3 linksys se1500's with Airport Extreme help

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Level 2

151 points

3 linksys se1500's with Airport Extreme help

Hi!

I have a new home with a wired network. I have a previous generation Airport Extreme hooked up to a Motorola SB6141 for our internet connection.

The wireless works ok, but our roof has a radiant heat barrier and messes up the signal... so we prefer using ethernet.

1. I had 2 Linksys SE1500's hooked up in room 1 & 2 to use with several devices.

2. All devices in room 1 & 2 work fine.

3. Today, I picked up a third Linksys SE1500 to use in room 3 with some new devices.

4. The devices will not obtain an IP from the router when plugged into the switch.

5. The devices obtain an IP just fine when hooked directly to the wall.

6. The new switch works just fine in room 1 & 2.

Questions and additional information:

1. Is there a limit to the number of switches that works with the Airport Extreme?

2. The switch is plug and play, so there are no settings to be altered within it...

3. I keep getting a 169.x.x.x IP within the blu ray player and AppleTV hooked up in room 3.

4. I have not tried bypassing the house wiring because devices obtain an IP very quickly when hooked up directly to the wall plate.

5. I have the Airport Extreme setup to distribute IP's to wired devices via MAC addresses.

I would really appreciate any help you could offer. I'm really lost here.

Thanks,

Joe

Posted on Jul 19, 2013 10:28 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LaPastenague

Level 9

67,208 points

Jul 20, 2013 12:48 AM in response to the1sen

There are limits when you cascade switches.. but I cannot believe that is the trouble.

1. Is there a limit to the number of switches that works with the Airport Extreme?

Not if you plug the switch into the correct port. As long as you are not using the WAN port you can plug switches into the 3 LAN ports without issues.

Switches can sometimes behave poorly but you did the test swap in Room 1 and 2 which I would have asked you to do.. I presume you also took a switch from room 1 or 2 and tested it on the room 3 outlet?

That is most important to make sure the issue follows the position or the switch.

Ensure the Airport Extreme has a plenty of IP's available.. far more than used .. the normal 2-200 default is fine..

Does the connectivity led come on when you plug the switch in.. ? Test at the AE and test again in the room.

A poorly terminated cable in room 3 would be a possible reason... A poor cable between the switch and wall point.

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Answer 2

the1sen Author

Level 2

151 points

Jul 20, 2013 7:23 AM in response to LaPastenague

Hi.

I did try a working switch from room 2 in room 3, it did not work.

The link light for the router is on in both situations - either:

1. when the device is connected and working from the wall plate, or

2. when the switch is hooked up to the wall plate and not working

The default in the router is set from 2-200.

I believe there is a poorly terminated cable inline somewhere outside of my setup, as I have just tested the equipment inside the Laundry room and it all works fine. I'm calling the home warranty folks to come repair it shortly.

A funny story has arisen from this:

I picked up the 55" TV and put it in the laundry room where the cabling gathers and the router is located. I then began bringing all the peripherals and cabling into the laundry room. It's 0600 in the morning here, and my wife comes trotting out of the bedroom, watching me carry all this crap into the laundry room... I am in there for a while hooking everything up. I come walking out with what she calls a look of relief on my face, and she asks if I'm moving myself into the laundry room... It's not a bad setup in there, actually.

Thank you for the help.

One remaining question from me is this... why does a single device work just fine through the wall plate in room 3, and not the switch which is confirmed good? Puzzling... If it's simply a termination, then should be taken care of this week.

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Answer 3

Jul 20, 2013 2:35 PM in response to the1sen

Timing is everything in ethernet. A bad ethernet run can work well on one device and not another due to signal levels and timing.

There is another test you can do.. grab one of the switches from Room 1 or Room 2 and impose it between the Extreme and the connection to Room 3.

So you have..

Switch (rm3)---ethernet cable in wall--- switch--AE.

And see if that fixes it. You can sometimes get enough differences between different brands to affect timing.. and not all brands work 100% together if the cabling is in any way substandard.

The test equipment required is fairly expensive and even pro installers often just hire it. But you do need to do actual measurements of the bandwidth and error rates.

Sometimes it works on a single computer but you are not looking at the error rates.. you will see that in fact there is a lot of resent packets etc.

I imagine unless your Laundry room is rather huge.. getting far enough back from the 55" TV may be difficult.

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Answer 4

the1sen Author

Level 2

151 points

Jul 21, 2013 9:35 PM in response to LaPastenague

Hi,

I tried hooking up an AppleTV to the wallplate in room 3, and it did not work, hooked up the blu ray player to the wallplate immediately after, and all was well. So it seems the cabling is definitely at fault here and the switch / AppleTV are too sensitive to the issue. I've got a service call into the home warranty folks. Should be a quick fix.

It was a crappy viewing angle in the laundry room, to be sure, but it was a creative lighting instrument for certain.

I'll post back with a resolution or additional questions here once the service call is completed.

Thank you again ! Very much appreciated.

Joe

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Answer 5

the1sen Author

Level 2

151 points

Jul 26, 2013 10:45 AM in response to LaPastenague

Hi,

I just wanted to thank you for helping to diagnosing the issue.

Turned out to be an RJ45 connector from the networking folks that installed the lines. They crossed a blue with an orange in the center, and it screwed things up. After he replaced connectors, it all linked up seemlessly just as in the other rooms. No cuts, no buts, no coconuts.

Now, onto the next AppleTV, which will hopefully will be compatible with whatever update they might release in the near future.

The sad part to this story is that I really liked the laundry room viewings I had, poor viewing angle and all... so private and such warmth in the midst of such cleanliness, fluffy towels, and white whites. There's something to be said for viewing a 55" television at point blank range.

Farewell laundry room surfing time, I've never met your equal, and I fear I will not see you again... :-(

Thank you again. May the Force be with you.

Joe

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Answer 6

Jul 26, 2013 2:34 PM in response to the1sen

Thanks for the conclusion of the story..

Getting ethernet right is so so easy.. and I guess the average cabler is too bored out of their brains to bother even double checking.

If it would just not work at all, everything would be fine.. but ethernet has this ability to half work.. and that throws up confusion plus.

The force will be with you.. always!!

PS>. You need a Man Cave somewhere. The Laundry has simply activated the man cave need.

Aussies.. we have a shed in the backyard. I guess in US you have a bomb shelter.. !!

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