Printer and self-checkout machine work through 10 MBps hub, but not GIgabit non-managed switch [CLOSED, FIXED (mostly)]

[wmcduff]

I'm a library worker upgrading a 3Com OfficeConnect Ethernet Hub 16C to a TP-Link Gigabit Switch (TL-SG1016D) and figured that the upgrade would be just plug and play. However, switching the hub for the switch resulted in the printer not able to be found from computers on the network, and the self-checkout machine not able to contact it's home. IP addresses are showing up all right, and computers on the network can get through to the internet, and I'm kind of stumped where to look. Any suggestions what might be going on?

I should note that the switch is unmanaged, so no going in there and watching the bits. Also, replacing the old hub restored service to everything, so it's something about the difference between the old hub and new switch.

 

[mauller07]

the only thing i can think is to check that you have patch cables and not crossover cables to the printer and the checkout machine.

 

[sasquatch989]

id be curious to see if the printer and Co machine are hardcoded for speed and dup while your new switch is autoneg. they jsut might have the same defaults as the hub

 

[mauller07]

what you could do if they still do not work is have them plugged into the old hub and the old hub plugged into the new hub if they are having problems till it can be figured out properly.

 

[sasquatch989]

what you could do if they still do not work is have them plugged into the old hub and the old hub plugged into the new hub if they are having problems till it can be figured out properly.

Agree
Plug the CO and printer in to the old hub, plug the old hub in to the new switch, connect the switch to your LAN. your print jobs might slow down a bit since your collision domain will be quite big, but you might have already been experiencing that anyway.

 

[mauller07]

Agree
Plug the CO and printer in to the old hub, plug the old hub in to the new switch, connect the switch to your LAN. your print jobs might slow down a bit since your collision domain will be quite big, but you might have already been experiencing that anyway.

should be less collisions and a faster network overall now since its a hub setup to a switch (only the printer and terminal are sharing bandwidth), overall performance should be better even with the terminal and printer on the old hub.

 

[wmcduff]

id be curious to see if the printer and Co machine are hardcoded for speed and dup while your new switch is autoneg. they jsut might have the same defaults as the hub

That sounds plausible. I'll have to dig a little and check. We'll try the 'everything into switch except those two into a hub into a switch' and see what happens. Updates Monday, as the public's in the building at the moment, so a bad time to unplug a network.

Thanks to both of you!

 

[wmcduff]

Thanks, folks. I finally got the hub installed and stacked it up. One of the computers joined the 'not working through switch' brigade, so it ended up attached to the old 10 MBps hub, which worked fine. I'm suspecting that the tech involved is old enough that it can't recognize gigabit and that seems to be the problem. Time for some upgrades, I suppose.

 

[mauller07]

i think that the network ports on the older equipment dont have MIDI-X negotiation protocols and just expect a 10 meg connection regardless and fail to negotiate with the switch.

would be better to upgrade the NIC on the self service checkout if possible or get a new one if not and get a newer printer