only works on 10MBPS

Hi
I am in a bit of trouble.
I had a 6 computer network, running smooth (1 switch, all TCP IP network, static IPs). Then I had an accident (a cooler felt off a video card, overheated a system, it's network card, from there the switch and they got damaged). I have changed the switch with a new one, changed a couple of damaged network cards, and now I have this problem: 2 of my computers work on 100MB fine, but all the others only work if I set them to use 10 full duplex. If I set them on 100 Full Duplex about 50% of my pings don't come back, and I cannot use the network (although in status it sais it is ok).
Can anybody please give me a hint ?

thanks,
dani

I think you had something much more serious that just an overheated video card. That sounds like a surge that came through power, phone, or maybe a power supply, and got into the network.

Did the computer with the video card problem have a bad powersupply by any chance?

You might want to check your network cabling, it sounds like that may have gotten toasted as well. You should have power protection covering your broadband connection as well as power connections. APC has a line of suppressors that have RJ45 plugs that can protect network connections.

You must be in CA and enjoying the wonderful powersurges from PG&E and SBC. We've had several in the last few days. Fun fun fun....

A surge ... that is very possible. It happened once before (the broadband comes through an UTP cable from the block across the street, without any protection. About 2 months ago it toasted the network card that it was insered into. But this time that card is ok.
Beside, I have to ask: can the cables be bad and still the network to work fine on 10MB ?
I'm not from CA. Actualy I am in Romania, Eastern Europe.
Could you please give me a link, or more info on those suppressors ?
Thanks,
Dani

www.apc.com

It sounds like your area is prone to surges, so you definitely need to take precautions. You should have battery backups on every computer (they have surge protection and will help with brownouts), and surge protection on any broadband connection or phone connection that makes its way into the network.

The reason the wiring may be affecting the speed is that some of the wiring/connectors/plugs may be burnt and so it can't get to a full speed connection.

oh my god !
UPS on every computer? you must be joking. That costs WAY too much
but I will have some surge protectors for the broadband connection that is at high altitude.
Thanks for the tips. I kind of thought that the cables or plugs could be damaged, but I thought in that case they wouldn't work on 10MB neither.
Thanks again.

dani

Not kidding at all. If the power goes out while someone is in the middle of a big project and they lose it all, the UPS pays for itself in that one moment.

You can get an apc for a single computer for about $70. It will power the computer for 5 minutes.

hmm... don't know why I had the impression that they were more expensive.
But then again, using UPS for a workstation ... seems a bit exagerate to me. Have you ever seen this applied somewhere ?

>> But then again, using UPS for a workstation ... seems a bit exagerate to me. Have you ever seen this applied somewhere ?

I have one and so do most of the developers in here. Mine is a UPS manufactured by APC and powers my desktop computer + one of my monitors + a linux box I use for testing

Most of my networks have them on every pc. Generally the only time they don't is when the company cheaps out on me or if it doesn't matter if the workstation gets shut off without warning.

Companies that cheap out on me end up getting them in the long run. Especially here in CA where the power loves to go on and off.

here's another question: is it possible for some cables that were not connected to any computer but plugged into the switch to have broken at that surge ? perhaps their plug in the switch ?

213ad: Inadequate shielding in the cabling could allow more noise interferance enter through which could limit faster speeds. Faster speeds are more susceptible to noise.

kadeschs, what do you mean by ? I am speaking about UTP not STP.

Dani

If im hearing you correctly you are running CAT5 cable across the street? Well the first problem is that CAT5 cabling is not ment to run outside it's not shielded well enough. The cabling should have no affect on your network speed unless you are running the cables over 100m, anything longer than that and the signal can be lost, you can solve that problem by using a repeater. As long as you are running a 100mbps switch and the same speed NIC cards on your machines, then all devices should be running at 100Mbps.

it is an UTP cable from across the street indeed, but that sholuldn't bother the network anyway, as it goes into the server, and through another network card into the switch.
so, as you say
but it doesn't ....
I still have to check with other cables. Didn't had the time to try that yet. But you can be sure of one thing: it really sucks to use the network on 10MB !!!
takes many seconds even to save the source file you're editing.

Ok guys, I am back, this time desperate. Tried everything, and this gets more weird.
Here's the thing: changed switch, changed cables, changed network cards. Outcome: same thing. 10 MB only. But there is one thing that outruns everything. Before the unlucky incident, I had a network card that for a particular reason that I don't know only worked on 10 MB. It was the only one, so I ignored the fact. But now, that car dis the only one that works on 100 !!! and all the others receive no packet back if I set them on 100.
Does anybody have an explanation or an advice ?