Adding a network switch

[ArisVer]

Hi,
I am trying to add a switch between the modem and the computer and i cannot connect. The wires are tested and are in working condition but i am not sure about the switch.
I have setup a static ip in interfaces which is working properly without the switch. Am i missing a step? Do i need to configure something else?
A command that produced an output was netdiscover, which found my modem's ip address and a mac address which i think belongs to the modem too. This makes me believe that the switch is working.

Any advices?

 

[airdata]

You need a router and not a switch. The switch can't perform necessary functions.

Your modem is only giving 1 IP address, so if you hook up more than 1 thing to the switch there's nothing that's performing nat/pat to allow you to utilize your 1 ip address for multiple systems.

 

[ArisVer]

The modem (adsl2) is also a router. It is a THOMSON TG585v7 ADSL2 Modem.

Is it possible to assign an ip address to the switch? It is a TRENDnet Switch TE100-S55E plus Rev A2. I have no manual of the switch and have not been able to find one online (i gave it for a while to a cousin and he lost the manual).

 

[TSDible]

A switch doesn't need an IP address.

It only took me a second to find the manual and spec sheets by searching that model number:

http://www.trendnet.com/downloads/list_subcategory.asp?SUBTYPE_ID=169

It could be that the switch is no good... Make sure that you are connecting it to your current router using the "Uplink" port. Or it could be that the uplink isn't working properly.... In that case, maybe try a cross-over cable... Should find information starting on pg 16 or so of that manual.

 

[ArisVer]

Thank you for the search and the manual. I did search and could not find the manual even though i found the other file.
Back to the connections. I have connected as the manual says. All straight cables, from the modem to the switch through the uplink port, computer A to port 2, and computer B to port 3.
I can ping between computers, but when i ping the modem/router i get a 90% packet loss and that's from both computers.
The only other thing i can try is to connect the modem to the switch to another (known working) port using a xover cable as you said. And check the ports of the switch using the two computers only.
If there is any other information you want please ask.

$ network-test
INFO: This system has exactly one default route
INFO: Host localhost answers to ICMP pings
INFO: Loopback interface is working properly
INFO: The lo interface is up
INFO: The lo interface has IP address 127.0.0.1 assigned
INFO: The lo interface has tx and rx packets.
INFO: The eth0 interface is up
INFO: The eth0 interface has IP address 192.168.10.51 assigned
INFO: The eth0 interface has tx and rx packets.
INFO: The router 192.168.10.254 is reachable
INFO: The pan0 interface is up
WARN: The pan0 interface does not have an IP address assigned
ERR: The pan0 interface has not tx or rx any packets. Link down?
INFO: This system is configured to use nameserver 127.0.0.1
INFO: Host 127.0.0.1 answers to ICMP pings
ERR: Dns server 127.0.0.1 is not available
ERR: There is one nameserver configured for this system but it does not work properly

 

[serpretetsky]

strange that you have 90% packet loss pinging the router. I would expect either 100% (working) or 0%(setup wrong). 90% makes me feel like there' something wrong with the switch.

If you initiate a ping attempt on a single computer IMMEDIATELY after your first ping attempt, is it still 90% failure? or 100% failure?

Test different ports, but otherwise i would try a different switch.

 

[ArisVer]

I have tested the ports with two computers connected to the switch only and i do get some packet loss, less than 5%. The uplink port was the worse giving between 5 and 10%. Is this normal? It is still a lot less than the 90% loss i got when i ping the router. I should also have mentioned that there was no way i could load a webpage while having the switch connected.

I can only assume that there is something wrong with the switch since it is not giving 0% loss all the time. It gives 0% but not frequently. And it never gave a 0% on the uplink port. I will abandon this switch and find a different way to network.

I am sorry if this should have been written in the networking threads, but i thought it was a linux problem.

 

[serpretetsky]

yeah, sounds like a bad switch. good luck!

 

[wirednuts]

i dont have a lot of detailed experience with this, but from what i remember even a wireless connection shouldnt see 5% packet loss unless of course the signal is weak. normally when i check mine there are no lost packets on my wireless connections and i then would assume a wired connection should be much better then that....