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When all else fails check your network equipment and cables

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 4:26 pm
by phibertron
When all else fails in trouble shooting anything that runs on the network
It's time to trouble shoot the network
Back during the 5.0.68 time frame, I had this issue with one and only one of my clients
The problem was that the PS3 would stutter like crazy on MP4 files
When I went to search for an answer, people made note of it being a PS3 problem on the sony forums
and that there were issues with the firmware, at the time
At first glance it would appear that they were right, but...
Once new sony firmware had come out to resolve the issue, my problem didn't go away

So just like when one trouble shoots any problem
One tries to take out all the variables and depemdencies of the scenario that one can
So for me the only things left for me, were the ps3, cables, and network equipment

This is how my network was setup when I noticed the problem

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Linkys WRT610N Router -> Netgear 16 port Gb Switch -> WHS TwonkyServer
                                                                                        -> Linksys 5 port Gb Switch -> PS3
                                                                                                                                     -> Xbox
                                                                                                                                     -> Wii
So I decided to take the 5 port switch out of the equation
I used a port off of the 16 port switch for the ps3
and magically the problem on the ps3 went away
So that indicates to me that the problem is with the Linksys switch

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Linkys WRT610N Router -> Netgear 16 port Gb Switch -> WHS TwonkyServer
                                                                                        -> PS3
                                                                                        -> Linksys 5 port Gb Switch -> 
                                                                                                                                     -> Xbox
                                                                                                                                     -> Wii
So I know knew that there is something either with the cable to the 5 port from the 16 port
or that there is a problem with the 5 port, or cable from the 5 port to the ps3
So I went back and played swap tronics with the cables, but with no luck
Something was wrong with the switch
Why the problem doesnt affect streaming to the xbox, was a mystery
I replaced the Linksys switch with a Netgear switch, and everything is all good again

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Linkys WRT610N Router -> Netgear 16 port Gb Switch -> WHS TwonkyServer
                                                                                        -> Netgear 5 port Gb Switch -> PS3
                                                                                                                                     -> Xbox
                                                                                                                                     -> Wii
I don't think that you will see a bad switch to often, not to mention one that is only bad for one client
and this wasnt just a bad port, as I could plug the ps3 into any of the 5 ports, with or without a different cable
and the problem was still the same
All the while the xbox streamed just fine, very odd indeed
Once I replaced the Linksys switch, I havent seen a single hiccup since doing so