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Can't Attain Gigabit Connection
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Exizl del Fuego
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
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Aug 30, 2006, 02:07 PM
 
Hi all,
We've recently purchased a NetGear JGS524 24-Port Gigabit Switchfor our office (mixed bunch of PowerMac G4s and a couple of G5s). Some of the G4s are 100BaseT, some are Gigabit. This is with regards to the Gigabit G4s and G5s.

Simply put, I can't connect to the switch at Gigabit speeds. I have to manually force the computers to connect at 100BaseT before they work. The cabling looks to be Cat5 and not Cat5e, but from what I read this shouldn't be a flat-out hinderance to gigabit (only degradation of the signal).

Am I missing anything here? Anyone else have this problem?
     
ink
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Utah
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Aug 30, 2006, 04:16 PM
 
I would hook two of the Macs together directly with one of your cables to see if you can get gigabit auto-negotiation. This will narrow down the problem to that of the switch, or the cable (or the Mac).
     
Exizl del Fuego  (op)
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Aug 31, 2006, 03:15 PM
 
Originally Posted by ink
I would hook two of the Macs together directly with one of your cables to see if you can get gigabit auto-negotiation. This will narrow down the problem to that of the switch, or the cable (or the Mac).
Thanks for the pointer! Due to the nature of the wiring I'll need to bring in my PowerBook to test it though. I'll post back once I know more.
     
ghporter
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Location: San Antonio TX USA
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Aug 31, 2006, 09:34 PM
 
It's quite possible that one (or more) of your cables is not up to the demands of gigabit traffic. While Cat5e is more than sufficient for gigabit, not all RJ-45 connectors are, and those that are are not necessarily installed well enough to ensure trouble free traffic.

In other words, "betcha one or more of your cables is not up to gigabit." Make sure you take pains to identify each cable so you don't get confused (as I have done) and do 14 tests on three cables.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Exizl del Fuego  (op)
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Sep 1, 2006, 02:34 PM
 
Sigh... yep. It's the cable.

Couldn't direct connect at gigabit between computers over the Cat5, but things work fine over a Cat6. Looks like an office re-wiring will be in order.

Thanks for everyone's help!
     
   
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