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It has been fine for 2-3 years until a month ago when the lower floor switch started blinking all the LEDs together and network connections stopped working. I had changed nothing obvious
I googled etc and it seemed maybe switch was broken so I bought a new one - GS116E
Plugged it in and now it works for a bit then all the lights go out and no network connection.
If I disconnect 2 of the 6 computers it will start working again
I have tried
checking loops (loop detection is on)
replacing all the cables
unplugging 1 cable at a time - it seems rather than a particular machine it is more the quantity
With Managed switch - Broadcast flitering with storm control down to 1MBps
I'm an architect of bricks and mortar rather than computer type with very limited knowledge so struggling.
Can anyone please help? Possibly I've done something dumb...
1. Enable Flow Control on both GS116Ev2 & GS108Ev3 switches. To do this, log on to the web-GUI of the switch/es. Then, go System > Management > Port Status. Then, select one or more ports. In the Flow Control menu, select Enable and click the Apply button.
As reference, read pages 55-56 of the GS116Ev2/GS108Ev3 user manual here on how to Manage Flow Control.
2. For the GS116Ev2 switch, access the article below and follow the steps indicated:
After doing the steps above, connect the GS116 switch to the GS116Ev2 switch (or vice versa) then observe if the same problem will occur. Also, connect the GS116Ev2 switch to the GS108Ev3 (or vice versa) then observe if the same problem will happen.
Let us isolate the problem. Kindly answer the questions below:
a. Just to verify, is the GS116 switch at the upper floor directly connected by one (1) ethernet cable to the GS116E switch at the lower floor?
b. What is the distance of the GS116 switch at the upper floor to the GS116E switch at the lower floor?
c. Have you already double-checked the physical connections on both GS116 & GS116E switches as well as the whole network? There might be a device connected that is causing why the lights go out on the GS116E switch.
d. Try to swap the two switches. Deploy the GS116E switch at the upper floor then deploy the GS116 switch at the lower floor. Connect the PCs on each switch then observe. Does same problem occur?
e. What is the current firmware version of the GS116E?
C – I have checked connections and changed cables to NAS, PCs and printers.
D – Changed switches around and I have bought a new GS108Ev3 for upper floor
E – Firmware is 2.6.0.22
I have checked all the PC network cards have upto date drivers too.
With the lower 16 port switch I had 10 cables plugged in. When all the lights went out, if I disconnected 5 cables (generally did not seem to matter which), the lights would return to normal. Then I would plug the others slowly back in and most of times it would be ok. Sometimes I would have to leave 2-3 cables out.
The cable between the floors and the NAS cable seem to trigger the collapse more often (but not uniquely)
So I bought another 16 port switch for the lower level which sits on top of the other.
They each with 6 cables.
It seems happier but still the original switch (2 PC, 1no printer and NAS attached) stops working once a day (less so than before).
It feels like I'm overloading the switch?
Regards
James
Model: GS116Ev2|ProSAFE Plus 16-port Gigabit Switch
1. Enable Flow Control on both GS116Ev2 & GS108Ev3 switches. To do this, log on to the web-GUI of the switch/es. Then, go System > Management > Port Status. Then, select one or more ports. In the Flow Control menu, select Enable and click the Apply button.
As reference, read pages 55-56 of the GS116Ev2/GS108Ev3 user manual here on how to Manage Flow Control.
2. For the GS116Ev2 switch, access the article below and follow the steps indicated:
After doing the steps above, connect the GS116 switch to the GS116Ev2 switch (or vice versa) then observe if the same problem will occur. Also, connect the GS116Ev2 switch to the GS108Ev3 (or vice versa) then observe if the same problem will happen.
I suggest you to set up port mirroring on both GS116Ev2 & GS108Ev3 switches. Select a port(s) as source port(s) on both GS116Ev2 & GS108Ev3 switches. Then, select another port as a destination port on GS116Ev2 & GS108Ev3 switches where a PC with Wireshark installed in it is directly connected. Run Wireshark and observe. In the event that the problem occurs, Wireshark should be able to capture the packets.
Kindly read pages 71-72 of the of GS116Ev2/GS108Ev3 user manual here on how to set up port mirroring. You may download Wireshark on this link. As reference, you may check this link I found online on how to use Wireshark.
For the captured packets to be analyzed, kindly open a chat or online support ticket with NETGEAR Support and let them know about your concern. Attach the captured packets from Wireshark on the support ticket you have opened for it to be forwarded and analyzed by the engineering team.
