Question Went from one switch to two, and problems seem to have arrived

[axlrose]

We had lighting nuke some items in our house. Among those were our switches (maybe our router, which is maybe my problem) and I'd love some theoretical help with the switch situation if you have some expertise.

The internet comes into the house and goes to the router. Previously it went from there to a twelve port switch. In replacing that, I couldn't find any similar in size, so I purchased two switches with 8 ports. I have a patch cable from the router to each of the switches.

What I am wondering, is have I caused my current internet problems by introducing two switches where I only had one before? I'm not sure what this problem would be, but is there anything I can troubleshoot related to an increase in switches? Does that introduce IP problems? Does it matter if my ap's are on both switches or can they only be on one? I just can't get my home mesh system back up and running and I'm running out of ideas. The extra switch is a new variable.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[axlrose]

Is there any way to determine if my router or my switches are the weak link in the chain?

I've read some thoughts on making a static ip address for the ap's. I'm not exactly sure what this means, or if it's something I should do?

Thanks again.

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include make and model information for modem, routers, and switches.

And one immediate thing to look for is tha,t in changing the switches etc., that you did not create some sort of network loop.

Google "What is a network loop image" for examples.

Sketch out a simple diagram of your network and lable all devices. Make note of what ports are being used with respect to the various network devices.

Scan or photograph the sketch and post the sketch here via imgur (www.imgur.com).

 

[axlrose]

I'll google it. I'm assuming that's a problem I might have created with two switches? I'll try to fight through the rat's nest of ethernet cables and figure out what cables are going into each switch.

Any tricks for labeling all of the network cables?

 

[axlrose]

router - tp-link ac 1200

Switches - tp-link tl-sg108 (2)

 

[axlrose]

Okay, I'm sure I somehow have loops. What can I do to sort it out and fix it?

The big issue is I have my ethernet come into the house and run into the router. From there I have patch cables to both of the switches. Then I have all sorts of things on the two switches. This all started because I have three unifi ap's that I run off of my desktop, but no matter what I do, they set up so that one is 'wired' and the other two 'mesh' off of it. I am sure there is a traffic problem somehow.

I also probably have my AV receiver, and my roku, and my firecube, and my blu-ray player looped somehow on accident now (I probably have a cable running to the firecube, and a cable from the other switch running to the receiver, but then the firecube is connect to the receiver or something similar to this). What do I do to remedy any loops?

Thanks.

 

[axlrose]

Running to Target right now to get some cable labels that came up with I searched their site.

If I do in fact have loops now that I have two switches, what kind of problems could this cause? Could this be why my ap's won't seem to connect with a hardline, but only with wireless? Could this be related to the trouble I'm having getting my ap's to show up and be adopted and to be online?

Thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

Done right, multiple switches is no problem.

Done wrong, and your network is busted.

We NEED a accurate diagram of what is connected to what, and how.

 

[Ralston18]

Before doing anything take some time to look at and trace wires.

Use masking tape for temporary lables. Sketch out the connections you find.

Look in the router's admin windows. Hopefully there is some listing of network devices including IP address, MAC, connected/notconnected, etc..

Add that information to your sketch. There should be no duplicate IP addresses.

 

[axlrose]

Got my labels from Target. Going to trace cables and label them, but I'm still not sure what I'm looking for. Is there an easy way to explain what busts a network? I must have one of those.

Do I want all of the cables running through the walls on one switch? All of the av devices and IoT devices on the other?

 

[bill001g]

In most houses it should not matter what you connect to what switch. If you had a bunch of servers and had a lot of traffic you might exceed the capacity of a port....we are talking about attempting to use more than 1 gbit so it is not something you would see in you average house. You should be able to plug into which ever switch makes it easiest to keep it managed for you there will be no difference in the performance.

What you basically need to be sure you connect the ISP to the wan port. Then connect each switch to a lan port on the router. I would do them 1 at a time and unplug the other. After you are sure everything works then plug both into the router.

Key is you can not run a cable between the 2 switches if they also have a connection to the router. This makes a loop. You also have to be careful not to do silly stuff. If for example your AP has mulitple ethernet ports you do not want to plug one into each switch.

Pretty much just do it simple and it will all work.

 

[axlrose]

ISP goes into the wan.

One patch cable from the router to the switch. And one patch cable from the router to the other switch.

No cables run between the two switches (like the patch cable from the router to the switch).

Nothing connected to the router is connected to a switch, except the patch cables that are supposed to.

Does that kind of cross dumb mistakes off of the list?

 

[kanewolf]

ISP goes into the wan.

One patch cable from the router to the switch. And one patch cable from the router to the other switch.

No cables run between the two switches (like the patch cable from the router to the switch).

Nothing connected to the router is connected to a switch, except the patch cables that are supposed to.

Does that kind of cross dumb mistakes off of the list?

From your original post, your APs can only be connected ONCE. ANYTHING connected to both switches can create a loop. THAT is what kills your network.
From your original post, your ISP doesn't know what is connected to the LAN side of the router. The NAT function on the router handles all that.