Random Network Disconnects -- Utility Available?

Tom OBoyle

I have a 6700 that I have had for years...  In the past, I had random network disconnect issues --- once a day or so...  Then newer SDR versions seemed to have mainly fixed the issue -- only happening once every few weeks.

The new 3.1.18 seems to have resurrected the issue for me.  Is there a log file or a utility I can use with the 6700 to tell me why it is disconnecting?  Maybe use Putty and log to a file to catch what occurred?

Some info on the setup:

6700 hardwired to the switch (cable 6 feet)
PC hardwired to the switch (cable 6 feet)
Switch --- 16 port Netgear 10/100

When this occurs, the PC has full network connection and from what I can tell has never lost it.  So I suspect it is on the radio side.

Thanks for any help.

73 de Tom, N9GUN

Mack

Tom,

In every case where we have done troubleshooting on the Alpha software test team the issue has been a network cable or network component. No Alpha tester has reported a similar issue with this generation of code. I run a 6700 and 6600 here. 

May I suggest replacing the CAT 5/6 cable from your radio to your Netgear router as a first troubleshooting step. Many of the Chinese knock off cables have big issues. Or is it possible you have RFI in your shack that is getting into the network cable? Does the same thing happen when not transmitting or transmitting into a dummy load?

Start with these steps and we'll try to help more.

73,

Mack
W4AX
Alpha Team

Tom OBoyle

Hi Mack -

Thanks for the reply...  I know if is not RF as I can have the radio on without ever transmitting that day and it disconnects..  It has never disconnected while actively transmitting.

It could be cable/switch/port problem.  I'm not ruling that out for sure.

That is why I was looking for a verbose log from Flex that gives some additional detail. My IQRouter does not show anything abnormal in its logs for the flex IP/MAC address.

Cables are cheap and easy to replace, replacing my network switch is more work and money.  I'll gladly do it if I feel it really is the culprit.

Tom

Mack

Tom

There is not a log that you can access on the radio. In every similar case that we have seen on the Alpha team it has always been a network cable or switch. Begin by replacing the network cable. You can eliminate the router by plugging the computer directly into the radio as another test

Mack

Robert Murrow

Where can I buy a NON knock of cable? and what is a good switch?

Mack

I know from running hundreds of Cable Matters CAT 6 cables on Amazon that they simply work. If you read the reviews they are excellent. They come in various lengths and can be delivered tomorrow. Mack

Peter K1PGV

If the cable itself has not been tested, it's not necessarily actually a CAT 6 cable.

If you want a limited number of KNOWN GOOD CAT 5E or CAT 6 cables, I'd suggest getting a CERTIFIED cable that's been individually tested.  

One good source I've used is Blue Jeans Cable.  I have no affiliation with this company other than as a satisfied customer.

Peter

Dudley WA5QPZ

Tom,

Other than monitoring the "Network Diagnostics"  ,  there is the usual "ping"  test,  if you put "-t "  on the end of the   ping command ,  it will repeat continuously until you   ctrl - C   to stop it ..  

Do you see the " signal quality "  suddenly drop to yellow or red,  then back to green? 
I was seeing this,  finally figured out that my Netgear router was being overworked on the wireless side,  turned the wireless part of the router off,  intermittent issues seemed to go away.   Thought that there was some wireless causing issues,  but could not effect the router operations anytime the wireless was enabled,  so I purchased a separate wireless access point,  and now the network is operating much better,  and the wireless is much more reliable..    Just food for thought.  

Let us know what you find,
73,
Dudley
WA5QPZ

Tom OBoyle

Thanks Dudley and All.  Most of my server or network devices at work or home have a telnet or SSH port for diagnostics that will show messages and statuses.  I watched John from Flex do this with my new PGXL amp.  I was hoping there was the same for the radio itself.  I was trying to identify root cause.

I have replaced the cable into the same switch port and we will see.  If it still happens, I will change ports and see again. 

73 de Tom, N9GUN

Rob N4GA

I've got one 6300 running 2.x and another 6300 running 3.x

The one running 2.x never disconnects itself. 

The one running 3.x disconnects 2-5 times every 24 hours.


About to RMA the one running 3.x..

Rob
N4GA

Bill -VA3WTB

Because software installs and runs exacly the same way in all 6000 radios, the problems would be outside the radio. Every 6000 radio would have the same disconnects.

kd5foy

Swap places be the two radios, see if it follows the port or follows the rev of SmartSdr.

Tom OBoyle

Update -- After 1 week of new cables/switch port, the disconnect only happened once since.  I will see if this pace keeps up.

Mack

This is almost always the solution. Glad you have it working.

Mark_WS7M

Interesting thought Dudley about the overworked router.

In my case I have an IQ Router as my main router right after the cable modem.  It feeds two intel high quality managed switches.

Then I have a bunch of probably less than ideal network cable running through the house to various network ports.  I put this cable in BEFORE I knew I wanted good cable for radio.

I am considering putting in a fiber link from the IQ Router out to a place near where all my desk and radio gear live.  Move all the radio gear and desk computer and a WiFi access point onto that fiber feed.

I also use a small fiber link to the radio itself to help eliminate static discharge coming down the ethernet cable.

But even with my cheap house network cables I don't see disconnects often.  In fact I'd venture to say that most of my disconnects are on my laptop when on WiFi.

Mark - WS7M

John KB4DU

FWIW, I have random disconnects and the stock answer is "It's always the network". But I can generate them with the PC connected directly to the Flex with the Flex supplied cable. One thing that seemed to help was replacing the gigabit switch with a repurposed router converted to a switch configuration. It has 100Mb ports. Go Figure.

N8AUM

I got use to resetting everything lol

Dudley WA5QPZ

Mark,

Point is that there are a lot of reasons why a network stumbles with the continuous data that is required by the radio .    Some gigabit switches for example,  may  not be able to buffer a continuous data rate, some do not seem to be able to handle ports at different speeds or be able to auto seek to match speeds and some do not function until you go into the configuration and remove the Green ECO settings..    Your mileage can vary ...    The 6700 running full out with all 8 slices,  and all DAX at max rate (DAX IQ running at 192K)  is under the 40 mbit range in network data flow,  so a 100 Mbit switch should work fine ..  

WIFI is a whole other bucket of worms, with it's own set of limitations and challenges.. 

73,
Dudley
WA5QPZ

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Hi there. I agree too much said above with network components that can mess with things. I have had a simiar issue with random disconnects as well as diffuculties turning on the 6700 due to "None" internet (the router does not properly give it an IP-adress).
I started suspecting a Lantronix UDS-2100 RS232-LAN adapter for one of my GHE RT-21s. That it somehow put out **** on the LAN and disturbing the DHCP. So I throwed out the unit and now all problems seems gone.
I have not had time to Wireshark this units behaviour but clearly it made life hard for my 6700.
With more than 30 hardwired LAN devices I am surprised I have not thought this could happen before.