Home network setup problem

5starpool

When getting a new house built, I got Cat6 cables run from each room, terminating in a patch panel (about 20 connections in total). The electrician did all this for me, and when I run an ethernet cable from a patch panel port directly to the router (Huawei HG685c) I can connect via ethernet cable using the connected port.

When I introduce a switch myself though (TP Link TL-SG1024D 24 port unmanaged ethernet switch), that's where everything goes dark. My understanding was that I connect each port on the patch panel with a port on the switch (using the same number for ease and sense), and then another cable from an unused port on the switch to an ethernet port on the back of my router, and it should all just work, but it doesn't.

None of the lights on my switch light up to show that the port is active. They do light up if I test using a cable between 2 ports on the switch, so the switch isn't defective, and the patch cables seem to work as I can use them from the patch panel to the router no problem.

Is there some configuration I need to do with my router to make this work? I have a VPN that I use whereby I have changed the primary and secondary DNS on my router. I have vodafone adsl (vdsl cab I'm connected is full apparently so I'm stuck). I am out of ideas really,so help would be appreciated. I have changed no configuration settings at this point, as I was under the impression it would just work. I have a new synology NAS that I want to connect to my network too, but haven't until I get this working. I was assuming I could just connect this into the switch via an unused port and that would just work too, but probably not I'd assume until the first problem is solved at least.

Thanks for any help.

Can you test
Router -> Switch -> PC

Do you get an IP?

The high horse brigade

You do know that ports on a switch don't light up until a device is connected to the other end. There should be no configuration changes to your router. A dumb switch should just work if the cables are terminated correctly

5starpool

Hmm, not sure why, but it works ok now. I tried the test that NoDrama suggested and that worked. I then just connected a port from my switch to the patch panel and tested that connection out (as I did yesterday and failed) and it worked. All ports are now working when connected. Perhaps I powered things on in the wrong order or something yesterday? Either way, I don't care, it works now.

Thanks anyhow.

ED E

Just make sure you're getting greens across the board and not ambers. If something was poorly done you can get a by the fingernails 10/100 link that wont be very fast or reliable.

5starpool

Ta. Seems to be ok on that front. NAS up and running as well, so I'll be playing with that for a while.

5starpool

I've another question and might as well reuse this thread.

I have a patch panel, connected to a switch. The switch is unmanaged and not power over ethernet capable.

Given that setup, should a poe adapter work when used between switch and patch panel? Will the power pass through the switch to the port connection? I know there are voltage considerations but just wondering if it's possible. I think it should be, but hard to find a definitive answer.

Thanks

On POE adapter you should have 2 ports

POE -> Push power to endpoint on Patch Panel Number
LAN -> Connect this to Switch


Don't push the power through the switch, only the data...

5starpool

So what I think you're saying is that the following should work. Router - > switch - > poe adapter - > patch panel and for the required port I can use poe to power a device (as long as I've got the right poe adapter for the device?