Possible Faulty switch

[Papaya777s]

Hi All, New here. So i recently upgraded to EE 1.6gbps, the EE SMart hub only has 1gbps lan ports, so i bought an ASUS GT-AX11000 Pro router, which has 10gbp LAN port, and 2.5gb WAN, then i connected the 10gb port to a BroTrends 2.5gb 8 port switch. Previously had all 1GB network gear. 1 of the PC's connected to the 8 port 2.5gb BroTrends switch is having regular micro drop outs, its not very noticeable as it drops and reconnects instantly, the PC is a relatively new build with MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk board, 48gb ddr5 i5 14700k etc etc.. it has 2.5gb LAN port. I went round the houses for 2 weeks! I've never had a switch do this. Not knowing or thinking a brand new switch could do this, i bought a PCI NIC for the PC that was dropping out, still got the drop outs, tried different ports on the same BroTrends switch, still drop outs, bought new CAT 7 cables for everything connected to it, still gettting the drop outs, even bought a new motherboard, STILL DROP OUTS, then i thought, right, let me swap back to my old 1gb 8 port switch (TPLINK), drop outs stopped! dont know why i didnt do this sooner! but the thing that wasn't pointing to the switch was, none of the other devices connected to the switch were dropping out! Is this a faulty switch??

 

[Papaya777s]

Um... You bought something that isn't what you think it is. If you have the option, return it, it's only got a 1Gb WAN port and 2.5Gb LAN, the 10Gb claim is BS marketing based on the potential wifi speed.

ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 | Gaming networking｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG United Kingdom

Tri-band 802.11ax WiFi 6 10 Gigabit gaming router. Fast, easy manage. Best for PS5 and Xbox games like farcry 5, PC gaming like PUBG, Nintendo switch

rog.asus.com

RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for WAN x 1, RJ45 for Gigabits BaseT for LAN x 4, Multi-Gig Ethernet port 2.5G/1G x1

As to the issue in question, 2.5Gb port to 2.5Gb port should be fine, I would put more faith in the Chinese rebranded switch than anything ASUS sell.

Thats not the Pro

I have this one

GT-AX11000 Pro Tri-Band WiFi 6 gaming router - Routers - ASUS UK

Tri-band WiFi 6 gaming router, 10G WAN/LAN ports, 2.5G WAN port, dual WAN, AiMesh support, VPN Fusion, Triple-level game acceleration and free network security

rog.asus.com

 

[Papaya777s]

When you say drop outs, is Windows saying that the cable is disconnected? If so then the switch is faulty, no doubt about it.

i get random pop up saying You are offline then connection restored. If i run a continous ping i get 'GENERAL FAILURE' or Request timed out. I 've done the whole uninstall and re-install drivers, network reset (im on Win 11 x64), Winsock reset, etc etc.. flush dns, blah blah blah

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[Papaya777s]

What application is generating a "you are offline" pop-up? Where are you running the ping to?

You need to determine whether you are losing connectivity to other devices on the switch or the link status lights are turning off, otherwise you can't narrow this down.

well the first few days, when i was swapping to new cables, new nic etc etc.. i was pinging the router 192.168.50.1.....then i have also been running pings to google 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4 all give similar faults
the image below is the pop up i get.

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[Papaya777s]

If you move the switch to a 1Gb port on the Asus router do the problems go away?

haven't tried that, will do that now. i've even had 2 "drop outs" in the course of these replies and creating this post/thread.

 

[Papaya777s]

It's not a Windows UI element, so probably not looking at a loss of the physical link here, OP needs to break things down a bit so they're only testing one element at a time.

this is what i was thinking...it looks like an Nvdia pop up, but the Ethernet/LAN icon in my task tray does go out also showing the globe with the no entry across it, and then immediately reconnects, i have not seen 'cable unplugged' or anything like that.
I did test almost one thing at a time, when i had ordered the 1.6gbp FTTP i was on 900mb so in preparation (the engineer couldn't come out for 2weeks - the next available booking) i purchased the asus router and a 2.5gb switch, and im pretty sure the 'drop outs' started then. i initially thought it was something to do with the settings in the router, but double and triple checked and couldn't find anything, in fact WIFI is switched off on the router because i have RJ45 ports in every room in the house. I'm old school and use as much 'cabled' connections as possible, it has more throughput as you all probably know, the only wireless devices, connected to AP's/Extenders around the house are Phones and tablets.

 

[Papaya777s]

Oh sweet Cheesus it gets worse... a £399 version with RGB My advice still stands. Also that no connection image denotes wifi to me rather than wired, but who knows what UI standards Windows does at this point. Also no mention of NBASE-T support in specs for the 10Gb port, I would be amazed if it didn't support it given the 2.5Gb WAN, but you never know.

Do you suggest i get this router instead

BE19000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Router

Archer BE800 is an innovative WiFi router with a brand-new design. Up to 19 Gbps tri-band Wi-Fi enables your devices to run at full speed. Equipped with two 10G WAN/LAN ports—one RJ45 port and an RJ45/SFP+ combo port—Archer BE800 provides flexible support for both fiber and copper connections.

www.tp-link.com

 

[Papaya777s]

If you move the switch to a 1Gb port on the Asus router do the problems go away?

So i've been on a 1GB port since you mentioned it, and just got my first drop out. btw im judging 'drop out' by the pop up not running any pings

 

[Papaya777s]

Hello All and thanks for your help. Just want to elaborate on the full story in depth.....firstly some background on me.....i'd class myself as a 'prosumer' with a mild IT background....i love getting new up to date tech (within reasonable cost). I've always loved upgrading to faster broadband speeds and help push BT along to get our area covered by getting the neighbours to fill out the registration forms and ring them etc....like back in the day when 2mb came out (showing my age now) Then when 38 and 80mb VDSL2 came out etc. etc.. i made sure to rally the neighbours and really get Openreach and BT to pull their finger out. I am by no means in some rural country side, im in the heart of Essex. So naturally when FTTP came out I jumped at the chance and went straight to 900mb. Have been around the houses with broadband companies from Zen, to SKY, BT and some others. I have had all sorts of brands of Wifi extenders and routers and switches, Belkin, LInksys, Netgear etc etc. Always trying to improve the home network so there are no dead zones and everyone can use all their devices with stable and fast connectivity.

SOOOOOO...where the current issue started..........Jan 2024 i do a new PC build....MSI Tomahawk Z690 WIFI Mobo, i5 14700 cpu, Corsair RAM 48gb, Corsair 850w power supply, RTX 4070 gfx of some description....i will mention i am not a gamer, im just impatient and like a fast computer, when i click i expect the page to load...DONT MAKE ME WAIT! lol

I had been on BT's 900mb FTTP package the day it came out in our town (first one on the road to have it) which has been 2yrs, eagerly following the progression of 1.2, 1.6 and 1.8gbps speeds soon coming. As soon as EE had it available on the availability checker, i booked in for the upgrade, i was with BT so had to be migrated over to EE with 900mb initially. So as i had been reading about the associated tech upgrades in the industry, and my new build having 2.5gb lan port, i thought in order to get the most from the 1.6gbps connection i'd upgrade the router to one that has 2.5gb or higher WAN and 2.5gb LAN ports (at least 1). So after much review reading and searching i settled on the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000 Pro, and a BrosTrend 8 x 2.5gbe port switch. I was still on the 900mb service awaiting my appointment at the time of purchase. I installed these and then noticed the DROP OUTS BEGIN!!

Im a huge victim to the SUNK COST FALLACY! So i ignored it for a while then thought, oh its something stupid, it'll sort itself out. Then i started with the cheapest option first and 1 by 1 process of eliminatiion began....

1. Purchased CAT 7 cable to replace the Cat6 from my pc to my RJ45 socket in the wall which goes to the BrosTrend switch. (DROP OUTS REMAINED)
2. Purchased a PCI NIC to eliminate it being the RJ45 port on my 3mth old Mobo (DROP OUTS continued)
3. replaced Ethernet cables from Router to ONT, RJ45 wall socket to BrosTrend Switch all to Cat 7 (still getting drop outs)
4. Then i tried a different port on the switch (still drop outs)
5. Tried different port on Router (still getting drop outs)
6. I purchased a new MSI Tomahawk Z790 Wifi Motherboard moved all my hardware over etc.. (STILL GETTING DROP OUTS)
7. Swapped BrosTrend 8 x 2.5gbe switch back to OLD TP-Link 8 x 1gbe port switch (NO MORE DROP OUTS) aha! we are onto something!

**** Luckily the NIC, Asus Router and BrosTrend were still with in the return and refund period........I have now sent all items back ****

Now i have orderd a TP-LINK Archer BE9300, £100 less than the ASUS and has 4x 2.5gb LAN ports and 1 x 2.5g WAN port.
A zyxel 8 x 2.5gb port switch, a TP-Link 8 x 2.5gb switch and a QNAP 4 x 2.5gb and 2 x 10gb port switch
I will test all the above switches and report back!
(Obviously i dont intend on keeping all the switches i just need 1, but i will keep the one that WORKS! if any!)

So i hope everyone now understands....i did take a systematic approach and only do 1 change at a time. I will report back!

 

[Papaya777s]

I feel like i’ve just gone on the technological equivalent of a first date… just to be clear, you can pay for yours

It’s a lot easier when you have the kit to test, so ideally two 2.5Gb devices running iperf with static IP’s on the same subnet over just the switch, as that would have confirmed if it was that or the router, but if that’s not an option, then changing both of the last links in the chain is about the best outcome and should give you the same functions for less money.

LOL i'll gladly pay for mine!

Well i've been using Amazon as my 'test kit bin' LOL So i can still try what you are saying, So my brother and i have 2.5gb Lan port PC's so we could set them with Static IP's, i assume iperf is an app. It will be a couple weeks till the TP-Link Archer BE9300 arrives so i have switched back to the EE Smart Hub Plus that they supply with the 1.6gbps FTTP package, which has a 2.5gb WAN port to connect to the Nokia ONT with a 2.5gb port. but all the LAN ports are 1gb, however i have connected the Zyxel 8 x 2.5gb and was instantly getting drop outs with in 15-20mins. So that one is out the window, the TP-Link MG 108 something its called also a 8 x 2.5gb also giving drop outs! So those have gone back....so far the QNAP 2x 10gb and 4 x 2.5gb is holing up the best with only 2-3 drop outs in 12hrs or so.

So i'm switching my PC to 1GB FUll duplex mode and testing that.....if that fixes the issue.....what does that mean? i mean im trying to get a 2.5gb network going, so running in 1gb kind of defeats the object of it all LOL

 

[Papaya777s]

Just came across this

Network Issues with Intel® Ethernet Controller I225-V

Recommendation to update Non-Volatile Memory (NVM)

www.intel.com

 

[Papaya777s]

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THis is what i have.....so an update....All switches still dropping out but the QNAP has the least drop outs only 2-4 in a day! But i noticed when i run in 1GB full duplex mode then the drop outs stop. So ive decided to keep the QNap Switch.
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Sorry im useless at posting images! anyone know a simple way FFS!! why are forums so cr4p! u'd think in 2024 i can just paste the image here! jeez

 

[Papaya777s]

 

[Papaya777s]

It's technological ancient history now, but between the Puma issues that saw them withdraw from the market (OK, that was inherited post TI purchase), the Linux driver debacle(s) and two useless revisions of the i225 it was a rough few years. However, since i225 rev. c and i226, it's been OK. The thing is it's an acknowledged manufacturing issue, but how many users will never raise it with the seller because they simply aren't aware of the issue as they haven't got the kit to connect at 2.5Gb to anything yet? Z790 is several generations after this was a thing, and I wouldn't expect it to be affected by this

Do i have the crappy one?

 

[Papaya777s]

No it looks like you have the third revision. If you check the properties in the Details tab that will also show various REV_03 type values.

I've got a CCTV server running an i225 Rev3 (c) at 2.5GbE and it's working 24 x 7 with many cameras and any glitch would cause immediate notifications of camera loss and it runs week in week out no issues. My newest personal PC also has one despite having a motherboard that only came out Q4 last year and again its fine at 2.5GbE even during several hour long full disk image backups and verification.

Thanks for confirming that Simon. Its crazy that i have changed everything and i'm still getting these drop outs, but i dont know why. I've ordered a NICGIGA 10gb PCI card lets see what that does LOL

 

[Papaya777s]

I didn't quite see if you posted that you did this, but did you happen to test the cat6/7 cables from your computer to the switches, etc directly (between switch and computer) and not connecting to a wall plate connection that then going that way towards the switches?

Because I've had a slightly faulty wall plate ethernet socket where if you unplug another ethernet connection that was next to it (dual gang), it would cause the network to crash that'll require manual fixing (unplugging wires and reconnecting, etc). If there's minor faults in connecting to the ethernet socket, it could possibly manifest as micro drop outs. Even though everything else might be working fine.

Hi, thanks for the suggestion, this did cross my mind but then i dismissed the idea because when i run in 1gb full duplex mode the drop outs stop. The drops occur when i run in auto negotiation (which results in 2.5gb) or 2.5gb full duplex. But just to be absolutely sure i will do this and get back to everyone.

 

[Papaya777s]

Very good point, also a lot of the time they are terminated by electricians who should not be left alone with data cables.

Funny you say that Chris, ours was actually done by the electrician , but its been fine for the past 4yrs :shrug:

UPDATE: I have just plugged PC directly into switch with Cat6 cable of some sort. So i will keep everyone updated. Im on 2.5gb full duplex mode. Lets see what happens!

 

[Papaya777s]

Ok Update......bit worrying.....NO DROP OUTS SO FAR
The confusing part is when i was connected to my Ethernet RJ45 wall socket i dont get dropouts in 1GBps full duplex mode.....so can you have a faulty wall jack that only runs smoothly at 1gbps? like it connects in 2.5gbps full duplex mode but i just get the micro drops

 

[Papaya777s]

This can happen for a variety of reasons:

1. Cable between plates is not rated for 1gb+
2. Cable between plates got slightly damaged during installation, not enough to not work, but enough where 1gb+ will have trouble.
3. The socket the cable connects to behind the plate was not stripped properly so contact is poor
4. The socket the cable connects to behind the plate was not punched down properly resulting in poor contact
5. The socket the cable connects to behind the plate has developed oxidiation from being fitted poorly (using scissors etc instead of a punch down tool) causing enough inteference to prevent higher speeds to being stable
6. Grounding wire was not grounded but left hanging behind plate causing interferrence

But yes, that can happen. That was why when I read through the read I noticed you didn't specifically mention testing wires only, but your first test showed you connected wires to the wallplate connection and went from there. And so asked if you went direct with a test or not.

Thanks for the response, I am now testing the ethernet wall jack/port with my brothers PC who has an Asus Z690 mobo with 2.5GB LAN port also, the whole time during this whole process he has never had any issues with any of the switches etc... So using his PC to test if it is the wall port. IF his machine is stable....then what....i mean we did have one port on the ground floor replaced by a local network engineer, who luckily lives just 2 roads away, have saved his number for future, and he did say whoever did the wall ports has used rubbish quality ones, so i may just get him to replace both wall ports, even tho the one goin from router to switch hasnt ever been an issue, my PC Is the only machine on the entire network having issues!!

 

[Papaya777s]

The fact you have structured cabling is really critical information, and I can only speak for myself but when you wrote that you'd swapped all the cables I ruled out the existence of in-wall cabling.

Sorry that was my bad, i should have said, every external (out of the wall) cable that is accessible, as in router to switch A, router to ONT, Switch B to both PC 1 and PC 2, Cable to wifi AP. these are all Cat 7 now. BUt yes, everything in the wall hasn't been altered. how do i post a video? or should i post it to Youtube and put the link here. that might explain the set up better.