Server 2016 Networking headache

[HCHTech]

I'm setting up a little (their budget is SMALL) application server (Server 2016 Standard) for an accountant client of mine. They're buying a practice management software that requires a dedicated server. I had it on my bench for a few days getting everything running & updated, plus standard burn-in stuff. I made a VPN between my office and theirs so I could join it to their domain ahead of time. They have an aging but functioning well SBS2011 server, built in 2013.

Their site has all of the internet wiring & networking equipment in the basement, but their SBS server and all 9 of their workstations are in the main workspace. I took the application server onsite this morning and set it up, but couldn't get it connected to the network. The adapters didn't recognize that a cable was even plugged in.

I've tried:

- a total of three different cables - every one of which let my laptop get connected using the same static IP as desired for the new server
- a different physical location - they have a couple of empty cubes - again worked with my laptop but not the server
- Checked all of the connections to the switch in the basement
- resetting the networking on the application server
- Specifying DHCP instead of static for the server's IP - BTW, my laptop also works if I specify DHCP.
- I took down the VPN in case that was somehow involved
- I temporarily disabled the windows firewall on the application server as a test - no change.
- Uninstalling the NICs from device manager and letting them rediscover - the latest driver is installed
- went back to workgroup mode
- tried all of these things using the 2nd NIC port (up until now unused). No joy.
- created a 2nd local administrator account - no change
- created a DHCP reservation on the SBS server for the application server's MAC address - of course this didn't work because the application server doesn't even think there is a cable inserted.

There is NOTHING in the event logs that even looks unusual. Nothing in the event logs of the SBS server, either.

Admitting (temporary) defeat, I assumed I must have fried the NIC ports or something during the install and took the thing back to my bench, where it annoyingly connected immediately using DHCP. I established the VPN again, put in the static IP info in, and was able to rejoin the client's domain.

What would prevent the server NIC from even detecting that a cable was inserted, while that same cable lets a laptop connect, yet when I returned to my bench works perfect?

 

[fencepost]

What's the cabling in the wall and basement actually look like? What speed connection are you getting (reliably) on the laptop? If you drop a small switch in between does it connect to both?

 

[HCHTech]

After some time to cool down from this embarrassing experience, I think I have it figured out. The cabling looks good, it was done only two years ago when they moved to this building and renovated it. The switch is almost certainly the problem. I believe they re-used an old switch from their former location, and I think it is only 10/100 or at best a very early gigabit model - I'll have to get the model number, it's screwed to the wall up high where I can barely reach it, so I didn't get the details when I checked to see if the wires were seated in the ports. The integrated ports on the server motherboard are capable of 10G if you buy an extra riser card, but their lowest setting appears to be Gigabit. I'll bet the NIC isn't compatible with the switch.

The clue that I missed was no lights on the network port of the server when it was connected to their system. That means a connection failure at layer 1, right? So....I'll take a little 4-port switch and see if using it as an intermediary helps until the new switch I'm going to sell them arrives. I can also try setting the NIC speed manually to 1 gigabit instead of "Auto". It could be that the auto setting isn't working right for the same reason it can't talk to the switch.

If this reasoning is correct, then it follows that the reason it works at my place over the VPN is that my network switch is acting as the intermediary.

I'll report back with the results.

 

[tek9]

Check speed and duplex settings on the laptop and the server. Is the laptop NIC Gigabit?

 

[HCHTech]

Just got pictures of the switch - it's an HP 1910-48 Switch (JG540A). So a) it's old, and b) the 48 main ports are 10/100, but there are 2 SFP and 2 Copper 10/100/1000 ports, so we may be able to just move a couple of wires to get it up and running while we wait for a new switch.

 

[HCHTech]

Just got back from the client's office. Moved two wires on their switch to the copper 10/100/1000 ports, now the DC and new app server are communicating at gigabit, and I'll be sending out a quote for a new switch this afternoon. All's well that ends well!

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Just got back from the client's office. Moved two wires on their switch to the copper 10/100/1000 ports, now the DC and new app server are communicating at gigabit, and I'll be sending out a quote for a new switch this afternoon. All's well that ends well!

This would have had me scratching my head. Rarely do I see 10/100 switches anymore. It certainly wouldn't have been on the top of my list to check. I would have went down the same path you did. Good job. I'll keep this in mind if I come across a similar issue.

 

[HCHTech]

This would have had me scratching my head. Rarely do I see 10/100 switches anymore. It certainly wouldn't have been on the top of my list to check.

Looking back, this is one of the gotchas when the networking equipment isn't in the same location as the server. Had everything been in one place, I would have been staring at it long enough trying to will it to work, and I would (hopefully) have noticed the little "Green=100, Amber=10" notation on the front panel. That might have made me suspect it earlier. Maybe.

 

[fencepost]

It's not the 10/100 that would have thrown me, it's the server ports that would connect only at Gigabit or higher. I still see 24+2 or 24+4 switches regularly, but for anyplace using those the gigabit ports are dedicated to either server or uplink connections.

 

[HCHTech]

it's the server ports that would connect only at Gigabit or higher.

Yes. Now that 10Gb is starting to creep into more equipment, I think we'll see this more and more. I remember when Gigabit was first a thing back in the 90s, there were lots of asterisks on equipment that touted gigabit speed on the package....and lots of old infrastructure that wouldn't support it even if you did have the right cards and switches. Technology marches on. In 10 years, we'll probably be looking down our noses at networks that are only gigabit.

 

[crewman1]

A slightly off topic point.. you said
“their budget is SMALL”. “They're buying a practice management software that requires a dedicated server.”

From all I’ve seen on the block, buying a practice management software that requires a dedicated server? That’s usually at least a 10k software budget, sometimes double or triple that. What makes you think they really are on a tight budget?

I’ve always tended to shy away from clients who don’t want to spend to make stuff work for the long haul, by pushing me into a financial corner.. what do you think?

 

[HCHTech]

This was my post, so I'll give the followup here. This is an inherited client from a business acquisition. They had an in-house guy for a long time and only called for outside help when something was over the head of the in-house guy. Luckily, he has left, and we are taking small steps to get them into the right stuff. We replaced that old switch with a much better current model (not cheap), and we're working slowly through a list of stuff to get them into the best-practices corner. I think they must have assigned the in-house guy's salary to the IT budget because they are much less cheap now. It's all good.

 

[crewman1]

This was my post, so I'll give the followup here. This is an inherited client from a business acquisition. They had an in-house guy for a long time and only called for outside help when something was over the head of the in-house guy. Luckily, he has left, and we are taking small steps to get them into the right stuff. We replaced that old switch with a much better current model (not cheap), and we're working slowly through a list of stuff to get them into the best-practices corner. I think they must have assigned the in-house guy's salary to the IT budget because they are much less cheap now. It's all good.

Good for you. I have seen some of these initially cheap clients turn around after a period of stability. But getting them into a recurring payment plan of some sort is critical. Otherwise you can provide excellent service but lose them to another MSP who will come offer them a flat rate. Which now that you helped increase the base cost.. sounds like an attractive option.

I know it’s unfair, but I’ve seen it happen..