Dell :: Vostro 220 Integrated NIC Dies

Bought a Vostro 220S about 2 months ago.  After about three weeks, while I'm using it, the integrated NIC dies.  All of a sudden I get the "Network Cable Disconnected" pop-up.  No LEDs lit by the network jack.  Contact Dell support who decides it's the motherboard.Three days later, the exact same failure.  Contact support again.  This time they want me to re-install Windows (yeah...right).  I refused since the motherboard fixed it the first time.  They finally agree to replace the motherboard again. Using the same router and cable that worked for years with my old computer.  After the first failure, I switched ports on the router.  While waiting for the motherboard replacements, I had installed an old PCI NIC I had laying around.  Worked fine...still is. I'm not about to re-install Windows, which is what I know they'll want.  I'll stick with the PCI card.  Both of the people at Dell support as well as the tech they sent out told me they've not seen this before.