Network not working

[witch]

While I was away at half term, my headteacher got some mickey mouse organisation in to put in three ethernet sockets in.

HOWEVER - they have put in three phone jack points instead (!)

AND NOW- my network only works in the server room and the itsuite - that is all the computers in all years, the staff room etc cannot log on to the network.

I have looked at the switch and can see no new cables

Any idea what they might have done and what I can do about it?

I dont know much about networks and would be grateful for any help at all

[Norphy]

Ouch

 

The best thing to do is to trace the cabling back from the new points and see how/if it joins to the network. It could be they've done something stupid like splice it into an existing cable or something.

 

Or get them to come in and fix it and threaten legal action and demand compensation for the loss of service or something.

[witch]

Thanks

Unfortunately I cant trace the cables as they go through the ceilings and I have no way of getting up there or moving the special insulation.

They've probably wired the things up to next door or something.

As I am only a part time tech, I do not have the control that I could do with - I don't even know who did the work and when I told the boss, he sort of shrugged and said he'd get onto it.

He then added that the network didn't work over half term and they wondered why....

Lets see... network works Friday. Work done on network on Monday. Network doesnt work Tuesday...um..what would YOU think!!

[u8dmtm]

If your servers are plugged directly into the core switch couldn't you unplug everything else and then plug in a laptop directly to the switch and attempt to ping the server. Then assuming that all works fine work back from there. Time consuming but I find this kind of approach always leads you to the problem.

 

PS. If you haven't already, don't forget to document what plugs in where so you can build a cabling map which may help you isolate the fault.

[CheeseDog]

Our 3Com switches light up like a Christmas Tree if we get a loopback. I'd try pulling leads out of the switch (not the patch panel, done that before without thinking) one by one, see if it springs back to life at any point.

 

Should be easy to isolate the problem then.

 

Just noticed the solution above is more or less the same thing.

[Geoff]

Why don't you use Spanning Tree?

[witch]

Thanks - will try and sort out switch. Don't have patch panels anyway so that won't be a problem

However, I really dont think there are any new wires in the switch because the ones that were already there are tied together and there are no new wires that aren't in the bunch! I did look at where the phone line comes into the school to see if that had been modified but I can see nothing new there

What is Spanning Tree?

[SteveT]

Best explaination at:

 

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch14.htm

 

and loads of stuff on Cisco site.

[apeo]

Dont have patch panels! yikes.. i thought it was bad here but if you dont have patch panels what do you do to find out which cable goes to which network socket. Has it got a bit of tape or something on each one to tell you or do you have to tug on to find out

[CheeseDog]

Thanks - will try and sort out switch. Don't have patch panels anyway so that won't be a problem

However, I really dont think there are any new wires in the switch because the ones that were already there are tied together and there are no new wires that aren't in the bunch! I did look at where the phone line comes into the school to see if that had been modified but I can see nothing new there

What is Spanning Tree?

 

Still worth doing as you'll find out which old wire has probably been buggered up. They've probably spliced into it at an existing socket.

 

Are your wires numbered that go into the switch?

[Guest]

No Patch Panels? That must be a nightmare. How come?

[john]

Don't get to harsh to him, I have a site that has no patch panel, just a wall full of sockets! 20 ports, really time to get a wall mout patch for the job and free some wall space.... Also I have areas that have just got cables with plugs on them, and they used to be labled, but the inks faded so they just got tape on them now so who knows where they goes! Me thinks its time to get some mini patches and the tone tool out.

[witch]

Um - I have switches sitting on top of each other (!) Cables are labelled but switches are on shelves way above my head so it all gets a bit complicated !!

 

Anyway, thanks for advice - I eventually found out where the cables go into a switch (another one hidden in an old cleaners cupboard) I disconnected them, rebooted switch (came on OK) and server and the network hasn'tcome back up (except for server and IT suite as before)

Do I need to do it in a particular order?

 

Could ethernet cables terminated in phone jacks have done something permanent?

 

PLEASE, any ideas? Teachers may start lynching soon as it is report time! (they know it isnt my fault but I'm THERE, arent I!)

[CheeseDog]

Only thing to do now is disconnect all leads and plug a laptop that you know works into the switch.

 

I'm guessing your switches are linked by a piece of Cat 5 so obviously make sure that one is plugged in also. (Made this mistake when repatching a couple of years ago on a network I didn't know too well)

 

At the computers that aren't working, is the LAN connection icon in the taskbar showing disconnected, or does it have a warning sign?

[witch]

Thanks - I will try that although with short cables and a switch that is 6 feet off the ground it could be a laugh. AND I will have to blag a laptop off a teacher as I dont have one. All lights are on OK though and the things look completely normal:ie the lights are not all on or all off!

I did check the links as I have missed one before as well

 

The computers that no longer see the network do not even have the network log on box available anymore - they did yesterday which was how the problem got flagged up - the password didnt work.

Now they just have the normal windows log on box and are logging on locally and there is no LAN info or anything.

 

I really want to fix this as my boss still hasnt done anything about it and I would like to show him that he should have asked me first!

[E1uSiV3]

When i had a major problem similar tho this (caused by a blown fiber module AND a rogue computer causing the same issue at the same time) i jus pulled everything out and tested bit by bit. I plugged in the DC (my DC ran DNS/DHCP held all the FSMO roles etc) and directly patched my laptop. I then booted all the other servers one by one and checked DHCP (one of my symtoms was DHCP wouldnt work), added in the external link, then brought up each floor, one computer at a time. It meant a 16 hour workday but it got fixed.

[StewartKnight]

Is there no-one else on EduGeek in Dorset that could pop down to the school and help?

[witch]

Thanks for all that although I confess that I didn't understand some of it. I do try not to be intimidated by the level of knowledge on this forum, but sometimes it is hard! E1uSiV3 - I think I got the gist - You would find my life really easy as I only have one server anyway (but, come on, it is an NT4!)

 

I took everything off the switches and plugged in a laptop - turns out one of the switches is dead so that would explain that. Took it out and managed to do without it and all is well now.

 

As far as I can see there is only one other Edugeek member in Dorset - though I am happy to be proved wrong!

[CheeseDog]

"turns out one of the switches is dead" Ok next step is to find out exactly whose fault it is and bill them for a new switch. They're not cheap.

[u8dmtm]

Alternativly it may be under lifetime warranty.

[Netman]

@ITWITCH

..Sorry wasn't around much last week or would have offered to come and help. Didn't we speak via email some time ago about spare machines? If so, I still have stacks if you want some.... Glad you got it sorted though! Also have a couple of spare switches if you need one!!

[witch]

Thanks all

Have passed info about dead switch to the powers that be but I doubt very much that anything will be done about it - there is no point shouting - been there, done that.

Cant really prove that it didnt just fail anyway.

 

Thanks for the offer to come and help.