Router/Switch & Win2000 woes

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Guest

Hello
I'm hoping someone can perhaps offer some words of wisdom

Initial scenario: Small peer-to-peer network, comprising one Win2K Pro + 3 Win98SE, ZOT print server, Linksys router and Linksys 5-port switch.

All fairly reliable - however, since upgrading a further two of the win98 machines to Win2K, the network keeps giving us problems. The main problem appears to be when the 5-port switch is plugge d into the router. The Link/ACT led on the router flickers wildly and continuously as if the switch and router are fighting it out. This happens even if no computer is plugged into the switch. The odd thing is that, every now and then, if I disconnect the uplink cable between the two and reconnect after a delay, the Link/ACT led stabilizes, and connectivity is restored. However, after a further period, it fails again and I'm back to a flickering led

I've tried substituting different cables / switches / routers, all apparently to no avail, so I don't think it's a hardware issue. The network setup is currently on static IP's for the LAN side, though I have also tried with DHCP from the router. Protocols installed on the PCs are TCP/IP and Netbeui (This is needed for the ZOT print server

I really would like to get to the bottom of this as it's driving me crazy - especially as I convinced my colleagues we should go for Win 2000.

Graham

PS. It just occurred to me that only one of the Win2000 machines is at SP4 - the other two are, I believe, still at SP3 - could this be worth investigating
 
Check nic settings on all pcs and ports and make sure they have the same
link speed/duplex settings (don't set to auto). Also, netbeui is not
routable, so the router might be trying to deal with that. Have you tried
disabling netbeui temporarily to see if problem goes away?

Graham Parsons said:
Hello,
I'm hoping someone can perhaps offer some words of wisdom!

Initial scenario: Small peer-to-peer network, comprising one Win2K Pro +
Click to expand...
3 Win98SE, ZOT print server, Linksys router and Linksys 5-port switch.
All fairly reliable - however, since upgrading a further two of the win98
Click to expand...
machines to Win2K, the network keeps giving us problems. The main problem
appears to be when the 5-port switch is plugge d into the router. The
Link/ACT led on the router flickers wildly and continuously as if the switch
and router are fighting it out. This happens even if no computer is plugged
into the switch. The odd thing is that, every now and then, if I disconnect
the uplink cable between the two and reconnect after a delay, the Link/ACT
led stabilizes, and connectivity is restored. However, after a further
period, it fails again and I'm back to a flickering led.
I've tried substituting different cables / switches / routers, all
Click to expand...
apparently to no avail, so I don't think it's a hardware issue. The network
setup is currently on static IP's for the LAN side, though I have also tried
with DHCP from the router. Protocols installed on the PCs are TCP/IP and
Netbeui (This is needed for the ZOT print server)
I really would like to get to the bottom of this as it's driving me
Click to expand...
crazy - especially as I convinced my colleagues we should go for Win 2000.
Graham.

PS. It just occurred to me that only one of the Win2000 machines is at
Click to expand...
SP4 - the other two are, I believe, still at SP3 - could this be worth
investigating?
 
serverguy said:
Check nic settings on all pcs and ports and make sure they have the same
link speed/duplex settings (don't set to auto). Also, netbeui is not
routable, so the router might be trying to deal with that. Have you tried
disabling netbeui temporarily to see if problem goes away?



3 Win98SE, ZOT print server, Linksys router and Linksys 5-port switch.


machines to Win2K, the network keeps giving us problems. The main problem
appears to be when the 5-port switch is plugge d into the router. The
Link/ACT led on the router flickers wildly and continuously as if the switch
and router are fighting it out. This happens even if no computer is plugged
into the switch. The odd thing is that, every now and then, if I disconnect
the uplink cable between the two and reconnect after a delay, the Link/ACT
led stabilizes, and connectivity is restored. However, after a further
period, it fails again and I'm back to a flickering led.


apparently to no avail, so I don't think it's a hardware issue. The network
setup is currently on static IP's for the LAN side, though I have also tried
with DHCP from the router. Protocols installed on the PCs are TCP/IP and
Netbeui (This is needed for the ZOT print server)


crazy - especially as I convinced my colleagues we should go for Win 2000.


SP4 - the other two are, I believe, still at SP3 - could this be worth
investigating?
Click to expand...
Many thanks for the suggestion. Explicity setting the NIC link speeds
seems to have stabilzed things. Setting to 10mbps Full duplex works fine
- I guess it might be connected to the way Win2K does things, as, prior
to the upgrade from win98, we used the "Auto" setting without problem.
Luckily, it's a low traffic situation, so the speed setting isn't too
critical.

Anyway, just glad to have a working network.

Graham
 
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