Network problem: hardware based?

snappieT

OK, I'm having a few network problems. Simple ones (I think)
See the image below for my network setup. The "server" has 2 NICs, one to connect to the router, the other to the DVD Player (which has ethernet, and can recieve streams off the server).



As is, the DVD player doesn't connect. The lights on the NIC on the DVD player don't turn on. So I try a direct connection to the laptop. It works.

I try plugging the laptop into the server on the cable that the DVD player was connected by. It works.

So nothing seems to be broken: why isn't it working?

Bear in mind that the DVD-Server cable is 10 metres, the Server-Router one is 20 metres.

Help!

Laguna

Well my first guess is that the DVD player's network card isn't being supplied with a viable IP address from your DHCP router, which would quite understandably explain why you're not getting any streams. The connection of the router->Server->DVD might mean something is going on in the server when dealing with the DVD players NIC, explaining why the laptop works when you use a direct connection to the server you have.

p2kone

there must be some sort of admin interface for the dvd player to check the dvd players network ip address/subnet mask??

Laguna

Is the DVD players NIC configurable to accept DHCP IP? or does it require a static IP address to be input?

Mutant_Fruit

Are you using the wrong kind of network cable? Try using a crossover if you're using a straight through, and vice versa.

snappieT

OK, thanks for the responses: I'm going to take them one at a time...

Well my first guess is that the DVD player's network card isn't being supplied with a viable IP address from your DHCP router, which would quite understandably explain why you're not getting any streams. The connection of the router->Server->DVD might mean something is going on in the server when dealing with the DVD players NIC, explaining why the laptop works when you use a direct connection to the server you have.

The DVD is static IP only. Besides, if there was a physical connection, the lights on the back of the DVD player should come on, or am I wrong?

there must be some sort of admin interface for the dvd player to check the dvd players network ip address/subnet mask??

It only takes a static ip. I have set it to one that fits into my subnet but it still doesn't work. Besides, if there was a physical connection, the lights on the back of the DVD player should come on, or am I wrong?

Is the DVD players NIC configurable to accept DHCP IP? or does it require a static IP address to be input?

It only takes a static ip. I have set it to one that fits into my subnet but it still doesn't work. Besides, if there was a physical connection, the lights on the back of the DVD player should come on, or am I wrong?

Are you using the wrong kind of network cable? Try using a crossover if you're using a straight through, and vice versa.

It is straight through, but I have used an adapter to make it crossover. Anyways, the NIC in the server is definately one of the ones that works either way.


All good suggestions, but they sprung to my mind already. I'm thinking maybe I should try a HUB where the server is, or maybe down by the DVD player.


And BTW, the DVD player is a KiSS DP-500


Cheers,
snappieT

Mutant_Fruit

snappieT wrote:

if there was a physical connection, the lights on the back of the DVD player should come on, or am I wrong?

That was exactly my thinking, which is why i suggested a wrong cable. My advice is to detach the "server" from the wireless router and hook the kiss player straight up to that. Most routers can accept either crossover or straight through, however most computer ethernet cards (and probably the one in the kiss player) only work when connected via crossover.

So if connecting the kiss directly to the router with a known working cable doesn't make the ethernet lights turn on, the kiss is dodgy.

snappieT

Ah, but how do I connect a male RJ45 to a male RJ45?
An adapter? I might as well buy the hub.

Anyhoo, I know the KiSS is fine, 'cos lights came on when I connected it to my laptop. I know the cable is fine 'cos I connected that to my laptop.

Mr. Presentable

Tests I would make:

1 Connect the Kiss to the router

2 Connect it to the other NIC on the server

3 Both of those without the x-over adapter

4 Use the kiss to server cable to connect one of the other devices

It seems that if the kiss works on the laptop then it works. Was it connected with the same cable setup as to the server?

Are both NICs on the server in the same IP range and subnet? If the laptop is set to dynamic you might not be getting a true picture of the connectivity.

Not an XP Home user, are you?

Mutant_Fruit

I know this may sound stupid... but could one of the NIC's on your "server" be fecked? Have you tested both to make sure they are both working ok? It could be the second NIC you're connecting the Kiss to is fecked.

Bear in mind, an ethernet to ethernet connection generally requires a crossover cable unless a hub/router is involved. I still think that might be causing the problem.

If the lights turn on when you connect it to the laptop, then the kiss is fine, its something screwy with the server NIC. Whatever cable you use to connect the Kiss to your laptop should work just as well connecting the Kiss to the server, so that can't be the problem.

Also, make sure the cable really has gone fully in. I had an ethernet card once that when you pushed in the cable, it didn't actually fully go in. You had to push it a fair bit harder and it would then "pop" in about another 1/4" and the connection would be made. Could this be the case here?

p2kone

could try and brifge the network connections on the server??


does the dvd player come with some sort of media player, that you install on the server, and then the server streams out the media to the pda, desktop etc??

snappieT

spannerhead wrote:

Tests I would make:

1 Connect the Kiss to the router

2 Connect it to the other NIC on the server

3 Both of those without the x-over adapter

4 Use the kiss to server cable to connect one of the other devices

It seems that if the kiss works on the laptop then it works.
(5) Was it connected with the same cable setup as to the server?

(6) Are both NICs on the server in the same IP range and subnet? If the laptop is set to dynamic you might not be getting a true picture of the connectivity.

(7) Not an XP Home user, are you?

1
Can't really test, as the cable goes up to the attic first, and I don't have another cable long enough to connect the KiSS to the router.

2
Tried, failed.

3
Tried, failed.

4
Connected it to the laptop. Worked.

5
I tried it with the same and a different cable. It worked both ways

6
Yes, they are 192.168.11.11 and 192.168.11.12, with subnet 255.255.255.0 on each.

7
This particular problem is with XP Pro SP2

snappieT

Mutant_Fruit wrote:

I know this may sound stupid... but could one of the NIC's on your "server" be fecked? Have you tested both to make sure they are both working ok? It could be the second NIC you're connecting the Kiss to is fecked.

Bear in mind, an ethernet to ethernet connection generally requires a crossover cable unless a hub/router is involved. I still think that might be causing the problem.

If the lights turn on when you connect it to the laptop, then the kiss is fine, its something screwy with the server NIC. Whatever cable you use to connect the Kiss to your laptop should work just as well connecting the Kiss to the server, so that can't be the problem.

Also, make sure the cable really has gone fully in. I had an ethernet card once that when you pushed in the cable, it didn't actually fully go in. You had to push it a fair bit harder and it would then "pop" in about another 1/4" and the connection would be made. Could this be the case here?

I tried all of these... trust me!

From what I gathered overall:
Cable works (cos I can connect server to laptop)
NIC works (cos I can connect server to laptop)
KiSS works (cos I can connect KiSS to laptop)

It's only the Kiss+Cable that gives a problem!

snappieT

p2kone wrote:

could try and brifge the network connections on the server??


does the dvd player come with some sort of media player, that you install on the server, and then the server streams out the media to the pda, desktop etc??

Tried this to no avail.

The DVD player came with "Kiss PC-Link", a server application that streams content on some crazy port they picked by throwing several darts at a dartboard or something. It's fine, cos I installed the same app on the laptop, and could stream successfully off of that.

snappieT

Well, I finally bought that switch, and everything is working like a charm now. I don't care why it wasn't working anymore - I'm just happy it's working now.

Thanks for all your help
-Ste