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[Radio_Rick]

I recently installed a D-Link DGE-530T Gigabit network card in one of the machines on my home network.  This card came with some cable testing software. 

Part of the software tests the integrity of the CAT6 cable to the DIR-655 router.  To my surprise the cable failed the test?  However, when I plugged the CAT6 into another Gigabit device it indicated the cable was fine? 

I have also been having some serious problems with download/upload to my Seagate Blackarmor network storage from this same machine.  The Seagate forum has a long list of issues with the DIR-655 and their NAS drive.  (Suffice it to say that there are a lot of unkind words about the DIR-655 in particular on the Blackarmor forum!)

So now I'm at a loss! 

(1) are the 2 issues (possible cable fault to the DIR-655 and poor download/upload to my NAS) related?  (2) is D-Link aware of the network data transfer issues related to the Seagate Blackarmor NAS and are they working on a solution?

Rick

[Mackerel]

Could it be as simple (for the LAN-CAT6 failure) as a bad contact? Have you tested all 4 ports? Is there a total loss of connection when doing the test, or a limited functionality?

[Radio_Rick]

Thanks for the reply. 

I got the same result with a CAT5e cable.  The software reported back that 3 pairs had an impedance mismatch and one pair was OPEN. 

Since I had internet and full network connectivity I found the OPEN in particular hard to believe.  So that's why I tried another Gigabit device.

Yes - I did try other DIR-655 ports with the same results.

Thanks again.

Rick

Could it be as simple (for the LAN-CAT6 failure) as a bad contact? Have you tested all 4 ports? Is there a total loss of connection when doing the test, or a limited functionality?

[Mackerel]

What is the length of the cable? Is there any interference nearby, influencing the router, cabling, or is the powersuppy not functioning correctly (very hot?)...

The report on impedance mismatch/OPEN is very odd indeed. Looks like you eliminated most/all variances (all ports tested, different cable) of the links... Have you tried with a 'cold' router, removed from interference (Gigabit still is finicky on strong electromagnetic fields), and possibly tried another power-supply? If all that fails, then you might have a 'wonky' router. It happens...

[Radio_Rick]

The CAT6 and CAT5e cables I tested are both close to 50 feet.  The location is a residential house.  However, I'm also a ham radio operator and periodically the router may be exposed to radio interference but at frequencies less than 30 MHz.

The power supply is 12 volts and quite cool to the touch.  The router is A4 hardware with:

     1) XP Pro computer
     2) XP Home computer
     3) Samsung laser printer
     4) Seagate Blackarmor NAS

      Plus a G-wireless netbook

The computers connect to the internet through an ADSL modem and upload/download speeds are within specs.

I'll relocate the router and connect it to the XP Home computer with a short length of CAT5e tomorrow and report back.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Rick

What is the length of the cable? Is there any interference nearby, influencing the router, cabling, or is the powersuppy not functioning correctly (very hot?)...

The report on impedance mismatch/OPEN is very odd indeed. Looks like you eliminated most/all variances (all ports tested, different cable) of the links... Have you tried with a 'cold' router, removed from interference (Gigabit still is finicky on strong electromagnetic fields), and possibly tried another power-supply? If all that fails, then you might have a 'wonky' router. It happens...

[Radio_Rick]

Okay here's the latest!

I inserted a piece of CAT5e cable 1 metre long in the circuit and tested the cable.  All ports on the DIR-655 showed pair 3-6 were okay and but the other cable pairs had an impedance mismatch at either 1 metre or 0 metres.

Next I tried a 15 metre long piece of CAT5e and ALL ports had a mismatch in impedance.

Finally I tried the original CAT6 cable.  This time ALL pairs showed an impedance mismatch and NONE were open??

I am very close to throwing in the towel and trying a Linksys!

Rick

[Sammydad1]

why not try a different NIC ?

Is the router working at all ?

Is the seagate NAS trying to use it at Gb speeds ?  Can you force it to 100 speed ?

[Radio_Rick]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't have easy access to another gigabit NIC but I'll work on it.

The router, otherwise, is working perfectly.

The NAS takes whatever it sees up to Gb. I have tried to force the NIC to 100 Mb but that didn't seem to help.

UPDATE: I have improved the transfer speed from the NAS to the PC in question by going into the 655 and turning off the SPI firewall setting.  The ability for this PC to write to the NAS at a decent speed remains slow and unchanged.

Rick

why not try a different NIC ?

Is the router working at all ?

Is the seagate NAS trying to use it at Gb speeds ?  Can you force it to 100 speed ?

[Sammydad1]

Hi,

Don't think you want to turn off the SPI firewall on the router....its a major part of its ability to protect you from online bad-guys....

Does seagate have any firmware updates for that NAS unit ?

[Radio_Rick]

Yes - turning off the SPI may not be a good idea BUT otherwise the router is of little value for playing video back from the NAS.

As for firmware.  I have the latest in my NAS and the DIR-655.

The frustration mounts I'm afraid!

Rick

Hi,

Don't think you want to turn off the SPI firewall on the router....its a major part of its ability to protect you from online bad-guys....

Does seagate have any firmware updates for that NAS unit ?