Network Problem

[AGA]

I am working on a small network with 19 User which is Windows 98 & Windows XP. The funny thing about this network is Windows 98 was working as a server. Which was upgraded to Windows XP Professional. This Firm has about 16 PC 8 upstairs & 11 Downstairs.
The Problem he reported to me was "Only half of the PC can work at any one time". My First thought was the router modem could be faulty so I replaced it with RT 100 router modem.Problem is still the same. I tried to input with a fixed IP instead of "Obtain IP automatically from the router" on 8 workstation but the problem is still the same.

When the connectivity is lost i am unale to ping the router.

Could someone suggest some solution. I have never seen anything like this in the last seven years.

 

[rburke]

Can you even ping the gateway when you lose routing? Also, is that router DHCPing out public or private IP address? Have you checked the router logs to see if there is a possible issue with memory? Finally does it seem to be a upstairs or downstairs only problem?

Just some quick ideas..

Burke

 

[gconnect]

i'd check the cabling and the arp caches (in the router and any switch(if possible)).

 

[AGA]

-I am unable to ping the gateway at all.
-When we connect upstairs we loose connectivity down
stairs & vice versa.
-Router is the only device which is acting as a DHCP.
-It gives out private IP address.
-I did change the router & switch completely. Now my
next step is to change the cable.

 

[gconnect]

if the devices are connected via switch or hub, i'd also try taking the router offline and give 1 pc upstairs a static IP and 1 downstairs a static IP and see if you can ping back and forth. If that works I'd keep on doing that until all PC's can ping each other using static IPs. Then I'd throw the router back in and see what happens.

 

[ChrisAC]

Are the two floors connected to the same hub/switch or do you have one for upstairs and one for downstairs?

Chris.


**********************
Chris Andrew, CCNA, CCSA
chris@iproute.co.uk
**********************

 

[AGA]

Yes 2 hubs downstairs

 

[gconnect]

if one of the hubs is faulty (OR IF ONE OF THE PC's HAS THE NACHI WORM), it will kill your network. from the router console, check the router proc cpu and interface load when this occurs. what could be happening (in either case) is that broadcasts (arp from Nachi or garbage from bad hub) is killing your network.

 

[gconnect]

also make sure that you don't have 2 (or more) cables connecting the same hubs, if so broadcast will radiate and take your net down everytime you connect the 2 hubs

 

[AGA]

Problem Solved.

The above problem was caused by Windows98 SE was upgraded to Windows XP Professional acting as a server. Windows XP/ WIN98 can only handle 10 clients if acting as a server

 

[AGA]

Thanks to All of You,s for Help.