Problems with Dual DSL/Switch/Router Connection. Please Help the Newb.

[Perfection]

Alright, so here is the long story.

Back in Janurary my fraternity switched to an Internet setup that consists of two Qwest 1.5 Mbps DSL lines (quite an improvement from what we ran on during the fall...but that is an even longer issue). I installed the Actiontec modems and everything seemed to be going fine.

At first I attempted to load share these connections through a Nexland 800Pro router, and then distribute it to the ~60 computers over the two switches. However, this seemed to cause large problems, such as with AIM disconnecting and reconnecting due to the load balancing, as well as some (I believe) DNS issues.

So, last night I went to the network closet and plugged one of the DSL lines directly into the uplink port on the switch, with the other DSL line going to switch #2. The Internet is now running better and more consistant than it has for quite some time.

Howeve,r I've come across another problem. We tend to share our music and videos and such, and with the current setup, we are not able to connect to the people on the other switch. Sometimes I can see everyone that is logged onto either switch through the My Network Places -> View Workgroup Computers, but the people on the other switch are never accessable. Additionally, when I attempt to ping a computer on the opposite switch of mine, I am not able to get a response.

Currently, I have a cable connecting to what I believe is called the "Stack" port on each of the switches. It is sort of hard to read the labeling under the crappy wiring job that I inherited. A guess I should add that these Switches are Dell, and I cannot think of the model number off the top of my head (but they are fairly new and I know they do not support 60 connections individually).

I tried to get into the web interface of the switches, but the IP's that are supposively set for the switches (I'm not certain they are the right addresses) do not yield a good result when I try to connect.

Overall, I am extremely frustrated, as this is just another hassle I have to deal with. At this point the Internet is going great, and I'm just wondering is there is a way to get everyone on the same "network" for workgroup computers in windows.

One last note....when I had the switches both connecting to the Nexland router, which then load-shared the DSL lines, I had no problem seeing everyone on the 'network' from the workgroup computers.


I am just a freshman in CS...not a guy in Management of Information Systems or networking. Help a newb out....PLEASE.

Thanks for any help that you can provide.

I really do appreciate it.

 

[skyking]

you need the original tech to come back and help you sort that out, if possible.
next option is to get a local competent person to come over and console into those switches via the RS232 port, if it has one.
Does it look like this?

The console port is on the back, but it won't do much good without the login details.
If you want to connect the switches, you'll need to set that up.
I took a look at the first article that came up on the router.
Fairly comprehensive review.
I think you can go back to the nexland if you set the load balancing up in a 70/30 type if load balance. It would be worth a try, as would many of the advanced features in there.
With a straight 50/50, several of the clients end up "sitting on the edge" betweeen the two wan ports, and protocols like AIM will get hosed with the constant connect-move-reconnect action. That is what I am surmising anyway.

The other thing to consider is splitting it up, really. I am willing to bet that if you polled the house, a great number of people would want a simple net connection, no filesharing, no gaming, "leave me the fsck alone and make it reliable"!!!!
Put them on a seperate connection, router, switch. Make it optional to move back and forth, so long as you stick with a decision for a few weeks and *not* bug the sysadmin

 

[skyking]

Wait a minute......what is doing the NAT on the second switch? The actiontec must be a router too.