I have 3 nodes directly connected to the LAN interfaces of the router. When I try to connect an ethernet switch to the 4th interface, the router does not detect the link. I've had this issue with a docking station as well and it seems that the router won't detect a link that is connected to a device that it cant assign an ip address to. Is there anyway to force the router to bring this LAN interface up?

Are you using the uplink port on the ethernet switch or a crossover cable?

I have an 8 port switch attached directly to my Z100g and it works fine.

its a 24 port cisco 2950 so i'm using a cross cable. I've tried moving the connections around too...but no luck. This is the only connection that won't come up...no matter which interface I use.

Is the switch set up to use VLAN? It might have been set up to use static IP addresses. The Cisco website says it is a managed switch.

Does the Z100G see the Switch? If it does it could block it.

I've cleared the settings on the switch so there shouldn't be anything in the way. At this point, the z100 won't even give me a link light when I plug the eth cable into a LAN port. If I could at least get it to acknowledge the connection, I would be somewhere.

The lack of something as fundamental as a hardware driven link light suggests something hardware - like a bad cable.

You might also check the port setup in the Z100.

Have you tried the switch on another port on the Z100? If you get the 24 ports on the switch working, you can use them for the devices now on the Z100.

Do you have a dumb switch to try with the Z100? That would at least prove the basic hardware.

How about linking the switch with another similar device to test if it works?

See if a standard patch cable will work. The one I have connected to my switch may not be a crossover.

I'll give those a try. Thanks for the posts. I'll let you know how it goes.

quote:

Thanks for the posts. I'll let you know how

Also try -
Normally -
Device to Switch = Straight Thru Cable
Device to Device = Crossover cable
Switch to Switch = Crossover cable

So PC to Z100 = Straight
PC to Switch = Straight
PC to PC = Crossover
Z100 to Switch = Crossover

Even though some switches are autodetect these may not be.

Link Speed =
If the z100 is 100Full and the switch is 10 Half this could also be a problem.

Check on the Z100G under NETWORK/PORTS - If you have the correct cable then try to vary the link speed/type on the port.