Really frustrating - Macbook not recognizing built-in ethernet cable

I am a college student who purchased the macbook one year ago
My macbook is not recognizing the ethernet cable plugged into it.
I thought it was the ethernet cable itself but I tested my roommate's cable and it wasn't also recognized (his computer's internet works fine)
This is frustrating because I am relying on the college wireless and the signal is flaky at best from my dorm
I am guessing that either some harddrive or software is messed up
Anyone can help me?
Do I have to go to the apple store? My warranty is expired and a very busy semester is about to start so I don't want to send it in for a long time

Have you used the MacBook in multiple locations in the dorm (on the same subnet)? If you connect through a mini-hub or -switch (rather than plugging directly into the Ethernet port provided by the school), the hub or switch may be holding on to the MacBook's MAC address even when the MacBook is disconnected. When you then plug in in another room, the school's networking equipment may think that the same MAC address (the same computer) is connected on two ports at once -- which just doesn't work. You may get an IP address, but be unable to do anything; or you may get a 169.x.x.x IP address. The school's networking folks can look at the network infrastructure equipment -- the big switches in the wiring closets -- to see if the MAC address is registered on multiple ports.
The best solution is to replace those bad min-hubs or mini-switches -- they shouldn't hang onto MAC addresses for computer that are no longer connected. But if that's not an option (or just to test the theory), unplug (power off) every hub or switch you have plugged into, and see if you can get online after powering them up again. You would have to power cycle the hub or switch every time you use one.
Another test is to try to connect somewhere else on campus, on a different subnet. If it also doesn't work on another subnet, the solution described above does not apply. There are other potential culprits, such as the subnet running out of IP addresses, rogue routers installed by other students, and needing to register for the school's network, misconfigured network settings, and of course, defective hardware. You might try starting up from the MacOS Installer disc and running the Network Utility to rule out misconfigured network settings.

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