Trying to combine two switches is driving me insane...loopback?

[pbc]

Basically one of my two network switches crapped out and I bought a new one, but am now having numerous issues (loop backs?) trying to connect the two where the main one works, but the second router only allows one port to work at any time. So looking for what is the best way to connect these.

Hardware is as follows:

Xfinity xb6 in bridge mode (Rogers ISP into this)

Asus RT-AX86U

YuanLey unmanaged 28 Port Gigabit PoE with 2 uplink ports

BV-Tech unmanaged Switch with 2 uplink ports

The XB6 is connected via Eth 1 port into the Asus internet connection (WAN?) blue port.

From the Asus, I have port 1 (called a Gaming port) going into the uplink port of the YuanLey. Most functions on the YuanLey work fine, but it clearly doesn't like having all 8 of my POE security cameras plugged into it + 2 POE Access Points. The cameras worked at first, but keep conking out. So I wanted to use my BV-Tech POE port and dedicate it to my 8 security cameras.

But can't seem to get the BV-Tech switch to work without creating what I assume is a loop back per another discussion.

Pretty sure I've tried everything at this point:

- Connecting the Uplink Port on the BV-Tech directly to Port 2 on the Asus

- Connecting Port 2 of the Asus to a random port on the BV-Tech

- Connecting from the uplink port of the YuanLey switch to the uplink port of the BV-Tech switch

- Connecting from a random port on the YuanLey switch to the uplink port on the BV-Tech

None seem to work right. The only other thing I can think of is, do I need a cross-over cable instead of a regular LAN cable, and if so, which ports/devices should I be connecting?

At a loss here.

 

[tgl]

Most functions on the YuanLey work fine, but it clearly doesn't like having all 8 of my POE security cameras plugged into it + 2 POE Access Points. The cameras worked at first, but keep conking out. So I wanted to use my BV-Tech POE port and dedicate it to my 8 security cameras.

But can't seem to get the BV-Tech switch to work without creating what I assume is a loop back per another discussion.

Just to put another spin on this: did you check that the total draw of your cameras and APs doesn't exceed the switch's power budget? I'd think that a 28-port PoE switch could power ten devices, but who knows with no-name gear. You didn't describe the BV-Tech switch's problems in any detail, but maybe it's maxed out its power budget too. You could try splitting the devices across both switches, perhaps.

None seem to work right. The only other thing I can think of is, do I need a cross-over cable instead of a regular LAN cable, and if so, which ports/devices should I be connecting?

Crossover cables have not been a thing since "Fast Ethernet" days. All devices supporting 1Gbps or better Ethernet standards are required to auto-negotiate the cable usage, so as long as your cable connects all 8 pins it's fine.

EDIT: hmm, wait a minute. Now that I read the specs on that BV-Tech unit, its regular (non-uplink) ports are only Fast Ethernet (10/100Mbps). That means you very well could need a crossover cable to connect to one of those ports, depending on what is at the other end. That doesn't explain your problems with the YuanLey, but I'm still suspicious about the power budget on that one.

 

[pbc]

Strangely. I built a quick crossover cable and connected it from an unused port on the YuanLey switch to the uplink on the BV switch and everything worked for a while including the cameras which I connected to the BV switch.

But of course now the cameras stopped working. Maybe you’re right about power draw, but I’m pretty sure I had them all plugged into my BV switch before the other switch crapped out and they worked fine.

Weirdly, I ask can no longer connect to my Sonos system. Says it is not on the network. Even though I literally see the Sonos device connected to an IP address.

God I hate networking/switch/router issues.

 

[tgl]

I hear ya

The power budget theory doesn't seem too hard to test. Start with just one camera connected. If it seems stable after awhile, add another. Repeat till problems occur.

 

[pbc]

Just to put another spin on this: did you check that the total draw of your cameras and APs doesn't exceed the switch's power budget? I'd think that a 28-port PoE switch could power ten devices, but who knows with no-name gear. You didn't describe the BV-Tech switch's problems in any detail, but maybe it's maxed out its power budget too. You could try splitting the devices across both switches, perhaps.



Crossover cables have not been a thing since "Fast Ethernet" days. All devices supporting 1Gbps or better Ethernet standards are required to auto-negotiate the cable usage, so as long as your cable connects all 8 pins it's fine.

EDIT: hmm, wait a minute. Now that I read the specs on that BV-Tech unit, its regular (non-uplink) ports are only Fast Ethernet (10/100Mbps). That means you very well could need a crossover cable to connect to one of those ports, depending on what is at the other end. That doesn't explain your problems with the YuanLey, but I'm still suspicious about the power budget on that one.

What do you mean are only Fast Ethernet? That they aren't gigabit ports?

Description says "BV-Tech 18 Port PoE+ Switch (16 PoE+ Ports | 2 Gigabit Ethernet uplink)" on amazon..

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01MQHD54L/?tag=smallncom-20

 

[pbc]

Weird thing is when I google connecting two switches, seems the recommendation is to "not" connect switches together, but rather, connect them to different ports on the Router. Which is what I can't seem to get working.

 

[Tech9]

Something is off around your YuanLey and BV-Tech switches and/or compatibility between your equipment. I currently have an UCG-Ultra gateway with 2x USW-Ultra PoE switches powering 4x U6-Mesh access points and a separate Netgear PoE switch powering 8x PoE cameras on a different VLAN network. Similar setup was working before with Netgate appliance and 2x Netgear PoE switches powering the same 8x PoE cameras and 4x Ruckus access points. Don't go with the lowest price equipment you can find.

 

[pbc]

Hmmm...okay...a bit more "progress" I guess?

If I connect my laptop directly to the BV-Tech switch (so again, Asus port to the YuanLey Uplink port, then from a regular port on the YuanLey into the BV-Tech uplink port) I can then access the web GUI for a couple security cameras that are connected to the same switch that the laptop is connected to. I also get assigned an IP address ((192.168.1.251), and I can access the GUI of the security camera connected to the BV-Tech switch (192.168.1.61).

But if I disconnect the laptop and connect it instead to the YuanLey switch, I get another IP address on the laptop (same 192.168.1.251) and can connect to the internet, but can not connect to the security camera (192.168.1.61).

So is it possible that maybe the subnets or something is different between the two switches and maybe that's what is causing the "issue"?

Is it possible to adjust any of this on unmanaged switches?

 

[Tech9]

Both YuanLey and BV-Tech switches have port isolation feature, there are configuration switches on the front panel. Check the User Manuals what they do. Unmanaged switches, but seems like marketed for PoE camera use with some specifics. Perhaps the cause of your issues.

 

[pbc]

Good eye. So the BV-Tech one I have must be an older version. No dip switches on it.

But the YuanLey has one. It is set to V which reads to be “port isolation mode” instead of standard mode. Manual doesn’t say what it does. At least the one that came with the device. Will google it.

 

[tgl]

What do you mean are only Fast Ethernet? That they aren't gigabit ports?

That's what it says in the description you linked to in your first message:

BV-Tech 16 Port PoE+ Switch Features:

• 16 PoE+ Ports at 10/100Mbps each, 802.3af/at
• 2 Gigabit Ethernet Uplink Ports at 10/100/1000Mbps each
• 135W Max Power (up to 30W per port), Hi-PoE at port 1&2 providing up to 60W single port, 6kV surge protection

If there's more than one version of this, you need to be more careful about identifying what you have.

 

[pbc]

I think that was it. I changed the Dip switch to Standard on the YuanLey. Now I can use both switches attached via their uplink ports to the ASUS router.

Weird. Why or how would port isolation on the YuanLey actually block the ASUS from being able to connect to the second switch via its uplink port?

 

[Tech9]

Solved?

Happy New Year!

 

[pbc]

Actually I take it back. Lol. I think my laptop was still connected to the BV switch when it looked like everything was working.

With the dip switch on Standard … nothing is working properly. Internet seems to be coming in and out of devices intermittently.

 

[Tech9]

You know how it works then - reboot, reset, reconfigure. Make sure your Asus router WAN ports are assigned properly and it has no signs of malware. This model was the most affected. Good luck!

 

[pbc]

Have the most recent Merlin firmware on the ASUS FWIW.

Rebooted everything. Kept the BV-Tech switch off. Man, flipping the switch away from Port Isolation completely messes everything up. Just intermittent internet access to everything connected to the YuanLey switch. Have never seen anything like it.

 

[pbc]

I can’t even access wifi in any SSID (my APs or my router itself).

 

[tgl]

Starting to sound like that YuanLey switch is a piece-o-junk.

 

[pbc]

Wasn’t an inexpensive switch either, given it’s not managed. $200 Canadian.

I don’t understand what Port Isolation does or what V vs S is in the switch as the manual is junk.

But I wonder if the BV-Tech switch is just in some different default setting and won’t play well with the YuanLey switch.

Will try a few other things. Otherwise bite the bullet and spend $400 on a Netgear managed switch and hope it can handle all my POE. Then grab a smaller non POE rack mounted Netgear switch if I can find it for the rest of my devices.

Slim pickings for Netgear stuff here.

 

[pbc]

Would this switch..

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0C2JLGLWQ?tag=smallncom-20

Work well with this unmanaged one?

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08QDVSWX4?tag=smallncom-20