Home network problem
daro346
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am using a passive network switch connected to the FIOS router.  When I initially connect the home computer (or another other device) to the switch it's online and connected.  After 15 mintues it drops offline, but the two green lights where the cat 5 connects to the switch are both blinking green.  I've tried different switches and the same problem happens.

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Re: Home network problem
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

OK, thanks for the helpful information and pictures.   A couple of things ...

1. Can you tell me where each ethernet cable attached to your router and to your switch go?   Don't need specific model numbers of devices, just the kind of item it is and and also which cables from from the switch to the router.

2. Where does the WAN cable go on your router?  Are you provisioned for internet over ethernet or coax?

3. Does the problem present itself if you disconnect the coax from the router (assuming you are on internet over ethernet) or if you disconnect whatever is connected to the WAN port (assuming you are internet over coax)?

4.  Can you unplug everything from the router and switch except for the following:  connection from router to internet (this is either the WAN ethernet cable or coax), the connection between the router and the switch (the router end should be in a LAN port), and the connection between the PC and the switch -- leaving you with the PC connected to the switch, the switch to the router, and the router to the internet.   Extender also needs to be disconnected and powered off.  Test connectivity and see if the problem presents itself.

Come back with the results.

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Re: Home network problem
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

What type of computer/os do you have?

What do you mean it drops offline?

What model router do you have?

I have had a switch both on Rev I actiontec as well as Quantum with no issues on a Windows 7 PC.

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Re: Home network problem
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Also, what make/model switch and is it possible to upload a picture of your setup (cabling / switch / router)?

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Re: Home network problem
daro346
Enthusiast - Level 2

What type of computer/os do you have? Lenovo desktop running win7

What do you mean it drops offline?after being connected for 15 min or so; the computer says "cant't access the internet" - same for other devices connected to the switch (i.e. printer and networked server), however, the lights are still flashing at the connection

What model router do you have? Actiontec MI414WR Rev I

I have tried 3 different switches - the problem is replecated with all.

Also on the network on the second floor of the house I have an ACtiontec wireless network extender.  Coax cable is connected to it.

2 pcis below on how connected. 

image

image

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Re: Home network problem
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

OK, thanks for the helpful information and pictures.   A couple of things ...

1. Can you tell me where each ethernet cable attached to your router and to your switch go?   Don't need specific model numbers of devices, just the kind of item it is and and also which cables from from the switch to the router.

2. Where does the WAN cable go on your router?  Are you provisioned for internet over ethernet or coax?

3. Does the problem present itself if you disconnect the coax from the router (assuming you are on internet over ethernet) or if you disconnect whatever is connected to the WAN port (assuming you are internet over coax)?

4.  Can you unplug everything from the router and switch except for the following:  connection from router to internet (this is either the WAN ethernet cable or coax), the connection between the router and the switch (the router end should be in a LAN port), and the connection between the PC and the switch -- leaving you with the PC connected to the switch, the switch to the router, and the router to the internet.   Extender also needs to be disconnected and powered off.  Test connectivity and see if the problem presents itself.

Come back with the results.

Re: Home network problem
daro346
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks.. here ya go

1. Router Port connections:
  Router from left to right
  1 - LAN connects to switch
  2.- NAS
  3.- Home Compuer
  4.- connects to cat 5 - other part of house
  5.- WAN port - connect to network connection from Verizon

 Switch port connections:
  1. Connects to Router
  2. NW Printer (over tcpip)
  3. Laptop Docking station

2. Wan Cable is connected to wan port on router - provisioned for Ethernet, not COAX (TV set top boxes are connected
through coax)

3. Make the changes - problem did not present itself Smiley Very Happy

I guess it was the wifi extended plugged into the coax cable.

Thanks for your help!  I had a suspicion something was causing a conflict.

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Re: Home network problem
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

The information you provided was great.  I wanted to make sure there were no unintended cabling loops or connections to the wrong spot.  Glad you found the source of the issue.  Now you'll just need to troubleshoot why the extender is stealing the traffic -- most likely a misconfigured DHCP server.

See if you can login to the Extender directly ... I suspect it is somehow setting itself up as a DHCP server / router and stealing the traffic (essentially, the next was to have you look at the "ipconfig /all" output in a command window on your PC and see what the default router settings were, then wait for the error to occur and look again).

If you can login into and configure the extender directly, you need to turn off the DHCP server on it if one is enabled.  Same would happen if you had your own wireless router you were trying to use as an access point but didn't turn off the DHCP server.

I don't use Verizon's extender in my setup.  Instead I use a MoCA bridge (such as the ECB2500 from ActionTec or the newer MoCA 2.0 ECB6000 or ECB6200 -- note that I'm not sure if  the newer Verizon routers support MoCA 2.0 yet or if they are still MoCA 1.1 -- doesn't matter as the 6xxx series will fall back to 1.1) and my own wireless access points (one a TP-Link router and the other an Apple TimeCapsule).   The bridges are plug-n-play and will work automatically and bind with your Verizon router.

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Re: Home network problem
daro346
Enthusiast - Level 2
Thanks for the help and comments. I login and check the settings. That makes sense about the dhcp settings
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Re: Home network problem
daro346
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am using an Actiontec Wireless extender WCB3000N  http://www.actiontec.com/products/faqs.php?pid=305#q9

I checked their website.  this device pulls an IP address from the FIOS router Actiontec MI424WR Rev I.

I sent in a support request to actiontec to see if there's any setting that would cause the devices connected to the unmanaged switch to go offline.

any other thoughts on what could cause this problem. The Wifi Extender does not DHCP

thanks

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