Hey everyone! I'm dealing with a frustrating connection issue in my organization's setup. We have three buildings that are all connected via a central server room. However, one of the buildings keeps experiencing connection drops that last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. It's a small place with about 20 devices linked to a switch, including VOIP phones, access points, and cameras, plus the Ethernet connections for laptops and desktops. The strange part is that even when the connection drops, the switch appears to be functioning normally. I've already tried restarting all the devices and disconnecting some of them, but I'm still at a loss because the connection sometimes restores itself without any intervention. Does anyone have suggestions on how to troubleshoot this?
2 Answers
First things first, make sure you're not overdrawing PoE, which can lead to some weird connectivity issues. You should also double-check that the network issue is actually occurring at the switch and not somewhere further down the line. Review your logs and ensure the physical connections are solid on both layers 2 and 3. If you can provide more details, I'd be happy to help!
It sounds like you have a classic connectivity issue! First, can you clarify whether the data center is in one of the three buildings or if it’s remote? If it’s in another building, check how the connections are run between them—like whether you're using a wireless bridge, fiber, or Ethernet. Sometimes, interference can happen based on peak usage times or nearby machinery, so try to take note if the drops happen more during busy hours.
Exactly! And if you're using cables, check if they are shielded and whether they run above or below ground. That could impact stability too.
Great points! Don't forget to examine the scheduling or operations as well. Sometimes, heavy machinery can cause electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Thanks for the tips! I'll look into the PoE and check the logs if they’re accessible.