Using a switch with a DG834G

I'm suffering a very strange problem with my DG834G v4. As these routers are considered top notch for Be Broadband and the like, I'm hoping that I'm not alone.

My computer and Xbox 360 are in separate rooms, and on a completely different floor to where my phone line demarcation point. I've put the DG834 right next to the NTE5 box, using an ADSL filter faceplate. I've also strung a very long Ethernet cable from downstairs to upstairs. When I plug my PC directly into this, the router sees me and everything is peachy. I get rock-solid speeds.

Problems occur when I try to use a switch.

To get my 360 online, I have a Netgear FS105 5-port Ethernet switch, which should sit between my computer, 360, and router. Whenever I try this, a hole to the netherworld opens and causes everything to absolutely batcrap insane. Things no longer make any sense.

If I leave my 360 and PC to automatically obtain IP addresses, nothing happens. So I manually set the IP, submask, and default gateway for both. This works fine, and my PC can stream music and videos to my 360, something I tested with 300 and Metallica. So, these parts are correctly configured. The switch is fine, the cables are fine, the 360 and PC are fine. But the DG834 is having none of it.

Neither my PC or the 360 can access the internet. They both claim DNS errors of one kind or another. It isn't that the DG834 refuses to work with manually set IPs, as this post was typed up on my directly-connected computer without the switch in the way.

What's even more confusing is that the DG834 lists my computer and 360 under Attached Devices. It knows they're there. It just doesn't give them internet. Regular web browsing, IRC, IM, Windows Update, Steam, any connection type on any port doesn't work.

I've tried setting the DNS server on my PC and 360 to 192.168.0.1, the IP of the router, and the IPs given to me by Be Broadband. Both settings work on my PC, and I get full internet access with either, but nothing happens if I use a switch.

what mode is the Netgear in ? is it acting as a NAT router or just a bridge ie expecting multiple or a single downstream client.

It's acting as a NAT router. I have two laptops and my G1 on the Wi-Fi, which all work fine.

Using DHCP, what IP address do you get when connected directly to the router and when connected via the switch?

Looking at the switch on the Netgear site there doesn't seem to be anything you can do wrong, perhaps it is faulty?

Hi, it should all work configured with LAN (Local Area Network) static IP address,
In addition, there is nothing to configure for the unmanaged switch.

You should have purchased a 3Com switch�

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?...

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?...

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/static-ip-addre...

http://www.portforward.com/networking/staticip.htm

In reply to a post by E7er:

You should have purchased a 3Com switch�

Why?

I have used a variety of switches with Netgear routers and they work fine.

Seems to like plugging 3 Com.

Have you tried using a crossover cable between the switch and the router?

Which port are you connecting the router too?

I believe (and someone will probably correct me if I'm wrong) that only port five on the switch you have is auto-uplink enabled. Meaning if you have a patch cable between your switch and router it must plug into port five.

In reply to a post by pmb00cs:

Have you tried using a crossover cable between the switch and the router?

The datasheet for the switch says it is auto sensing so shouldn't need one.

Which port are you connecting the router too?

I believe (and someone will probably correct me if I'm wrong) that only port five on the switch you have is auto-uplink enabled. Meaning if you have a patch cable between your switch and router it must plug into port five.

Again, the datasheet says any port can be used but it's worth a try.

Well, I think I've found the problem.

I decided to just keep re-trying everything, as that's all the help I'm getting. Eventually, my PC managed to connect when set to use DHCP to get an IP. So the switch is between my PC and the router. Trouble is, it's damn unstable, dropping packets like a leaky bag of water. It takes a few tries just to load the router configuration page.

I had a bash on Team Fortress 2, and it supports my diagnostics. Some commands and weapon changes are ignored by the server. None of this happens when directly connected. I think it was pure luck enough packets got through this time to establish a connection.

Could the switch be faulty? Is there some new setting I need?

I tried to submit this post via the switch, but it wasn't having it, even though a game of TF2 was running in the background. I take the switch out, plug the cables into each other with an adapter, and everything starts working; even requests that were started with the switch now complete.