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3Com Switch and new network

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  • 12-04-2005 10:10am
    #1
    davidoco
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭


    I set up a network using three new dells and a 3com 8 port switch at the weekend. When I set the computers to obtain an IP address automatically from the switch Windows xp home reported that there is limited functionality on the network and some resourses may not be available with a warning symbol on the network icon in the task bar. I resolved this by assigning a user configured IP address and the network works fine then but strangely very slow at times. Anyone ever seen this? I am using 10m cat5 cables which are too long so I have them rolled up, could this be a problem.

    No firewalls, virus, spam processes running that could stop the packets. No internet access required. Printing to a dell printer with a nic card takes at least 10 seconds.


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    #2
    MartMax
    Registered Users Posts: 1,667 ✭✭✭MartMax


    probably if you could setup every machine with same workgroup nane, the auto ip address would be in the same range and fixed the problem.


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    #3
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,877 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Could be name lookups, could be dodgy cabling, could be a routing problem (unlikely)

    instead of using pc names try IP addresses eg: \\192.168.0.5\dellprinter


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    #4
    fatherdougalmag
    Registered Users Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭fatherdougalmag


    A switch operates at layer 2. In the whole scheme of networking things, it's a bit dumb. As such, it doesn't issue IP addresses. You need a DHCP server to do that. You can still get away with statically assigning IP addresses and each machine should be able to talk to each other. Do you have firewall software installed on the PC's? That might be making life difficult in terms of file and printer sharing.


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    #5
    davidoco
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭davidoco


    Thanks lads.
    I was under the impression that a switch functioned as a DHCP server but I now know that's not the case. I'm happy with the user configured IP addresses and they are all in the same Workgroup.

    The pcs came from Dell and were prebundled with McAfee virus and firewall software which was nearly impossible to disable. Either XP Firewall or the McAfee Firewall kept coming back on. There was "PC management software" from Dell on the pc that I think kept bringing them back up. I tried all the tricks with MSconfig but was nearly at the point of reinstalling XP until I realised that the pc came pre activated by Dell so I just kept at it.

    The speed issue is still there but I'm going to try a few hardware changes to see if it makes a difference and I will post an update.


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