Best Ethernet Switch for Maestro, 6500?

K1ESE

Since getting a Maestro I occasionally have my 6500 lock up in transmit mode during long CW QSOs.  This happens on several bands and at less than 100 watts.  The setup without the Maestro has been doing fine for over a year.  I have to press the button on the front of the 6500 to get it to quit transmitting and shut down.

It has been suggested that my DLINK GO-SW-5g Ethernet switch may be the problem since all is well if the Maestro is directly connected to the 6500.

The switch has lines to the 6500, Maestro, router, and computer.  I am looking for suggestions for a good switch to replace the DLINK.

John K1ESE

W3EX -- Tom

I doubt that your problem would be with the switch unless it actually has a bad port. You might try using another port. Or you mighty try connecting to the router directly to rule out the switch as being the problem. My experience with the Maestro has been that I am always better off using an Ethernet connection and not WIFI. I am actually in Florida now and have been remote controlling my 6500 at home in PA for about a month. It has been working very well. I also have ability to remotely turn the 6500 off and on as needed.

K1ESE

I'm just following Dudley's suggestion on getting a different switch. 

Obviously, I am not using WiFi, 

I may try the direct connections to the router for both the 6500 and the Maestro, but it is an intermittent problem and may take a few days to see if it shows up.  I would have to drape cables across the living room for a couple of days.  That may not be popular....

I take it you can't suggest a switch.

W3EX -- Tom

Roger. Well Ethernet devices can certainly have issues. I have had switches with bad ports even professional one by Cisco. I certainly understand the cables across the living room issue. My wife hates wires.

K1UO Larry

John , I use the Netgear GS105 without problems if that is of any use to you.

Regards
Larry  K1UO

KF4HR

I too had issues with a D-Link switch.  I replaced it with a Netgear GS108 Switch and haven't had any problems since.

K1ESE

I see a pattern!  Three Netgear racomendations -- GS108V3, ProSafe FS105, and GS105.

Unless someone has something better, I'll grab one of those.

Thanks to all.

John - K3MA

I have been using a Trendnet TEG-S80G.  Actually the Flex data has to go thru three of them to get to the router.

Justin W4JTD

I have been using a Netgear GS316 for a while with great results. It works off 12V and has a metal housing with grounding lug. :-) perfect for a shack, and only about $55 on amazon. 73 Justin KL2D

Al K0VM

I use Netgear GS108.. Flawless for two years now..
AL, K0VM

KP4TR

Yes Netgear is way to go. Also make sure your ethernet cables are high quality cat 6a shielded. I am replacing all my cheap ethernet cables with shielded cat6a.

On another note. Yesterday I did tests on Maestro looking at my dropped packets and saw poor quality when running maestro on long ethernet cables. I placed Maestro and Flex6300 behind same router using short cables and packet loss was zero for over 30 minutes.

Make sure distance between both devices are short. And make sure all connections is over a gigabit switch and routers with gigabit ethernet ports.

Ted VE3TRQ

Another alternative is to use fiber for long runs. SFPs and switches with SFP ports are getting cheaper all the time. Run fiber to the shack near the radio and associated computer(s), then short Cat6 runs from the fiber switch to the radio / computers, etc. You end up with electrical isolation from your Internet provider as a bonus. My Netgear 12-port ProSafe (M4100-D12G) has two SFP ports. I bought a Netgear GS110TP-200 for about Cdn$150, 50 ft of multimode LC-LC fiber and 2 SFP's for the switches for about Cdn$35. So the add-on for extending the Ethernet and providing isolation was about Cdn$185. That gave me 8 ports in the shack, plus PoE if I wanted it. Of course I had to get a 12v to 48v converter to run the switch from the shack supply - it needs 48v because of the PoE. I suppose non-PoE switches running from 12v would be available, but I liked the price of the Netgear 8-port with SFP. Ted VE3TRQ

Justin W4JTD

Hi Ted - Which converter did you use to go to 48V from 12V shack supply? I was thinking of doing the same thing and looking for one that didn't make noise...

Thanks!

73
Justin
KL2D

Ria

Dudley is correct, sometimes the switch has problems with the radio's gigabit ethernet port. To be honest, 100M switches work just fine. But I use a Netgear GS724T and it works OK. 

Buy from a store with a good return policy.

Ria
N2RJ

Ted VE3TRQ

I just ordered the DC-DC converter, Justin - I still need to evaluate its noise performance. It's the one found here on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Converter-Regulator-Transformer-Waterproof/dp/B01MTNLW8D/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_107_lp_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4Z3FDK98HD3B58DJPEYN I have no idea how quiet or noisy these things (upconverters) are in general. So far I have replaced the Intel NUC 18V wall wart with direct 12V DC - works great. I also have replaced 5V DC wall warts with 12V to 5V "buck converters" for higher current rating, and 7805's for lower current - they seem to work without noise. Once I get the device, delivered from China of course, I'll report back.

Nick - N9SJA

I had problems when transmitting with my PC and switch in the shack.  The strong RF will sometimes cause problems with the standard non-shielded twisted pair type Ethernet cables.  I would recommend some ferrite beads to help filter any RF from your lines.  I had a lot of problems using my amplifier and snapped these on all the lines.  No problems when transmitting even with the amplifier now.  Here is a link to Amazon with an example of these ferrite beads:  https://www.amazon.com/eBoot-Pieces-Ferrite-Suppressor-Diameter/dp/B01E5E5IY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&...

Justin W4JTD

Thanks Ted! 

K1ESE

It appears the problem is solved.  No more lock ups since the Netgear GS108V3 Ethernet switch was installed.  

Ted VE3TRQ

Received the 12v-48v DC-DC converter yesterday, and tested it for noise - just put a 200 ohm power resister on the output, measured the voltage at 47.8v, and looked at the ham bands from 160m - 6m plus 2m. Two frequencies did show birdies (not switching supply hash): 1.810 MHz and around 5.250 MHz (it seemed to wander a bit from 5.265 down to 5.250 as the resister heated up and time passed). The 1.810 birdie could likely be notched out without a problem, unless you operate right there (and I made no attempt to mitigate the noise). For my purposes, this presents no issues, as I do not use low 160m, and 5.25MHz is below the 60m allocation. I'll use this with my shack 13.8v DC to supply the fiber ethernet switch I described above. Here's the DC-DC converter info, from Amazon: Ted VE3TRQ