Wont maintain IP address

OK after looking in the manual it says if your link state says down it means its unusable ?? what would cause this and how do i fix it?

When you say it won't take an IP address, what do you mean? You can't type a number in the IP address field? You type one in but it dissapears immediately? Please be as specific as you can about the behavior you are seeing, and the steps you are taking to set the address.

What other equipment is on your network, and how are you connecting? What software version are you running?

Look at the back of the console: Does the Ethernet port show a valid link light? Is the link light on the network switch on for the port that the console is plugged into?

I get a link light both at the switch an on the back but the screen says that the link is DOWN and there also is NO mac address. I spoke with tech support they felt that there may be a hardware failure.

I thought no mac-address means that the ethernetcard = rotten

from what tech support said that no mac meant dead card