VPN drops out without switch

[Josephius]

We have two clients with similar situations when setting up a VPN. Both clients have Dells/win2000 for workstations at the remote sites. Both clients' remote sites either lock up or drop the dsl connection. Neither will work directly with Netopia routers/dsl modems WITHOUT a switch between them. Although the routers have hubs, they just won't work. Older machines have no problems. We're thinking the newer machines are constantly polling and trying to negotiate a higher connected rate.

All we know is that when we put in a switch, they work. We don't know why. Anyone have an opinion?

Thanks

 

[technome]

Sounds like a flow control problem. Do you have a flow control setting on your network card settings, enable it if it is not , visa versa. Match on both sides of the VPN.Do routers have newest firmware?
Wondering about the flow control because switches have buffers in them to control data flow. Or perhaps the switches are keeping the machines from renegoiating network speed

 

[Josephius]

Thanks for the reply. I think it's the speed issue. All other parameters are defaulted (flow control).