Static IPs through router as switch with Ubuntu Server

[mrJitters]

So I have an router and network setup and running fine.  port forwarding and static ip is working just fine on my Ubuntu server box, but the ports are full and I need to run the box off a switch now.  So I took an old netgear router and set it up as a switch (dynamic ip windows10 pc running through switch fine) but my Server box just won't connect, the light on the router doesn't even light up to say they are communicating. (all the cabling and ports are fine)  I am assuming it has something to do with the static ip address,  I have added a static route (I also do not know for sure if I am fililng it out right / even if this is something I need to be doing)  the set up for the static route has the destination ip set the the ip i am trying to make static and   subnet is 255 for all then gateway is the gateway ip and i used metric of 2.

thanks for any help.

[netwrks · Accepted solution]

If you disabled everything on the router that is now a switch, (DHCP etc) make sure you give an ip address that isnt in use, the same subnet mask as your router and the default gateway (the ip address of your router).

Once this is set up, you should be able to ping the router. Example: if you router IP address is:192.168.1.1 NM: 255.255.255.0 then your switch can be something like 192.168.1.250 NM: 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

so modem <---->router<-------->routernowswitch<----| devices

You devices should be able to get an IP from the router. Check that your server is either set to DHCP , or if it has a static IP address, that it matches the subnet on the router, and also ensure the IP is not in use anywhere else on your network. Ensure you do not use the WAN port on the converted switch.

[netwrks]

If the ports don't light up, that's physical - ports or cable issue. Or, the port you are plugging in to. Make suire the cabling matches the port speed of your server. If it's a 1000mb port, ensure it is at least CAT5e. There could be a port negotiation issue between the server and your converted switch.

[mrJitters]

if i switch the cables from the server to the windows pc everything lights up fine and works for the pc, so its not the cables or the port. and actually i was wrong the light is lighting up on the router now but still same issues 

[netwrks · Accepted solution]

If you disabled everything on the router that is now a switch, (DHCP etc) make sure you give an ip address that isnt in use, the same subnet mask as your router and the default gateway (the ip address of your router).

Once this is set up, you should be able to ping the router. Example: if you router IP address is:192.168.1.1 NM: 255.255.255.0 then your switch can be something like 192.168.1.250 NM: 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

so modem <---->router<-------->routernowswitch<----| devices

You devices should be able to get an IP from the router. Check that your server is either set to DHCP , or if it has a static IP address, that it matches the subnet on the router, and also ensure the IP is not in use anywhere else on your network. Ensure you do not use the WAN port on the converted switch.