Sabotage suspected. Please help

[holyghost]

I have a simple peer to peer home network which consist of 8 pc link up using a switch. Everything is working till all of a sudden all the computers can't connect to each other anymore. I tried using another switch but still doesn't work. If only 1 or 2 pc down then I know it could be the NIC but all at once, there must be something really wrong. I tried switching it off & on but still not working. Any ideas anybody? BTW is there any programs I can use to detect hacking on a LAN?

 

[Woodie]

Hardware--sounds like the switch went bad.

Programs: Intrusion Detections Systems (IDS). There are many available...but if you don't trust somebody on your home LAN, why don't you remove them from the network?

--Woodie

 

[Garion]

There's a lot of things it could be - For example, one of the machines might have been hard-set as the Master Browser within the network (Properties of Client for Microsoft NEtworks) and been shut off. Without a master browser, network neighborhood goes away, for the most part. That's one example of a lot of possibilities. I wouldn't assume it's an intrusion, probably just a issue of some sort.

- G

 

[nettech98]

Assuming your switch is OK (you said you tried another one):

Disconnect all but 2 PCs from the switch. Try to ping each other. If it doesn't work pick a different 2 PCs. If it still doesn't work, try that other switch again! If you can get two to work, keep plugging in one PC at a time until it stops working...

 

[JackMDS]

One simple approach is:

Get yourself for few $$ a Crossover CAT5 (it always good to have one handy).

Disconnect from the switch your own computer, and an other near by computer, and connect them with the cross over cable.

If they don?t network and share, go over all the setting, until you find what changed.

If they connect and share. Unplug the rest of the computers from the switch, and plug only the two computers that worked with the crossover.
If they connect, and share, plug one by one the rest of the computers, until you find the culprit.

If the two computers that work with the crossover don?t work with the switch, then it is either a faulty switch or a faulty cable.

Have a Good luck.


(LOL) Basically, what nettech98 suggested, he posted while I was typing.

 

[nettech98]

You don't mention if you're using IP or not. If so, does everyone still have an address? My thinking is maybe your DHCP isn't working, etc...

My first post assume the use of IP for pinging. If you're not using IP instead check your network neighborhood...