Laptop off of a Wireless LAN Switch??

[EMFSTL]

I have created a wireless LAN between our 2 buildings (Approxx 300'). I have a Cisco 350 Wireless Bridge at our main building (Yagi Antenne). I have a Cisco 350 Workgroup Bridge (Yagi Antenne) at out Service location (Wireless LAN) that connects to a Dell 16-port unmanaged switch. All computers(6) are connected to the switch (CAT5e).
Workstations work perfectly. If I try to attach a laptop (hardwired) to the switch they do not connect to the LAN. The laptop NICs will display activity lights, but I am unable to connect to any network resources or the internet. If I use a PCMCIA NIC, I do not get any activity lights. I cannot ping my Workgroup Bridge, this is the 1st hop after the switch. I cannot ping any workstation off of the switch. I have swapped out the switch with a new one (same make/model). Same problem. I have tried 3 differant Laptops (Dell C640, C510, D600). Same problem. I have tried Using Docking stations w/NICs. Same problem. Using Wireless at the laptops is not an option. I want to keep it as a dedicated Wireless LAN.
Any thoughts or solutions greatly appreciated..

P.S. This Wireless connection has been perfect. We have had some super storms since I have installed this system and I have never yet lost connection for any measurable amount of time. I still need to tweak broadcast power, but I am very impressed. Mail, Citrix, SQL, shared files/printers, Internet. Seems like you are in the main building.

 

[bcastner]

Curious, are you testing always at the same location (wallplate) using the same cables?

It does not sound like the switch or the wireless link is the issue, it sounds like a basic connectivity issue. I would suspect the wallplates, the cable between the wallplates, and the drop cable used.

Could you post the results of an IPCONFIG /all here so that we can see what Windows is returning as TCP/IP parameters.

 

[EMFSTL]

Yes, I have tested from multiple network drops. I have done further troubleshooting. If I attach a 10baseT hub off of the switch and plug the laptop into that - It works. If I try connecting a computer or docking station off of the 10baseT hub - They do NOT work. This narrows it down, but does not really correct the problem. Desktops and docking stations will only work at 100Mbps and laptops at 10Mbps.???

 

[bcastner]

A new set of drivers for those Dells likely would work. To explain your result, it sounds like an autonegotiation failure.

In Device Manager you can for the NIC, under Properties, Advanced, force the speed and Duplex setting.

[tt]
Autosensing failure between switch and workstation NIC; you can use this matrix for some hints as to how to force the workstation nic settings:

Workstation Switch Result

Forced Half Forced Half Works
Forced Full Forced Full Works
Auto Auto Maybe
Forced Full Auto NO
Auto Forced Full NO
Forced Half Forced Full NO
Forced Full Forced Half NO

[/tt]

I note too that some NICs are very sensitive this way if connected using drop cables with split pairs. If you look at both cable ends and see straight-thru pinning on all conductors this is a patch cable and should be used only for short distances and is unreliable at 100 mbs.