Internet through switch, but not through wall port where switch is connected...

[Nixlimited]

Here is my setup. Cable Modem->Apple Airport Extreme->8-port Switch->5 Port Switch (downstairs)->Xbox/PS3/AppleTV/Etc.

OK, I feel like a complete idiot, but I can not figure this out. I have a fully wired house. However, in some places I need to plug in more than the single wall outlet allows me, so I use a switch there. One such place is downstairs where all the entertainment stuff is. So, I noticed that after I installed a Netgear GS-105, all the devices connected to it had significantly slower internet than they should. I started to troubleshoot by first running speedtest.net on my wireless n connection. All was well. Then I plugged into the downstairs 5-port switch and turned my wireless adapter off. When I tested speedtest this time, it ran at only 25% of the wireless speed. I was able to duplicate this multiple times. Finally, I decided to test the speed at the wall port to see if it was the switch. When I plugged my computer directly into the wall, I get no internet at all, no matter how long I sit and try to refresh it. As soon as I take that cable, plug it back into the switch, and then connect the switch to the computer, I have internet again. I can't figure it out.

So I guess my questions are: (1) why am I not getting internet from the wall outlet and (2) why is my internet so much slower behind the switch?

 

[tipstir]

Here is my setup. Cable Modem->Apple Airport Extreme->8-port Switch->5 Port Switch (downstairs)->Xbox/PS3/AppleTV/Etc.

OK, I feel like a complete idiot, but I can not figure this out. I have a fully wired house. However, in some places I need to plug in more than the single wall outlet allows me, so I use a switch there. One such place is downstairs where all the entertainment stuff is. So, I noticed that after I installed a Netgear GS-105, all the devices connected to it had significantly slower internet than they should. I started to troubleshoot by first running speedtest.net on my wireless n connection. All was well. Then I plugged into the downstairs 5-port switch and turned my wireless adapter off. When I tested speedtest this time, it ran at only 25% of the wireless speed. I was able to duplicate this multiple times. Finally, I decided to test the speed at the wall port to see if it was the switch. When I plugged my computer directly into the wall, I get no internet at all, no matter how long I sit and try to refresh it. As soon as I take that cable, plug it back into the switch, and then connect the switch to the computer, I have internet again. I can't figure it out.

So I guess my questions are: (1) why am I not getting internet from the wall outlet and (2) why is my internet so much slower behind the switch?

Something could be wrong with the switch? Did you just purchased that? What make is the 8-port one? Did you have this problem prior? After reading looks like you didn't have this issue. Listen I know a lot of users will say you can have one switch here and one switch there. But after re-wiring the way I had it with 7x switches in place I now use 8-port 10/100 switch for all wireless access points, wired 100 devices (mostly network media streaming players) then the bulk of the network is using 8-port 1000 switch. I am still at it though. I go maybe another 3 or 4 devices to connect and drop (punch-down Cat 5e) into new ports from each room that has some sort of network device.

I got rid of all Netgear switches FS 10/100 and GS 10/100/1000 to me they had issues (overheating, downgrade port speed) with my network wired and wireless devices. Once they're gone my network issues have seem to have gone away.

Amazing..


The cable modem is what gives you internet access (WAN) or Wireless WAN)
LAN and WAN your network is controlled by your router. If you have a wireless router then your WLAN and WWAN will also be controlled by the router.

Router also connects all your PCs 4 to 8 ports if you have such model to each other or you can use an external switch. The router also works with the Modem to give you access to the internet. So you now have control over WAN (internet and the LAN) both working together.
The switches are used to extend your LAN and internet WAN connections network around your house.

 

[valentin]

You have got a lot of connections - it might be that there is bad connection between a cable and a wall plug, or a cable and switch.
I have had once a bad cable - any strange effects happening.
________
NEW MEXICO MEDICAL MARIJUANA

 

[thiggins]

You need to solve the no Internet at the wall outlet first.

First check that the link lights are on at the main switch and on your
computer's Network adapter.

Then check that your computer has proper IP address information. Run a DHCP release / renew and make sure that the computer can pick up proper IP address info.

Then try to ping your router IP or another computer IP

 

[scotty]

Also, if you happen to have a Asus or Gigabyte motherboard in your machine, they often have LAN cabling diagnostic programs in the BIOS which can tell you if there's shorts amongst the pairs or other issues. Might not be the case here, but if you just happen to have an Asus board, it's an interesting tool.

But like Tim says, check the internet straight out of the wall first. Verify phsical connections, link lights, DHCP, and finally basic pinging of the router and other PCs. This sounds like a shady cable. If this is the only port where this is happening it's likely cable that hasn't been terminated properly. Believe it or not this can happen a lot. If I was given a dollar for every port on a wall or patch panel that didn't work properly... When I contract electricians to wire buildings for businesses, I pretty much demand they test and certify every port. And even then there's still the odd one every now and again. But with good electricians I have someone comnig to fix it ASAP.

 

[thiggins]

And, of course, there is always the only two-pair-instead-of-four cable issue.

Had a situation once that drove me nuts until I looked at the UTP cable plugs and saw only four wires connected. That cable died a horrible death, I'll tell you...

 

[Nixlimited]

Thanks for all the advice.

I was able to narrow the problem to a busted Linksys SD2008 v2.2 switch. I went up to my cabling box and plugged into the router and had fine internet, but then plugged into the switch (the one that feeds all the wall plates) and I had no internet, in fact, no connection at all. I make this distinction because a laptop plugged into a switch with no internet will just assign itself an IP. Linksys is providing a replacement free of charge.

Here's the weird part. It's as if the Netgear switch downstairs was somehow compensating for the broken switch. Despite having no connection when plugged directly into the broken switch, if I plugged another switch into that switch (modem->router->broken switch->switch->laptop) then I had internet, just at a drastically slower speed. This is, after all, the situation that alerted me to the problem.

Is it possible for a switch down the line to somehow compensate when not in a loop?

Anyway, I had an extra dell 16-port laying around so for now everything is back up and running.

 

[tipstir]

Thanks for all the advice.

I was able to narrow the problem to a busted Linksys SD2008 v2.2 switch. I went up to my cabling box and plugged into the router and had fine internet, but then plugged into the switch (the one that feeds all the wall plates) and I had no internet, in fact, no connection at all. I make this distinction because a laptop plugged into a switch with no internet will just assign itself an IP. Linksys is providing a replacement free of charge.

Here's the weird part. It's as if the Netgear switch downstairs was somehow compensating for the broken switch. Despite having no connection when plugged directly into the broken switch, if I plugged another switch into that switch (modem->router->broken switch->switch->laptop) then I had internet, just at a drastically slower speed. This is, after all, the situation that alerted me to the problem.

Is it possible for a switch down the line to somehow compensate when not in a loop?

Anyway, I had an extra dell 16-port laying around so for now everything is back up and running.

Lucky you that that happen with down or broken switch and another switch took over just like Cisco Catalyst 3750 is aimed to do just that, but really it doesn't always work out the way Cisco tells it's client. Anyway bad switches are common and they don't last forever. What model is that DELL 16-port switch?

 

[thiggins]

Sounds like something went wonky with port auto-negotiation. It's common (although not as common as it used to be) for some Ethernet PHYs to have problems connecting to other certain models.

 

[Nixlimited]

Lucky you that that happen with down or broken switch and another switch took over just like Cisco Catalyst 3750 is aimed to do just that, but really it doesn't always work out the way Cisco tells it's client. Anyway bad switches are common and they don't last forever. What model is that DELL 16-port switch?

Dell PowerConnect 2216 ... not gigabit, but not limiting with my cable internet speed either.

 

[Nixlimited]

Just as a follow-up, I got a brand new SLM2008 today from Linksys and it appears to be a completely new version of what I sent in (an SD2008). Whereas the old one did not support PoE, this one does. This one also has some management features, which the old one did not. Two thumbs up to Linksys customer service and warranty.