Best method to test for a faulty switch?

[ScottFern]

We have 4 24 port Linksys switches at my company. Lately, I have noticed all the users at some point or another have connectivity issues to either one of two servers. The computers lose their synchronization and constantly need to be synchronized manually.

I want to test to see if any of our Linksys switches are going bad. I know one of them has 1 bad port already and it seems to be a symptom that supports my theory. Is there any software or hardware device that can tell if a switch is failing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[spidey07]

Best way is to just follow normal network troubleshooting and see if you can isolate it, randomly swapping hardware normally isn't a good idea. Is this all one big flat network and how many switches are there and how are they interconnected? You could have a design problem or some kind of packet/broadcast storm going on.

Other than that just use some ping software to see if you have good layer3 communications and let it run for a few days.

 

[ScottFern]

So there is no tool that can test the individual ports then? Is there a guide on the natural progression of testing for switch errors?

 

[RebateMonger]

I've never looked at this issue. Unless the switches are managed, I suspect you'd have to do the following:

As spidey07 notes, you should first review the design/wiring, to make sure you don't have loops that are causing a broadcast storm.

Start at the first switch in the chain. Determine the IP addresses that are directly attached to each port. Run a graphical ping program, hitting all the IP's attached to the ports for a couple of days and see if any are failing.

Then work your way down the chain to the next switch, doing the same thing.

 

[ScottFern]

So I am going to install a packet sniffer that can pick up multicasts and see if I get anything with that? Any recommendations on programs?