Completely Stumped

socav · 11-09-2005, 05:08 PM

I KNOW THIS IS LONG, BUT PLEASE READ. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT!

Ok, so I'm the "tech guy" at work, even though I have little 'real' networking experience. Here's the network setup:

The network consists of 9 computers (most running XP Pro) all connected to a switch (Linksys EZXS16W). There is also a wireless router (D-Link DI-784) connected to it so that customers with laptops can wirelessly connect to the internet. There is no server.

Here's the dilemma:

We recently added a computer. I ran an ethernet cable from the switch straight through the floor to the computer, and everything worked flawlessly. Then, one morning, the computer said a network cable was unplugged. I checked everything, and everything was securely plugged in. I reset everything, also. I even made a new jack at one end of the cable where I thought I may have made a bad crimp. I tried different ports on the switch. I tried plugging another computer's cable into the computer and it worked fine. I tried plugging the 'bad' cable into another computer and it didn't work. So I thought it must be a bad cable. But then I plugged the cable into a LAN port on the wireless router instead of the switch, and the cable worked fine. I could connect to the internet, but not to the network. So I tried configuring some things so that it would connect to the network, but nothing worked. Then I ran a short cable (straight-through) from a LAN port on the router to a port on the switch, and played with some configurations some more. Then the computer worked perfect, internet and network, but the rest of the computers lost their internet connection, and couldn't connect to the network! So everything was reversed. After I got yelled at by the boss (he lost a long e-mail he was typing), I disconnected both the cables from the wireless router, reset the switch, and the internet and network connection came back to all the computers. Except for the problem one.

Right now, I'm totally confused by this. Some things are telling me it's a problem with the cable (but how could that happen???), and some things are telling me it's a configuration problem (but the computer has been restored to the factory settings!!!). Any ideas? Remember, the problem happened overnight. Nothing changed, at all. The only difference with that night was that AOL was left connected. But that couldn't have changed anything, could it? And even if it did, the system was completely restored!

Thanks for any help!

DJ-CHRIS · 11-09-2005, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by socav
Then I ran a short cable (straight-through) from a LAN port on the router to a port on the switch, and played with some configurations some more. Then the computer worked perfect, internet and network, but the rest of the computers lost their internet connection, and couldn't connect to the network!

Sounds like a network loop, where ARP packets dirrected to everyone get broadcast taking down an entire network, this is what you did with that cable.

Anyways, you could have a hardware problem with the computer...

Also what's your job title?

socav · 11-09-2005, 05:58 PM

Well I work at an airport at an FBO where we fuel planes. That's my main job. But I'm also the most knowledgeable when it comes to computers so I have to deal with any problems that arise...

So if that were the case, how would I fix it?

DJ-CHRIS · 11-09-2005, 06:21 PM

I would recomend buying a cheap network card, for 10$ you can fix this when it's most likely happening.

This is what I would recomend for a cheap card, costs 7$, if you dont want to wait / buy online you can pick one up at a store (best buy, ect) for 15$ or under

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833127107

socav · 11-09-2005, 06:40 PM

How is that different from an onboard ethernet port?

DJ-CHRIS · 11-09-2005, 07:25 PM

It's like the same, but your onboard is having problems most likely...

Probolly some issue with the TCP/IP stack...

socav · 11-09-2005, 10:04 PM

But if I plug a different cable in it, it works perfectly. The only problem is I can't keep the different cable plugged in.

hefemeister · 11-09-2005, 10:29 PM

Do you have a cable tester? sounds to me like the cable is bad. most likely the ends. Some times when you have dodgy ends they will work intermittenlty. could aslo be that the cable is crimped somewhere. Quick solution. Run a new cable.

socav · 11-09-2005, 10:33 PM

I realize that that will most likely work, but it's a pain in the *** to run a new one...oh well. You gotta do what you gotta do, I guess...but I still wonder why it just stopped working all of a sudden...unless it was next to something really hot or really cold or a rat chewed on it...

A cable tester...no, we don't have one. Although sometimes the router has one built in, right? I know mine at home has one.

hefemeister · 11-09-2005, 10:39 PM

some do. I have seen all of the possibilties you listed above on several occations. rats and heat are the most common. A nice tester will tell you where a break in the line is. try redoing both ends of the cable one last time before running the new cable. amke sure a check that the wires have gone all of the way in the cap. I have had ones that barely made it to the contacts and that will affect performance.

11-09-2005, 05:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
socav Junior Techie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 67	Completely Stumped I KNOW THIS IS LONG, BUT PLEASE READ. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT! Ok, so I'm the "tech guy" at work, even though I have little 'real' networking experience. Here's the network setup: The network consists of 9 computers (most running XP Pro) all connected to a switch (Linksys EZXS16W). There is also a wireless router (D-Link DI-784) connected to it so that customers with laptops can wirelessly connect to the internet. There is no server. Here's the dilemma: We recently added a computer. I ran an ethernet cable from the switch straight through the floor to the computer, and everything worked flawlessly. Then, one morning, the computer said a network cable was unplugged. I checked everything, and everything was securely plugged in. I reset everything, also. I even made a new jack at one end of the cable where I thought I may have made a bad crimp. I tried different ports on the switch. I tried plugging another computer's cable into the computer and it worked fine. I tried plugging the 'bad' cable into another computer and it didn't work. So I thought it must be a bad cable. But then I plugged the cable into a LAN port on the wireless router instead of the switch, and the cable worked fine. I could connect to the internet, but not to the network. So I tried configuring some things so that it would connect to the network, but nothing worked. Then I ran a short cable (straight-through) from a LAN port on the router to a port on the switch, and played with some configurations some more. Then the computer worked perfect, internet and network, but the rest of the computers lost their internet connection, and couldn't connect to the network! So everything was reversed. After I got yelled at by the boss (he lost a long e-mail he was typing), I disconnected both the cables from the wireless router, reset the switch, and the internet and network connection came back to all the computers. Except for the problem one. Right now, I'm totally confused by this. Some things are telling me it's a problem with the cable (but how could that happen???), and some things are telling me it's a configuration problem (but the computer has been restored to the factory settings!!!). Any ideas? Remember, the problem happened overnight. Nothing changed, at all. The only difference with that night was that AOL was left connected. But that couldn't have changed anything, could it? And even if it did, the system was completely restored! Thanks for any help!

11-09-2005, 10:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
hefemeister Monster Techie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Vänersborg, Sweden Posts: 1,454	Do you have a cable tester? sounds to me like the cable is bad. most likely the ends. Some times when you have dodgy ends they will work intermittenlty. could aslo be that the cable is crimped somewhere. Quick solution. Run a new cable. __________________ ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe :: AMD 64 4000+ :: EVGA Geforce 7800GTX :: 2048mb OCZ pc3200 :: Antec TruePower 2.0 550 Watt :: Samsung T240 24" :: XP Pro Sp3. Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

11-09-2005, 10:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
hefemeister Monster Techie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Vänersborg, Sweden Posts: 1,454	some do. I have seen all of the possibilties you listed above on several occations. rats and heat are the most common. A nice tester will tell you where a break in the line is. try redoing both ends of the cable one last time before running the new cable. amke sure a check that the wires have gone all of the way in the cap. I have had ones that barely made it to the contacts and that will affect performance. __________________ ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe :: AMD 64 4000+ :: EVGA Geforce 7800GTX :: 2048mb OCZ pc3200 :: Antec TruePower 2.0 550 Watt :: Samsung T240 24" :: XP Pro Sp3. Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

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11-09-2005, 05:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
socav Junior Techie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 67	Well I work at an airport at an FBO where we fuel planes. That's my main job. But I'm also the most knowledgeable when it comes to computers so I have to deal with any problems that arise... So if that were the case, how would I fix it?

11-09-2005, 06:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
DJ-CHRIS Lord Techie Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,053	I would recomend buying a cheap network card, for 10$ you can fix this when it's most likely happening. This is what I would recomend for a cheap card, costs 7$, if you dont want to wait / buy online you can pick one up at a store (best buy, ect) for 15$ or under http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833127107

11-09-2005, 06:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
socav Junior Techie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 67	How is that different from an onboard ethernet port?

11-09-2005, 07:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
DJ-CHRIS Lord Techie Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,053	It's like the same, but your onboard is having problems most likely... Probolly some issue with the TCP/IP stack...

11-09-2005, 10:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
socav Junior Techie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 67	But if I plug a different cable in it, it works perfectly. The only problem is I can't keep the different cable plugged in.

11-09-2005, 10:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
socav Junior Techie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 67	I realize that that will most likely work, but it's a pain in the *** to run a new one...oh well. You gotta do what you gotta do, I guess...but I still wonder why it just stopped working all of a sudden...unless it was next to something really hot or really cold or a rat chewed on it... A cable tester...no, we don't have one. Although sometimes the router has one built in, right? I know mine at home has one.