Little Confused Any help appreciated :S

[Danny D]

You may want to look into taking some classes at a local community college.

You could go for an associates in Networking Technology if you wanted to go that route. Or at the very least take the four CCNA classes. The first class is networking basics and the second is basic routing, third is switching, and fourth is advanced routing.

Well worth it!

I am in college right now but i was stupid for not taking networking as they had it.

edit: i also found these books: http://www.simulationexams.com/books/cisco/ccna-books.htm

which one would you recommend?

[Sophism]

Neither to be honest. You may want to start out with something like a network+ book. Or a "Beginners guide to Networking"

[+BudMan MVC]

Yeah your not going to want to jump right into a CCNA course book if your sketchy on even what a switch is ;)

This might be a better starting point ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Networking-Dummies-S...e/dp/0764516779

http://www.amazon.com/Networking-All-Refer...7348&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Networking-Beginners...6932&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.com/Sams-Teach-Yourself-...7162&sr=1-9

[+John Teacake MVC]

BudMan I thought you didn't know what books were hehe

[Danny D]

I just purchased http://www.amazon.com/Networking-Beginners...6932&sr=1-4

Will start reading :)

[Danny D]

Hey guys it seems that both the dlink and the linksys are switches. Its a very weird set up :s

[Sophism]

Interesting. What us the model of the dlink? Also, do you guys have a net connection?

[Danny D]

Interesting. What us the model of the dlink? Also, do you guys have a net connection?

Net - internet?

I am thinking that the d link is used for the internet as it only has gray cables and the link sys has blue and red. i have confirmed they are both switched. In the computers there is 2 ethernet cables.

[Southern Patriot]

I am thinking that the d link is used for the internet as it only has gray cables and the link sys has blue and red. i have confirmed they are both switched. In the computers there is 2 ethernet cables.

Just so you know, the color of the cables means absolutely nothing.

[+John Teacake MVC]

It usually means something, We use Blue for VOIP/Telephony stuff. But again I think thats down to personal preference.

[robyholmes]

It usually means something, We use Blue for VOIP/Telephony stuff. But again I think that's down to personal preference.

I must say I try to use that system as well.

Blue for between modems and routers and Grey for clients and switches. Doesn't always work like that tho.

[Sophism]

heh we use white for telephone, blue for data red for KVM black for data(to servers) and yellow to UPS management cards.

Its all down to preference :)

What is the model number off the D-LINK device? We can help a lot more with that information.

[+BudMan MVC]

So the computers have 2 connections each? JFC seems like the guy before you was just as clueless as you ;)

As requested - give us the model numbers of these devices.. And could you put up a simple drawing of how they are connected..

One of the dlink or linksys has to be a router, or a gateway (modem/router combo).

Who provides your internet? Is it some box on the wall? Where do the dlink or linksys devices go other than to each other or that larger switch and or computers?

As mentioned already -- the color of the cables is meaningless, unless the guy before you had some system.. If I understood you right each computer has 2 wires going to it? Where do they go?

In a normal setup would quite often look something like this.

Now your modem and router might be 1 device (gateway) Or you modem might be on the wall provided by your ISP (internet provider).. You might have multiple switches, you router might not have multiple switch ports (so no computers connected to it). etc. But this is pretty much a basic drawing of a simple basic network.

Most soho (small office, home office) would have a NAT router, ie it would change the public IP given to you by your internet provider to a private one (192.168.x.x, 172.16-31.x.x, 10.x.x.x) And allow you to share 1 public IP with many computers.

You internet connection is most likely DSL or Cable? So again if you could give us the model numbers of your devices, or any devices they connect into on the wall, etc. That would be great -- and a basic drawing showing showing how things are connected would be great! Does not have to be fancy!! Just something showing us how everything is connected, where computers are connected, where the internet comes in, etc.

[Danny D]

So the computers have 2 connections each? JFC seems like the guy before you was just as clueless as you ;)

I guess so lol.

As requested - give us the model numbers of these devices.. And could you put up a simple drawing of how they are connected..

I have the model numbers written at the office. I will be there later today and get the numbers. Here is a picture of how its set up if it helps:

http://img2.pict.com/2d/de/e3/1631860/0/picture.jpg

One of the dlink or linksys has to be a router, or a gateway (modem/router combo).

I have confirmed that both are switches by their model numbers.

Who provides your internet? Is it some box on the wall? Where do the dlink or linksys devices go other than to each other or that larger switch and or computers?

Optimum online is our provider for the net. There is a modem and a wireless router but in the other office.

As mentioned already -- the color of the cables is meaningless, unless the guy before you had some system.. If I understood you right each computer has 2 wires going to it? Where do they go?

Yes there was 2 wires. Both Ethernet cables, so the computers have 2 network cards i guess.

I will be getting more information today.

Thanks for all of your help!

[Sophism]

Ahh okay, those are both def switches. You mentioned this wireless router. Is the wireless enabled? If so, is it secured? If so, how so?

[+BudMan MVC]

Yeah from that picture that dlink sure looks like a switch, pretty sure its this one. DSS-16+

So the router is in the other office, and there much be a connection that runs from that router to one of these switches, and then the switches are connected together?. The linksys SR2016 is a 10/100/1000 switch while the dss-16+ is only 10/100

Im really curious why there would be 2 cables running to each pc? Could you post up the ipconfig /all from one of the machines. If the IPs are private 10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x or 172.16-32.x.x they are not public and giving this info is fine.

example -- here from my machine.

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : quadcore-w7

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : local.lan

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : local.lan

Ethernet adapter Local:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-21-9B-03-AC-A7

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100(Preferred)

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.253

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.4

192.168.1.253

Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.4

NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Im really curious if 1 cable runs to the dlink, while other cable from the pc runs to the linksys. Very curious if the 2 connections are on the same network or not, etc.

Can you verify where these 2 cables from the PCs go - does one go to the router and one goes to the switches?

[Sophism]

Interesting, I totally missed the whole "2 Ethernet Cables" bit. I would be interested as well to know were these cables go. Can you Trace them? Also, do an ipconfig /all like budman mentioned. The output will tell us a lot.

I will say this, I have been working "in IT" for about 3 years or so now. I would kill for a position like yours to be honest. You may not know a lot, but you have the perfect opportunity to learn and to "get your hands dirty"

The company I work for his around 400 employees or so and while I get to occasionally get my hands dirty theres just so much going on I never have the time to sit around and play.

Also, I am not sure if this has been mentioned. But set yourself up a wiki, or a folder in outlook or whatever your email client is. And start taking detailed notes on everything you do. Heres what I do.

I have a "General Knowledge-base" that I toss stuff that I know is important now, but will probably forget in the long run.

I have a Cases folder were I put posts in for each case I do, no matter how trivial. This allows me months down the line to search.

Ohh, and do this ASAP.

Ensure you get access to ALL equipment that falls under your domain, and change the admin passwords on these. The old guy was fired and its a good thing to do anyway.

Generally speaking I change the local admin password on all machines to one thing. For your core network components and servers you want the admin passwords to all be different. It can be a pain in the but to remember but if one device becomes compromised you wont have a cascade effect of compromised systems.

[Danny D]

Both models are d link dss-16+ and linksys sr2024 24 port 10.100.1000 gigabit switch

[Danny D]

I may not know networking, but this is the WEIRDEST set up I have ever seen. Some computers have 2 ethernet cables some have 1 ethernet cable. On the one that has 2 ethernet cables i took out the silver one which goes to the D-Link (i think) and everything works fine still. Here is the ipconfig of a PC that has 2 ethernet cables:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\XXX XXX. XXX>ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
		Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : XXX-180
		Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
		Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed
		IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
		WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:
		Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
		Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Linksys EG1032 v3 Instant Gigabit De
sktop Network Adapter Driver
		Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-XX-57-81-XX
		Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
		Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
		IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.104
		Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
		Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 167.XXX.XXX.130
											167.XXX.XXX.129
											167.XXX.XXX.130
											167.XXX.XXX.129
		Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 17, 2009 6:29:43
 AM
		Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, September 18, 2009 6:29:43 A
M
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
		Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
		Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit E
thernet NIC
		Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-18-F3-05-3C-A7
		Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
		Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
		IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.105
		Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
		Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 167.XXX.XXX.130
											167.XXX.XXX.129
											167.XXX.XXX.130
											167.XXX.XXX.129
		Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 17, 2009 6:29:43
 AM
		Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, September 18, 2009 6:29:43 A
M

And here is the ipconfig of a PC that has 1 ethernet cable. The above was with 2:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\XXX>ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
		Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : XXX
		Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
		Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
		IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
		WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
		Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
		Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Eth
ernet NIC
		Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-19-XX-66-XX-4B
		Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
		Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
		IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.110
		Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
		Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 167.XXX.XXX.130
											167.XXX.XXX.129
											167.XXX.XXX.130
											167.XXX.XXX.129
		Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, September 16, 2009 7:00:4
5 AM
		Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 17, 2009 7:00:45
 AM
C:\Documents and Settings\XXX>

Very VERY confusing. This is my theory.

When they first started this set up he installed the dlink to connect all of the computers to the server. The internet here was wireless back then. Then they had problems with the wireless since there is an airport next to us so he had to do it with ethernet cables. So now i think that is why the linksys is used for. For both the internet and to connect the pcs to the server. To me it looks like the dlink is useless and I think i should disconnect all of the wires and see if it still works..

!!!!!!EDIT:!!!!

Here is the IPCONFIG of the Server:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\SERVER>IPCONFIG /ALL
Windows IP Configuration
		Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : SERVER
		Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
		Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
		IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
		WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Network Bridge:
		Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
		Description . . . . . . . . . . . : MAC Bridge Miniport
		Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-1D-60-0C-33-F7
		Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
		Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
		IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.108
		Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
		Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 167.xxx.xxx.130
											167.xxx.xxx.129
											167.xxx.xxx.130
											167.xxx.xxx.129
		Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 17, 2009 3:08:36
 AM
		Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, September 18, 2009 3:08:36 A
M
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
		Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
		Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Wireless-G PCI Adapter
		Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-41-65-1C-A4
		Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
		Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
		IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
		Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
		Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
		DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 167.xxx.xxx.130
											167.xxx.xxx.129
											167.xxx.xxx.130
											167.xxx.xxx.129
		Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, September 17, 2009 4:32:19
 AM
		Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, September 18, 2009 4:32:19 A

Edited September 17, 2009 by Danny D

[blachole]

Your theory might be correct, but it was most likely used as a private and public network interfaces for each ethernet. That design is stupid though and there is no reason to set things up that way. There's no reason the computer should have 2 cables plugged in and getting 2 internal IP addressed. You would think this setup would be causing problems, but for some reason its not, unless people aren't complaining.

I would start unplugging cables one at a time (especially if they are labeled it will make this easier) and then see what can and cannot be removed.

[+BudMan MVC]

Yeah you clearly do not need both cables -- they are all on the same network 192.168.1.0/24

You could clearly clean this up - and remove the 2nd cables.

A machine only needs 1 interface in the same network.

And they point to the same gateway -- 192.168.1.1, which would be your router. I have no idea why the guy before you would of connect a machine twice to the same network, other than they had no idea what they were doing.

edit: just noticed yeah your server has wired and wireless connection - pointless! And yeah I would remove the older 10/100 switch from your network. Since the other one is a 10/100/1000

Also to be honest the only devices that need to be on wireless are ones that are harder to connect a wire too, or laptops that want to move around, etc. But you would normally never have both a wireless and wired connection at the same time.. And yes can cause issues to be sure.

And that is not server ;) its a XP box - so for starters your going to be limited to only 10 concurrent connections at a time.. Sure you can use to share files off of, etc. But as already suggested you would have much better control with a Active Directory setup - if cost is an issue. You could use something like ClarkConnect as your server - which could act as a Domain Controller, etc. So that you would have central userbase.

Also as mentioned with that wireless router -- I hope its secured? WPA or better yet WPA2, you could look into setting up enterprise auth (radius) vs PSK, etc..

I would clean up your wiring first, and then think about moving to a domain, and then evaluate your need for wireless and how to best secure it for your needs, etc.

Edited September 17, 2009 by BudMan

[blachole]

I love this post..

I am concerned for this network if their new guy doesn't even know what a switch is... **** :pinch:

Posts like yours are not needed..move along if you're not going to help troll.

Like I noted above, there is no need for dual network connections on desktop machines and no need for a wireless for the server. Your best move is to start disabling the adapters one by one until each machine is working off 1 network interface.

Edited September 17, 2009 by blachole

[DrCheese]

There was once a time when I was a noob and used to come to Neowin to read about topics and ask for help. Thank god I didn't run into any of you *** holes or else I would have left the forum immediately.

At the risk of derailing this thread, the reason why a lot of people are being "nasty" in this thread is because it's someone doing a job they know nothing about in a live business, it would be totally different if someone was just doing this for the learning experience. He would get this response on any forum he posts on and there's no need to call the community names.

To be fair to him tho, he is at least willing to learn and has gone out of his way to find information instead of winging it until it all collapses :p

The best advise I can give is to obtain a few old rubbish PC's/networking equipment from somewhere and spend alot of time learning the basics before fiddling with the live system. If you break your test network, then meh. If you mess up the live one then your fired :p

[Danny D]

I appreciate all the help. I guess I should start unplugging everything from the dlink.

[+John Teacake MVC]

Unless they are teaming the NIC's to get the bandwidth for the server. You could run route print also from the command line to see if there the other guy set up any obscure routing rules. . . .