RevJim
Gallente
Aliastra
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Posted - 2009.01.30 19:03:00 -
[1]
The other week I was having an odd network problem, the network icon on the system tray would pop up and declare 'A network cable has been unplugged' followed within a second by the 'A connection has been established' repeatedly.
I thought it was an overheating problem as the chipset fan had failed a few days previous. Dragged out the PC, replaced the fan, got it all back together, sorted!
For an hour or so. Mmm perhaps the replacement fan is weak, spent 30 minutes relocating the PC to I could run with the side off, and monitor temps. Seemed to work.
For about 2 hours, then same thing happening. Ok, maybe it's a cable problem. My network cable runs close to the castors on my chair, maybe I ran over it and caused a break, would exlain the intermittent nature of the fault. Off to the shops, new cable made up to my specs. Plug it in, all seems fine.
For about an hour, then the messages start again.
Ok, it's not the cable, it's not the PC overheating, maybe my onboard NIC is the problem. Shutdown, bios, disable 1st network port, enable 2nd network port, reconfig the IP's and off we go!
For an hour or so.
Bugger! maybe it's the NIC controller. Into the spare parts bin (actually a drawer, you know the one, so full you have to shove to close it), found an old PCI network card, plugged it in, even found some drivers, all working fine spent the rest of the evening recovering the stuff I lost due to lost connection.
The following day, the messages start again.
Ok, maybe it's software, full virus scan, full spyware scan, registry clean etc. Find no problems at all. By now I ready to kill something.
Racking my brains to try and figure out what else it could be.
Maybe the network switch (5 port generic) is dying...
I shoo the cat off the switch and change the port I'm using. It makes no difference for a few minutes, then appears to clear up and I have a few hours without problem.
Unfortunately it starts again. I go to the switch to check the cables, the cat is happily sleeping on it. That's when the lightbulb moment happens.
The switch is powered and therefore generates a little heat, it's located in an out of the way place on top of the house media server (also slightly warm). The perfect spot for the cat to nap.
Yep, the network switch was overheating cos the damn cat was sleeping on it. Arggg!!
Solution, kill the cat!
Only kidding, I mounted the switch vertically, cat still sleeps on the server but now I have uninterrupted net access once more.
RevJim
PS never figured out why the wife's PC was fine, probably voltage/chipset related.
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