Network Problems

[Akula]

Let me run this one by here and see if anyone has ideas.

 

I have a network that is acting strangely. 1 station on the network is functioning fine, the rest not at all. Can't even get an IP assigned to them. It is DCHP type, so it should automatically assign the IPs to the stations.

 

I've ruled out the main hub, as the working station is tied into that one. I've taken off solo stations and gone directly to the source (DSL) and still can't get an IP assigned. Naturally I've done the usual fixes, modem reboots etc. with no change in results.

 

Anyone have any ideas on where to start looking for the problem?

[TonyE]

Anyone have any ideas on where to start looking for the problem?

 

What IP address is being given to the working station? Where I'm going is a first pass look at whether you need a router behind the DSL modem or not (in these parts the DSL modem is always bundled in the same device as a router but with Cable here they are always two separate devices {not a technical requirement rather just how the providers do it}). If you are going straight to a modem and receiving a public address rather than a private/NATed address then I would only expect one machine to work.

 

After that we can start in on whether you are running a 'real' server in which case I'll counsel that machine to be the DHCP server and all other DHCP servers to be turned off. I'd only use the router's DHCP services if there isn't a 'real' server on the network such as Windows or Linux or OS X server (mainly to ease the security burden via easier DNS management).

 

I only charge $115/hr (USD) for networking support

[Akula]

Anyone have any ideas on where to start looking for the problem?

 

What IP address is being given to the working station? Where I'm going is a first pass look at whether you need a router behind the DSL modem or not (in these parts the DSL modem is always bundled in the same device as a router but with Cable here they are always two separate devices {not a technical requirement rather just how the providers do it}). If you are going straight to a modem and receiving a public address rather than a private/NATed address then I would only expect one machine to work.

 

After that we can start in on whether you are running a 'real' server in which case I'll counsel that machine to be the DHCP server and all other DHCP servers to be turned off. I'd only use the router's DHCP services if there isn't a 'real' server on the network such as Windows or Linux or OS X server (mainly to ease the security burden via easier DNS management).

 

I only charge $115/hr (USD) for networking support

 

The good news is we found the problem...or at least the greater of the two. One of the network hubs went bad, once replaced it started working again. The second problem may very well be the DSL router/modem, as that particular piece of equipment is about 10 years old and probably needs to be replaced soon.

 

The system is really messed up, the results of having no fewer than 6 different people work on it over the years. We have both DSL and T1, tied in together (honestly the DSL could be dropped IMO) with a server for the financial part of the office and the others simply tied directly to the T1 internet. I'm begining to regret ever having agreed to work on the computers at work.

 

$115.00/hour? Sounds like I need to go to networking school and start my own business.