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It is one of the "rules" of LAN topology that there must not be multiple paths through the network anywhere - if there are, it can cause data to endlessly circle ("loop") the network filling up all the capacity in the network and effectively creating a massive traffic jam. Hence the advice to - "check there are no loops." It does not sound like you have any and it is unlikely you have created any unless you have changed something recently, but the symptoms you describe sound characteristic of such a problem, hence the advice to check.
Some devices are not terribly good at reporting meaningful error message, so "cable disconnected" can sometimes be mis-reported when the device really means "I cannot get a network connection" which could have multiple causes - such is the price of "dumbing down" things for the domestic market.
Ideally, one would swap the offending cable for a "known good" one and see if the problem goes away.
There is no universal standard for the meaning of the indicator lights on switches; to know for sure what they mean, one would need to read the manual or check the vendor's web site technical support. A common scheme is that on a per port basis, a "solid" (unblinking) light mean the link is connected and blinking means some data is in transit, but this is by no mean universal. Sometimes they use different colours for different things, often the link rate ("speed.")
If the lights are chasing back and forth link a rope light in a disco or KITT's front bumper adornment, that may mean "something" (for example, I've seen some switches that did similar things when you updated their firmware - but that cannot happen "by accident" you have to take deliberate action to do so,) but to be sure, again you need to check the manual.
It is strange that rebooting your router "fixes" the problem, which again might be indicative that there some weird traffic jam going on. It could be that you have a device that has gone bad and is flooding the network with junk (a "jabbering NIC" we used to call them in olden days, but I can't remember when I last saw one) or got some malware and it may not necessarily be the device that complains that is the culprit.
Similar to the advice of MrShabz, one way to check is to physically disconnect everything (including all Wi-Fi devices) and then gradually add back one device at a time over hours/days and see if it narrows down the offending device. Such testing is incredibly time consuming and labourious, and of course you have loads of devices with "no network" whilst conducting such a testing (upsetting domestic harmony) and you may not find anything even then.
It may be politically more expedient to put your hand in your pocket and spend a tenner on a new switch - if it makes no difference, then you know for sure it was not your switch that was culpable and you have wasted ten pounds, but for the price of two KFC's, pints of lager, (insert own value system here) you might judge it is worth it. |
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2-12-2019 05:00:20
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