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In my current setting, I have a Cisco EPC3982AD router running it's own DHCP server, and handing out addresses on the 192.168.150.X subnet to machines connected to it, on the LAN interfaces. In the garage, I use a time capsule in bridge mode (no wifi) to provide two additional cable connections for my NAS and a laptop. With this setting, I have no connection problems.
Cisco EPC3928AD Time Capsule
+-----------------+ +-------------+
Cable | DHCP, FW, WiFi | | Bridge Mode |
+---------> | | | No WiFi |
| L1 L2 L3 L4 | | W L1 L2 L3 |
+-+---+---+---+---+ +-+--+--+-----+
v | | | | | |
XBMC | | +-Garage-+ | v
v | | Laptop
Receiver | v
+-> TV Box NAS
I now need a WiFi connection on the 1st floor and the Cisco signal is not strong enough. Because of the way the house is built, the cable has to go through the garage to reach the first floor, so I was thinking of replacing the time capsule with a Netgear switch, and connect the lan cable that takes the signal to the 1st floor to the time capsule, this time with WiFi enabled. Something like this:
Cisco EPC3928AD NetgearCGS208 Time Capsule
+-----------------+ +-------------+ +-------------+
Cable | DHCP, FW | | | | Bridge Mode |
+---------> | | | | | WiFi |
| L1 L2 L3 L4 | | L1 L2 L3..L8| | W L1 L2 L3 |
+-+---+---+---+---+ +-+--+--+---+-+ +-+--+--+-----+
v | | | | | | | | | |
XBMC | | +-Garage-+ | | +-1 Fl-+ | v
v | | v | Desktop
Receiver | v Laptop v
+-> TV Box NAS Printer
The problem is once I connected the switch to the network (below), I get irregular internet service on the network. For instance, when opening a web page, Chrome says "resolving host" or gives a timeout error saying my device not connected to the internet. If I refresh, sometimes the connection goes through.
Cisco EPC3928AD NetgearCGS208
+-----------------+ +-------------+
Cable | DHCP, FW | | |
+---------> | | | |
| L1 L2 L3 L4 | | L1 L2 L3..L8|
+-+---+---+---+---+ +-+--+--+-----+
v | | | | | |
XBMC | | +-Garage-+ | v
v | | Laptop
Receiver | v
+-> TV Box NAS
Can you help me? What is wrong with my idea for my home network? Why is the switch failing?
Thanks in advance
something_new
Posted 2014-12-29T23:22:02.643
Reputation: 43
The Netgear CGS208 is a simple unmanaged layer 2 switch - there really is nothing you can tweak on it for testing. What you're describing sounds a lot like broadcast storms, as if there was a loop on the network - which may mean there is a fault inside the switch. – MaQleod – 2014-12-30T08:13:46.880
I have replaced the router for another model, the Netgear GS105. The behavior is the same though. When I ping the gateway using the Cisco and the Netgear setting, I get a lot of timeouts: ping output. While the ping test is running, the switch port lights used by the laptop are always blinking, and the one that connects to the router stops blinking once I get a timeout (I guess it is obvious...)
– something_new – 2014-12-30T13:28:19.547Purely anecdotal, but any time I get a problem on a network with Netgear, I swap out the Netgear for just about anything else & the problem usually goes away. – Tetsujin – 2014-12-30T17:12:00.810
The install guide shows a very similar setup to what you're trying to do: http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/GS205/GS205_GS208_Combined_EN_IG_11Jan2013.pdf. As far as how networks are built, there is no logical reason for your proposed setup not to work. At this point, what I would usually suggest is to take a pcap of the ping attempt without the netgear plugged in, then plug it in and take another pcap until you get a failure. Then look at the differences. You can learn a lot about what is going on from comparing working vs non-working pcaps.
– MaQleod – 2014-12-30T21:54:07.580