallest app selection of the entire store. Plus I am not spreading misinformation as I own a Samsung Chromebook 303 which I enjoy very much but lets face it, if I want to use a installed application with actual functionality I will use Ubuntu or Windows as it has far more features and options plus performance.

Plus a soon future update to remove the downloads folder leaving users with only google drive cloud storage folder, death of Ethernet ports and death of HDD in chromebooks point to a online applications majority future forever. The point off line applications is just to please the masses for right now as that one of the two major gripes with chrome books.


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## Okedokey (Apr 10, 2014)

DMGrier said:


> It is a cloud OS, that part of the store is newer and has the smallest app selection of the entire store. Plus I am not spreading misinformation as I own a Samsung Chromebook 303 which I enjoy very much but lets face it, if I want to use a installed application with actual functionality I will use Ubuntu or Windows as it has far more features and options plus performance.
> 
> Plus a soon future update to remove the downloads folder leaving users with only google drive cloud storage folder, death of Ethernet ports and death of HDD in chromebooks point to a online applications majority future forever. The point off line applications is just to please the masses for right now as that one of the two major gripes with chrome books.



Thats all well and good, still nonsense regarding the Ethernet port.


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## spirit (Apr 10, 2014)

Okedokey said:


> You can get ethernet via this http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Ethernet-Chromebook-Specific-NT-USBC/dp/B00BJOZNV2



I don't see why something like that wouldn't work. As far as I'm aware too, you don't need drivers for an adapter like that.

I say order one and give it a go.


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## DMGrier (Apr 10, 2014)

I don't have a record of posting non-sense unlike someone else, my advice to the user is genuine. I put my advice in since I have owned a Chromebook since the release of chromebooks to the market and one thing I have learned with time of using them is things which should work don't always.

To the OP, I can't say whether these would work and even everyone else says "it should work" but that does not mean it will. I am not saying it won't but I am skeptical so if you want give it a shot just make sure of the return policy if it cannot.

Best of luck to the OP.


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## Okedokey (Apr 10, 2014)

DMGrier said:


> I don't have a record of posting non-sense unlike someone else, my advice to the user is genuine. I put my advice in since I have owned a Chromebook since the release of chromebooks to the market and one thing I have learned with time of using them is things which should work don't always.
> 
> To the OP, I can't say whether these would work and even everyone else says "it should work" but that does not mean it will. I am not saying it won't but I am skeptical so if you want give it a shot just make sure of the return policy if it cannot.
> 
> Best of luck to the OP.



Your experience is of no consequence to what you were saying which was basically that Chromebooks are designed not to have Ethernet even though they're designed to be always online, which in itself is nonsense.  

Secondly, the USB to Ethernet adaptor WILL work.  As shown here https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/1056447?hl=en

That was the question.


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## DMGrier (Apr 10, 2014)

Chromebooks are designed to be mobile and not stationary that is why many (except some acer) do not come with Ethernet ports. If you want Chrome OS and be stationary then buy a Chromebox. I understand why some may need ethernet but generally for the masses who buy them they have a thing called WiFi.

Also I applaud you for providing a useful source that helps the OP, verses your usual links which are either bogus, out dated or disprove your point.

I am done here, OP you have your answer and yet again the best of luck to you.


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## DeltaDart1 (Apr 11, 2014)

Thanks for the spirited discussion! You answered my question and I learned something. Thats whats good about this forum!


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## beers (Apr 11, 2014)

I'd imagine you would have a pretty broad driver compatibility out of the box for USB->Wired-Ethernet just based on the kernel drivers.

Depending on the Chromebook, some of the housings aren't thick enough to non-awkwardly facilitate a RJ45 jack.

Also, even at idle an extra network controller would end up reducing battery life by a slight amount.


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