LAN issues following fibre installation

[brucewgordon]

Hello,

I am trying to solve a particularly troublesome network issue.

My office is remote from the main house, and that is where the main BT connection comes in. Before Fibre, I connected the BT Hub to the rest of the house using a LAN, and the rest of the house had a router which ran the House WiFi. Worked perfectly for 12 years. At the office end, I used an ethernet switch to connect to the LAN,  and had comparable speeds in the main house to what I was seeing in the office. I changed the router in the house a few times as it got old, but otherwise its been a very good system.

Now - we had fibre switched on a few weeks ago - I am using the same smart hub I always was, but I cannot get a signal through the LAN to the rest of the house. I know the LAN port on the smarthub is delivering the promised 900 Mbps, as I checked it with a lap top, but connect it to the LAN and it disappears somewhere, never to be heard from again!

I have changed the ethernet switch for another (Does this need to be able to cope with fibre speeds; it is quite old?). I have swapped the router at the house end for another but as I am not getting a signal in the house anyway, that isnt going to help. I have checked out the wiring, and ensured there is continuity between the office and the house (there is).

I have been using a Mesh WiFi to get internet into the House, but the speeds are shocking. The 900 Mbps is throttled to about 290 just by connecting the first node, and by the time it reaches the main house, speeds are down to between 5 and 12 - so thats a waste of time. If the connection between the office and the house was working, I think this would be a good solution, but I cannot for the life of me work out why I cannot get a connection!

I did try a Powerline adaptor, thinking I might be able to get it to work through the power circuits - it flickered into life briefly, but has since failed, so thats going back to Amazon!

I'd be grateful for any ideas! I am missing something, but this isnt my area of expertise!!

Thanks in advance

Bruce

[WSH]

So, if I’ve read that right, the office is ONT to SH2 to switch then to rest of house?  The rest of the house is not getting anything at all.

What about the other switch ports?  Do they work if you plug a device directly into one of them?  If not, I would try a factory reset on the SH2.  (Just be aware that will clear any custom settings, so back them up first).

It could also be a switching loop, where you have a loop connecting back to the switch, but modern switches tend to have (R)STP that should correct that.

[brucewgordon]

Thanks for this - really appreciate your reply.

I have tried two SH2's, and they are the same - I can connect to the LAN ports on the SH2, and get 900 Mbps on a laptop, but connect anything else and nothing is happening. The ethernet switch shows its happy flashing light where it is plugged in to the SH2, but the outgoing ports show nothing, so I wonder if that could be part of the problem. However, if I just connect the SH2 to the LAN directly, I still dont seem to get a signal at the other end in the house (so bypassing the switch). However, I am clutching at straws here!

It is very odd - it did work, and now it doesnt, and nothing changed, except fibre was switched on!

Bruce

[WSH]

It sounds as though it has to be a fault with the cable to the house, but you said you'd check that?

Did you check it with a proper cable tester?  It's possibly just one of the plug pins failing to connect.

[brucewgordon]

Thanks again for your reply.

yes I bought a continuity tester from Amazon and also swapped over the socket at the office end with an unused one. The house has four connections from the office; none of which seem to be working. One of them was known to be faulty prior to the fibre installation but the others worked. All very strange!

Bruce

[WSH]

But they test as OK?  Weird.  Sorry, I'm out of ideas.  (I bet it will be something blindingly obvious.  It usually is). 

[brucewgordon]

I’m glad it isn’t just me! I will go back to basics tomorrow and have another go. I’ve also ordered another Ethernet switch in case that might be it. The kids can’t play Fortnite right now so you can imagine how much trouble I’m in!

many thanks for your support.

bruce

[WSH]

I thought you said you'd already tried a different switch?

If not, I 'd try a factory rest on that switch before you order a new one.

[brucewgordon]

Ok, thanks. Yes I did, but it is a good few years old. I will have another go tomorrow!

Bruce

[WSH]

I take it the power light is lit?

Could be memory failure.  

Silly question.  I take it the ONT is connected directly to the WAN port on the SH2 and it is set for FTTP mode?  If you are trying to connect the ONT through the switch as well as the LAN you'll have problems.