No Internet After Connecting GS808E Switch to Home Network

[DonPachuco]

I need some expert help.  I have spent too many hours resetting things to default, trying to reconfigure things, plugging and unplugging cables, etc.  Whilst I have multiple devices in the house, all the PC's in the house are on Windows 10, not that it should matter.  Here is my list of components in my home network:

1. Modem:  Netgear CM600 Cable Modem (service provided by Spectrum)
2. Router:  Asus RT-AC3200
3. Switch:  Netgear GS808E (Nighthawk S8000)

Brief history:  PC connected directly to modem, works/have internet connection.  Router connected to modem/PC connected to router, works both wired and wireless.  Introduce the Nighthawk S8000 (or either of the other two switches I have at home), no internet anywhere.  

I assumed that adding a switch to the mix, to expand my network would be fairly easy/plug and play.  A crappy TrendNET 5-port switch worked previously, when I had AT&T Uverse, and some ports worked on the crappy 8-port Monoprice switch that I had.

Yes, modem is connected to WAN port on router.  Yes, port 1 on router is connected to port 8 on switch.  I have enabled jumbo frame on the router under "Switch Control" as well.  I have tried rebooting and resetting things.  I have tried powering up the router first, then the switch, and tried powering up the switch, and then the router.  I find it odd that using any of the switches results in the same thing, no connectivity...  Every cable is CAT 6e, and are of same manufacturer and length.  I'm not a moron, and consider myself to be somewhat tech savvy, but either I'm stupid, or really over thinking this.  I'm sure no one is going to have that exact same setup, but perhaps someone has run into a similar issue.  I have tried working with tech support from both Netgear and Asus, but they only offer very "basic" suggestions, and say that it "should work".  Router is less than a year into ownership, and is on the latest firmware.  Modem and switch are under a week old.

Please advise, and let me know if more information is needed.  I have 7 devices that I wanted wired, and have nothing to them now.  Thank you!

[TheEther]

Interesting problem. Looks like you have a pretty basic setup. I would try disabling jumbo frames everywhere, just to rule that out.

Are your devices obtaining IP addresses when the switch is connected? Have you tried running Wireshark to see what's going on the wire?

[DonPachuco]

I tried it first without jumbo frame enabled. Asus tech was who told me to enable it. It doesn't work either with or without it enabled. I have not tried Wireshark, nor heard of it prior to your comment. I was using Fing and the Asus router app to "see" things. I just find it very odd. I have the ip address range set from 2-253, so more than enough. I had an ac extender connected initially, so I could get internet to my printer in the basement, but that shouldn't affect anything? I was told to check settings in the gui of my modem too, and the "settings" are so basic, to the point of only being able to change the password. I haven't seen or tried any gui on the switch, so not sure on that part. I would have thought this would be so basic/plug-and-play.

[TheEther]

You may also need to do some debugging on the PC.  As I mentioned before, you should see if your PCs are obtaining IP addresses.  This may provide a clue as to whether any traffic is making it through the switch.  The GS808E is not a basic, unmanaged switch.  It is possible to block traffic given the right settings.  You may want to perform a factory reset.  The default settings should allow it to operate as a basic switch.

Wireshark is a packet sniffing program that can capture everything that the computer see.  This also can shed some light on what's going on.  It's kinda hard core, but you did say you were tech savvy.  Here's an opportunity to learn a little more about networking.  

[DonPachuco]

My laptop is on wireless. None of the devices that I want wired are PC's. If the default settings are to be that the switch gets its addresses from the router, then where would the issue be? I have not changed anything. If I'm not connecting to it with a PC, then the instructions about device discovery are pretty irrelevant too. If by default, it should operate as a basic switch, then it should not need to be configured at all. It should work when connected.

[TheEther]

It was not evident that you didn't touch anything else on the switch. You did enable jumbo frames, after all.

And you did previously state that a PC works when connected directly to the modem as well as the router, both wired and wireless. So, it sounds like you have a wired PC.

It's kinda hard to provide help when important details are left out and when the story keeps changing.

I have given a couple of suggestions. Make sure your devices are still getting IP addresses, use Wireshark and reset your switch. I agree that your network is straightforward enough that it should just work. But given that it's not, you'll have to start troubleshooting if you want to get to the bottom of it. Or maybe exchange/return the switch in case you got a bum unit.

[DonPachuco]

I used a cable to troubleshoot by connecting to each part of the chain, to see where the problem lied. As far as the jumbo frame setting, that was on the router, as directed by Asus tech support, as previously mentioned. Everything works fine until the switch is connected. I merely took the switch out of the box, connected a cable from the router to the switch, and connected the power cord to the switch. The story hasn't changed at all. No setting on the switch was ever touched, nor was I connected to the switch, due to all connectivity going down after the switch was connected to the router. I proceeded no further after that, other than hitting the reset buttons on all 3 units. Results were the same--all work, until switch becomes a part of the chain.

I didn't imply either, that you didn't attempt to assist. But, the story never changed.

[TheEther]

Merely connecting the switch to the router causes your network to go down? Nothing else is connected to the switch?

Have you tried a different Ethernet cable to connect the switch to the router?

Can you log into the switch? By default, the switch will use DHCP, so you may have to find the switch's IP address by logging onto the Asus. Hopefully, you network isn't so broken that you are still able to log into it.

[DonPachuco]

I connected devices to the switch per the instructions, ie gaming to port 1, in my case, my PS4, and streaming to port 2,jn my case, an Android tv box. I then connected my smart TV, cable box, and AVR to some of the remaining ports, starting at port 3. I can log into the Asus either wired or wireless, but not when the switch is connected. Additionally, I have tried several different cables, including the one that came with the switch, even though I don't like to use the ones that come with equipment. When the switch is connected to the router, and a laptop is then plugged into the switch, I cannot see the switch using windows, and I also cannot get to the 192.168.0.239 address from it either.

[TheEther]

Try disconnecting the switch from everything except power and one wired computer. Set your computer to a static IP of 192.168.0.10. Then try to connect to 192.168.0.239.

If that doesn't work, press the reset button for at least 10 seconds until all of the lights flash. Then try logging in again.

If you still can't get in, then it's time to return the switch.

[DonPachuco]

So you're saying not to have it plugged into the router at all, just a laptop connected to one of the 1-7 ports and then power it on?

[TheEther]

Yup. There's no better way to tell whether the switch is simply busted.