Baffled..

[Killer Chef]

I am attempting to get a new switch working and am having some pain in the ass problem.
There are three PC's currently hooked up to a Zonet 8-port 10/100Mbps ethernet swicth. One system is running win2k pro, another 98SE, and lastly a WinXP pro one.
The systems DID run fine on a 5 port hub, but that has since been replaced by the switch. Since then nothing but trouble.
There is packet loss of around 20-26% when the systems are pinging each other. File transfers are slow as hell, when and if they work. The XP server has that little "cable unplugged" popup come up on a regular basis, although it ususally "plugs back in" itself in a matter of seconds.
If any of these systems are connected using just a patch cable, instead of the CAT5 we are using for the switch, then everything works perfectly.
The NIC's are one 10mbps, and two 10/100's.

If I've left anything out just ask, and I'll see what I can do..

Thanks Guys'n Gals:burn:

[rugby]

It sounds like your cards don't like that switch. I've never heard of zonet. I usually recommend people stick with bigger brands like linksys or d-link for home network stuff. THey're pretty reliable.

[Killer Chef]

Ok, Ive had the Switch replaced, and I thought all the problems had been solved.
When I first got it home and plugged it in, and tried the ping -t test it happilly pinged away over a hundred times without any PL at all.
then about an hour later I decided I would check it again...and it's back again!! AARRRGGGHHH@!!!
there is only 2 PC's connected to it at the moment and both are running 10mbit cards, so I don't think its a 100mbit issue?
As stated earlier when the PC's are connected via a crossover cable there is no problem at all, it's only when they are connected via the switch that the problem starts.
I have tried forcing the cards to full duplex but that didnt help either, in fact all it did was stop the client pc from accessing the internet.
If it was the cables wouldn't they just refuse to work at all, instead of intermitantly?
Also when I had the 10mbit hub and was using the same cables there was no problem at all.
I've noticed that the base of the switch is getting pretty warm, reckon that could have anything to do with it, or do switch's generally run hot ?

[Kingslayer]

Originally posted by S8N

As stated earlier when the PC's are connected via a crossover cable there is no problem at all, it's only when they are connected via the switch that the problem starts.


Sounds like one of the ports on that switch is an uplink port. The uplink port is used for modem or anything that would usually require a crossover cable. It is wired differently than a normal port and does the crossover on its own. If you have a computer plugged into this with a normal cable it will hose your network and you will experience this phenomena.

See if there is an uplink port. If there is, unplug that computer. Reboot all the others and let me know if it works.

And don't worry about that hub getting hot. Thats normal.

[Killer Chef]

It's all been sorted out now
I emailed Tech Support explaining the problem and apparently port 1 is the cascade port...pitty the manual makes no mention of that at all!
And because it also has a seperate Uplink port I never considered the possibility that port 1 would be a cascade port.
It's just too bad I took it back yesterday, and swapped it for a 10mbit hub, PC Sub-Woofer system and another network card.

[trey_w]

just a little hint too, disable Qos packet schedular in XP

and turn all you NIC cards to 100 full duplex if they can

it will help things out greatly, it did for me and a few other networks i set up