Devices attached to new switch lose their connection

[CKDragon]

Hello gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to read about my problem.

For 2 years I have had 2 PCs hooked up to my home network in this configuration

Linksys DSL Modem > Linksys Router BEFSR41 > Ethernet Cable Coupler > PC1
Linksys DSL Modem > Linksys Router BEFSR41 > PC2

(The Coupler is necessary because I needed a longer connection and this particular wire was not easily replaced within the walls of my house.)

Now I need to connect my new ReplayTV and my brother's computer to the network, so I purchased the Linksys Switch EZXS55W. I attached everything in this formation:

Linksys DSL Modem > Linksys Router BEFSR41 > Ethernet Cable Coupler > Switch > PC1
Linksys DSL Modem > Linksys Router BEFSR41 > Ethernet Cable Coupler > Switch > PC3
Linksys DSL Modem > Linksys Router BEFSR41 > Ethernet Cable Coupler > Switch > ReplayTV
Linksys DSL Modem > Linksys Router BEFSR41 > PC2

When I first attached the switch in the network, everything worked fine for 5 minutes, I even copied files from PC1 to PC2, PC3 and my ReplayTV hard drive to make sure that every connection was working fine. Then after ~5 minutes everything connected to the Switch loses its internet and network connection and cannot see any other device on the network. Unplugging and Re-inserting the cable from the Router to the Switch's Uplink A FEW TIMES will bring the connection back, but then the same situation occurs and a couple of minutes later nothing on the switch has a connection.

This problem has me stumped and I would greatly appreciate any help you can provide.

Thank you for your time,

Matthew

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I hate to suggest the obvious, but try replacing the switch!

 

[CKDragon]

Suggesting the obvious is perfectly fine with me. I just have no previous experience with switches and thought that maybe there is a common cabling error that newbies like me commit that could cause similar behavior. I have friends who own switches that I can borrow, so I will get on that.

Thanks for your help.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

The fact that it runs for a period of time would seem to eliminate cabling.

 

[dnoyeb]

The fact that it runs for a period of time would seem to eliminate cabling

Not quite. If he just changed from a 10Mb network to a 100Mb network, his cabling and coupler may not be of high enough quality to sustain the link.

This is likely what is happening. Next time you loose connection, see if you can communicate between pc1 and pc3. also, check the lights on the switch during this down period, that is what the lights are actually for, diagnostics

re reading your post, you suggest all connections to the switch are severed at the same time? if this is true then yes, the switch is clearly bad. but its strange that unplugging and replugging the router restores the connections between computers that dont even use the router to communicate!?

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

If the cables were bad, I would have thought that would have showed up in the previous two years.