Internet Connection Issues?

Last night, I was trying to connect to PSN using a dongle plugged into my laptop and then a wire is plugged in between the laptop and PS3.

I managed to get on the first time then I disconnected it because I wanted to do something first. Tried the same move but my PS3 kept reading "No ethernal cable connected". Thought the wire was loose and all that but no, it wasn't.

Then I tried to connect my laptop back through wired connection (the Uni's internet) but somehow the cable wasn't detected. It kept saying "A Network Cable is unplugged" in my 'Network Connections' menu under 'Local Area Connection' and 'Network Bridge'.

Assumed the wire was faulty so I went to get another one but no, same problem.

Googled how to fix this but nothing worked. Even System Restored the laptop. For some reason, I think my laptop doesn't recognised an Ethernet cable connected and so couldn't get connected to the uni's network.

Decided to go to bed after removing the laptop's battery.

Now, this morning, put in the battery, switch on the laptop and here I am, using a wired connection. Though the internet symbol at the bottom right of the screen doesn't show the earth logo (usually shows when it is connected) but it showed off and on, but I am connected.

Anyone know what's up?

The PS3 is a pain in the arse at times with ethernet connections if it's not plugged in when you switch it on.

Been a while since I owned a windows machine but if I used to connect a ethernet cable it often used to look (icon-wise) as if it wasn't connected.  I'm sure that little Earth logo only works if your connected via wifi.

But I could be wrong. 

By the way what dongle do you use that allows you to plug a PS3 in?

I think the main issue here is that this university's network (ResNet) somehow blocks connection to PSN. If I directly plug in a wire to the PS3 from the wall, I can get connected to internet, just not PSN.

As long as I'm using uni's network, I can't get connected. Even a router won't work.

We've only figured out two methods of connecting to PSN:
1) Dongle to laptop with wire from PS3 to laptop.
2) Phone as a Wifi spot and connect PS3 there, wirelessly.

By the way what dongle do you use that allows you to plug a PS3 in?

I'm not sure if a dongle directly to PS3 works but a friend said he tried it and it didn't work.

But anyway, the problem I wanted to know is why my laptop didn't recognise an Ethernet cable when there was one! The wire isn't faulty and I actually thought my laptop's ethernet port was busted or something but i guess it's not as it's working right now.

May well be your uni's blocking the connection as you say mate.

What exactly are you trying to get from your lappy to your PS3 Ad? There are other ways to transfer music, films, TV shows etc.

May well be your uni's blocking the connection as you say mate.

What exactly are you trying to get from your lappy to your PS3 Ad? There are other ways to transfer music, films, TV shows etc.

Well, the wired connection has worked since this morning and always have worked on the laptop. It was just yesterday where it somehow stopped recognising a cable connected to it and I assume it was either the wire has got faulty or my laptop's ethernet port was busted. However, this doesn't seem to be the case. Everything is working well now. I just wanted to know what happened during that couple of hours why it won't recognise a cable plugged in.

Oh, as I've stated, my university's network somehow doesn't allow us to connect to PSN via wired connection through the hole in the wall so my friends and I have been connecting to PSN using a wired connection through the laptop.