Ridiculous LAN packet loss problems

[leezer3]

Hiya,
I've got ridiculous LAN packet loss problems here, and I simply can't see any reason for them. Hoping somone on here has some better ideas than me. Setup is as follows:
Router==> Hub 1==> Hub 2. There are various bits of kit connected to the router and both hubs, nothing special really.

The problem is that as soon as hub 2 is added into the equation, I get packet loss of approx 20% on any traffic passing through it. My standard test is a 100 packet ping from the laptop (Mandriva Linux fwiw) to the router. Connecting the laptop to the cable feed supplying hub 2 gives no packet loss, and connecting into hub 1 also gives no packet loss. I've also replaced hub 2 with three different hubs (1 cheap USB, the standard cheap one that was running this to start with, and now a Netgear FS605), and this makes no difference to the packet loss.

All main cables are Cat5E, wired by me (Some devices are connected using premade cables which came with various stuff), the longest cable run is approx 15m from hub 1- hub 2.

Anyone care to think of something I haven't?!

Cheers

-Leezer-

 

[Laser402]

Are they actually hubs not switches?

Hubs do not split up each cable, instead make everything connected to it one big highway basically. If 2 devices send data through the hub at the same time you will get collisions, resulting in packet loss.

If that’s not it then there is possibly some cable damage on the run resulting in high attenuation and packet loss.


Just some idea’s I had.

Good luck!

 

[mandelbug]

The FS605 is a switch apparently (5 port) but hubs should be avoided as much as possible as stated above. Crossover cables can cause the problem as well, are you using a crossover from hub to hub/switch or standard straight cables with AutoMDIX to convert where necessary