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sixsevans's avatar
sixsevans
Tutor
Jul 13, 2020
Solved

Reconnecting only works if I unplug/replug ethernet at switch

When I reboot my MacBook, my internet will not work agian until I unplug the ethernet cable from my GS108PEv3 switch and plug it back in (to the same port). If I unplug the same cable from the other side (i.e., unplug the ethernet cable from the port on my OWC dock and and plug it back in) internet connection stays off. This makes no sense. I am unplugging/replugging the different ends of the same cable. Is there something in the socket on my NetGear switch that is detecting the cable was removed and plugged back in? Is this a known issue? Is there a fix for this so I don't have to walk out to my garage everytime I reboot my MacBook?

(FYI: all the other cables plugged into the same switch seem unaffected, i.e., they are happily blinking. Only the cable to my MacBook is off, until I unplug/replug it.)

  • sixsevans's avatar
    sixsevans
    Jul 21, 2020

    Definitely something weird with my OWC hub. I now unplug/re-plug its power whenever my MacBook is rebooting, and the internet just works when the MacBook comes back up. Still no explanation why disconnecting the far end of the ethernet cable from my NetGear switch works and not disconnecting it from the hub side.

3 Replies

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  • schumaku's avatar
    schumaku
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jul 14, 2020

    Does not make any sense indeed, no difference which end is disconnected - one would expect the link will go down, the connection is doing the auto negotiation to bring the link up either way. 

     

    Have tried the same with a simple USB-C or Thunderbolt GbE adapter?

     

    The OWC dock does remain powered while the computer is disconnected, and the link LED remain up? Some docks are making the Ethernet port sending Ethernet Pause frames (at a high rate) to inform the switch it should not send any data - kind of an abuse of a nice old IEEE standard.On switches, this does not cause an issue.

     

    Worth challenging OWC support, to.

     

    Double check the switch is on it's current firmware version FWIW.

    • sixsevans's avatar
      sixsevans
      Tutor
      Jul 15, 2020

      Thanks for your reply. While not a solution, at least I feel like I wasn't completely clueless. :-)

      • sixsevans's avatar
        sixsevans
        Tutor
        Jul 21, 2020

        Definitely something weird with my OWC hub. I now unplug/re-plug its power whenever my MacBook is rebooting, and the internet just works when the MacBook comes back up. Still no explanation why disconnecting the far end of the ethernet cable from my NetGear switch works and not disconnecting it from the hub side.

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