Networking

I have a client using several different Netgear print servers on his LAN. The models range in size from having 1 to 3 ports. We recently had a dot matrix printer die, and replaced it with an Okidata ML-590. The Okidata printer worked fine on a different computer, but when connecting it in the new location to the print server, it would literally print every other character (in text only mode).

After much head-pounding, I found a setting nestled in the Netgear Print Server Administration for the physical ports, changing "Ack+Busy" to just "Busy". That was it. Now it even works in ML-590 mode with full graphics support.

Life is good.

In the course of installing a simple router (D-Link DI-604) for a client, I came across a very odd, and frustrating problem. Before I arrived, the customer's PC was plugged directly into the DSL "modem". That linked up just fine. When I plugged the modem into the router, it too linked up just fine. When I connected the PC to the router, however, no link light. It would just smugly flash at me every now and then.

My first thought was the cable, so I tried another known good cable. No change.

My next thought was the switch in the router. I plugged my laptop into the router, and it linked right up. That wasn't the issue.

Out of desperation, I upgraded the firmware on the router and updated the drivers on the NIC (Realtek RTL8139 chipset). Still no change.

Finally, I figured it out . . . The NIC was having trouble auto-negotiating a link speed with the switch. When I would manually set it to 10mbps (full or half duplex) it linked up just fine. Very odd, but at least I figured it out before the sun set.

Posted under the influence of [[Hydra :: THX 38]]