Yes, but it is a simple and easy change-out.
Do you happen to have the same type on another PC that you could swap to see if it is the e-net/usb network connector?
You kinda have it wrong if you are connected via ethernet you don’t use wireless. It’s either or. You sure have an ethernet cable going directly to the comcast router?
It's not impossible that the power outage - or more specifically, how the power came back - could have created a brief power surge on the AC line that (somehow) transferred to the USB-to-Ethernet adapter and fried it. The "somehow" is the tricky part. Neither USB nor Ethernet are normally associated with the AC line, so it's not obvious from what you wrote, how that would happen.
However a common cause of adapters frying is ESD - electrostatic discharge - typically from a person's body. The old thing of shuffling across a carpet and touching a doorknob or light switch and drawing a spark. It's winter, humidity can get very low, and dry conditions make ESD much more likely.
So I would place my bet on ESD and a coincidence with the outage. But that's just a guess.
Your ethernet cable will typically be connected from your wife's computer's ethernet plug-in port to an ethernet port on your router.
There is no cable with a wireless connection.
I’ve had dongles burn out before. They new ones are probably 10 times faster running USB-C.
Windows or Apple?
Windows will have tools where you can examine the Internet connection - Settings, Network & Internet.
You might have to turn the WiFi on and sign into your router, if her connection is defaulting to a broken ethernet port.
Ethernet cables don’t get fried. There’s either a short or open and if it’s an older cable it’s probably an open meaning a broken wire. Ethernet cable testers are cheap at a Lowe’s, Home Depot or Walmart but in reality a new Cable is probably cheaper.
Inductive coupling can occur when significant nearby lightning strikes create an electromagnetic field that passes over the cabling. I have seen it take out modems, ethernet cards, fax machines, networking cable drops, etc.
Spikes resulting from a power loss (even with line conditioners) typically damage power supplies.
If the computer powers up, it was probably inductive coupling. If there was no storm activity, it could be component failure due to wear and tear.
It can be replaced.
First things first, check to make sure everything is plugged in correctly. Test the cable on another system.
Could be something as simple as the cable failed...the computer may be fine.
Anything with a chip or two can naturally degrade over time. Even solid state memory degrades over time and rewrites. Every time a device powers up the CMOS is read over and over and this alone can eventually degrade that functional logic.
Can that USB type ethernet plug have been fried ?
Oh, yes. But it's only one of many things that might be going on.
just didn't know if the plug could get fried and it IS an easy fix (above)
Easy fix? Depends. If laptop, new motherboard. If desktop, install a NIC in an expansion slot and use that. Or, USB ethernet.
MY computer is connected with an ethernet cable . . . . HERS at the other end of our mobile home is connected via the ethernet plug.
Huh, what?
What do you mean by "ethernet plug"?
It’s also possible that the wireless portion of your router burned out. Do you have any other wireless items in your home such as Ring doorbell, or wireless thermostat that you can check?
If not, what you are calling a ‘plug’ is officially named a ‘USB wireless adapter’. They are quite inexpensive from Amazon, eBay, or even Walmart. They are usually ‘plug and play, so they’re easy to change.
When you lost power, you’re computer may have defaulted to wifi. Most computers are setup to default to ethernet if detected but I can tell you from experience that’s not always the case.
Buy a wiress USB adapter to plug into your computer. It will communicate with your wireless router. No wires needed. X
Check your wireless routers internal settings.
The wireless function may be shut off or some other setting may be off.
to do this open a web browser on your working pc and enter your router’s internal IP address in the address bar, usually (192.168.0.1).
this opens a menu of router settings on your browser window.
If everything looks ok then..
On the broken PC try using a different usb port...those external wireless dongles are usually plug and play on win 10.
If all fails order a new USB wireless dongle off amazon for 15 bucks..
I have read some of the comments and can only imagine your frustration. I have no idea if you’ve solved your problem because reading more comments is absolutely maddening to me.
First off, you’re not communicating well, so I’m going to interpolate based upon my knowledge of tech.
I presume that your wife’s PC has a WiFi dongle connected to the USB port to connect to the Xfinity network enabled by your cable modem/router. However, since I don’t have comcast I had to search to see if Xfinity offers such a dongle; I found none, so I presume that it’s either a very old Comcast dongle or an unbranded one.
Regardless, if it is a newer model dongle that does NOT require power from an adapter which plugs into the wall (USB power only), it is extremely unlikely that the dongle failed due to a power surge/outage, especially if her PC functions.
However, if it is an older model which DOES use an a/c adapter plugged into the wall to supply power, it may have failed.
Since there’s no way anyone here can know if the power failure caused your router to reset (which can enable WIRED connections normally upon reboot but will FAIL on WiFi without configuration), based upon my experience your WiFi may just need to be reconfigured.
In any event, if you’re unable to access the Administrator page through your browser for any reason from your WIRED PC, I can only suggest buying someone lunch to do it for you if - as I suspect - Xfinity support is incapable of walking you through it over the phone.
I can’t recommend any remote IT services, but if anyone you know could recommend IT support locally in your area, they could remote into your PC, check your router and verify pretty quickly if it’s just a configuration problem or - if the router doesn’t see her dongle’s signal - you need to replace the WiFi dongle. This type of service could be accomplished in well under an hour.
I hope that helps, because there are a WHOLE LOT of unknowns here, including whether you’re able to configure a new dongle on your own. WiFi configuration is fairly simple, but beyond a novice’s ability. You must know how to access and modify your router’s settings through the browser or you’re stuck relying upon someone else (comcast or otherwise, and this forum is unlikely to help in that event).