NIC Issue

[pingit]

Hello All
I have a PC that drops (for a split second) then re-connects the network connection at random intervals. I have changed the card, cable, port on the switch, the switch itself and still the error occurs GRRRRR. Any ideas? oh it was working fine one day then overnight it became broken. I have also rolled back using system restore, no joy

thanks

 

[Sympology]

Is the card set to Auto/Auto or have you set the speed to say 100/Full?

If you can set the speed on the switch, try 100/Full on both. If you cannot set the pseed, make sure you card is set to Auto.

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[wahnula]

pingit,

Are you using Cat6 cable? I had this exact problem and learned I had to put a "bowtie" loop in the cable. Problem has disappeared. More Cat6 tips:

http://www.cat6.com/faqs/dosanddonts.aspx

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[LawnBoy]

Bowtie loop"? Can you expand on that a bit?


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[roland63]

I think LawnBoy means a knot on the cable

 

[acewarlock]

Like when you tie your shoes.




This is a Signature and not part of the answer, it appears on every reply.

This is an Analogy so don't take it personally as some have.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.

 

[LawnBoy]

I'm asking wahnula just what he means when he says he had to tie a knot in his cat6 cable. I've spent a lot of time and effort avoiding knots in cat5...


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[acewarlock]

Probally acts like a choke that they put on laptop power cables.




This is a Signature and not part of the answer, it appears on every reply.

This is an Analogy so don't take it personally as some have.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.

 

[LawnBoy]

I don't buy that.


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[wahnula]

"Bowtie loop"? Can you expand on that a bit?

I was having problems with connectivity dropping out and coming back on, along with the balloon notification. My tech took the coil of CAT6 on the floor, twisted it one-half turn to appear like a "bowtie" and secured it in the middle. More like a "figure-eight" I guess...

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[pingit]

Hello All

Turns out the switch was failing. I was just a bit to impatient and needed to wait for about 5-10mins for the error to occur.

Thanks for all your reply's

 

[gbaughma]

Woah... I'm curious about this, too... a "bowtie" wouldn't act as a choke... nor would a figure-8.



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[gbaughma]

http://www.cat6.com/faqs/dosanddonts.aspx

From the page, "Don'ts" section:

2. Do not allow the cable to be sharply bent, or kinked, at any time. This can cause permanent damage to the cables' interior.

Isn't that in direct conflict with "tying it like a shoelace"?

I don't agree with this one:

1. Do not remove more than 0.5" of jacket when terminating.

Have they ever actually terminated cable before???? I always end up stripping back about 4", then trimming it down after I've untwisted....



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[LawnBoy]

That's a mighty weird thing, wahnula. Next time I have a pile of cat6 on the floor that's acting up, I'll remember that. I'm sure you were having some kind of unusual electrical interference on this coil of uninstalled cable.

All in all, I would suggest that anybody trying to fix network connectivity problems by tying knots in cables should have their head examined.

"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[wahnula]

I'm sure you were having some kind of unusual electrical interference on this coil of uninstalled cable

Guys,

The cable in question was a 100' run of CAT6, going from the gigabit switch in my office to the server's LAN NIC in the copy room. About 20' of cable was not needed, so it was carefully coiled (about 1' loops) and laid flat on the floor at the switch end. It was coiled in the coil-uncoil style of coiling, where every other loop is coiled in the opposite direction, allowing the cable to lay flat when uncoiled.

I was having connectivity issues with my switch, and it also showed up as an error in my server eventlog, that the connection was lost and then regained several times a week. The workstations all confirmed this with the requisite pop-up Windows balloon.

When I asked my MCSE tech, who was in-office on another issue, about the connectivity, he simply picked up the loop, gave it a half-twist as described, and placed a zip-tie in the middle. The problem has been gone ever since. There is no knotting, bending, or tying involved. He muttered something about "canceling it out" as he is reluctant to share "trade secrets" with me that could put him out of a job, I guess.

I was sure gbaughma, LawnBoy, and edfair for starters would be familiar with this solution for pesky CAT6 problems, as it was a no-brainer for the tech and he recognized and solved it instantly. If not, then know now that it works. I wish I could explain why, but I'm not the one who solved the problem.

I have had more problems with CAT6 than anything and will not use it again. The run to the front office was re-done by well-meaning carpenters, with tight turns and cable clamps every foot. It didn't work at all. I made them re-do it with fewer clamps and wider turns, it works fine now.

So, if you guys don't know why it worked, I sure don't. I was just trying to offer what has proven to be a very valuable and effective repair of a pesky problem. It was effected by someone with a much higher skillset than mine and I have an email in to him as to exactly why it worked, but he is lame about returning emails. He'd rather me call him into the office for another $150...I don't blame him, I'd probably do the same, but I DO answer emails.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[LawnBoy]

I've never heard of such a thing, but then again I learn new stuff every day. I'd be very interested in hearing from anybody else who has seen/done this sort of thing.

The only way I can think of is if these coiled loops were acting like a choke (which would be detrimental to the high frequency signals). By spreading the coils out, the choke's field strength was reduced enough to stop the disconnects.

The problem with that theory is that cat6 is so heavily shielded it shouldn't setup enough emf to produce a choking effect.

Like I said, that's a mighty weird thing...

"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes