Best way to configure this network? STP Log Issues?

[fvelasco]

Hi guys,

I would like to know whats the best configuration for Netonix switches that are all linked together? Do I need STP enabled on switches that are connected directly to each other? I attached some of the logs that show a lot of STP activity and I do see disconnection from time to time. Is this normal? Is there a possibility that the Netonix switches are blocking port 502? For some reason, I can't read that port anymore from the office computer but when I connect to the device locally it reads fine. Sometimes we have to cycle the power on the switch and we're able to read port 502 again. Any thoughts?

Network Diagram

[Stephen]

Well best to start with the simple stuff first.
Just reading the logs and looking at your setup. I don't think port 502 is being blocked exactly. It's more likely you're probably routinely losing access because a different link's cycle their connection, then when it comes back up, STP has to disable it, re-converge and enable the correct port again.
So disabling it (in areas where there is no loop on the adjacent switch) would probably give you better access.

But the real question is why are the ports going down. From what I see in you're setup it could be as simple as just disabling flow control on all the switches. It has been known to cause trouble like this with links over radio because as the carrier signal fluctuates, the capacity varies and can confuse the flow-control feature and cause it to stop the link's temporarily causing "spurts" like this.

More info:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5462&p=29582&hilit=+flow+control#p29582
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5332&p=29029&hilit=+flow+control#p29029
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4909&p=27887&hilit=+flow+control#p27887


By the way thank you for providing detailed information.

[fvelasco]

@stephen

After turning flow control off on all devices. I'm now showing a lot of errors on a device? Any advice?
Here's some pictures

[fvelasco]

Well best to start with the simple stuff first.
Just reading the logs and looking at your setup. I don't think port 502 is being blocked exactly. It's more likely you're probably routinely losing access because a different link's cycle their connection, then when it comes back up, STP has to disable it, re-converge and enable the correct port again.
So disabling it (in areas where there is no loop on the adjacent switch) would probably give you better access.

But the real question is why are the ports going down. From what I see in you're setup it could be as simple as just disabling flow control on all the switches. It has been known to cause trouble like this with links over radio because as the carrier signal fluctuates, the capacity varies and can confuse the flow-control feature and cause it to stop the link's temporarily causing "spurts" like this.

More info:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5462&p=29582&hilit=+flow+control#p29582
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5332&p=29029&hilit=+flow+control#p29029
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4909&p=27887&hilit=+flow+control#p27887


By the way thank you for providing detailed information.

See Above

[Stephen]

Are you still losing access to port 502?

[fvelasco]

Are you still losing access to port 502?

From 3 netonix switches away that are all linked together via ethernet cable I cannot read port 502. But when I connect to the local netonix switch which the PLC is connected to I am able to read the port no problem.

[Stephen]

Well we may need to know a bit more information.
Are there any VLANs besides the management VLAN?

[fvelasco]

Well we may need to know a bit more information.
Are there any VLANs besides the management VLAN?

No VLAN configuration on any of the switches. STP configuration has been left as default. No changes have been made to them.


Changes made so far to try to fix this issue:

On all switches
Disabled all discovery tabs
Disabled flow control
Disabled SNMP
Disabled SMTP
Disabled POE Smart on non POE ports

[Stephen]

The only other thing I can think of is a bug that existed pre-1.5.5 that prevented MAC address changes from propagating through a network correctly.
Are all of your switches running the latest?

[mike99]

After turning flow control off on all devices. I'm now showing a lot of errors on a device?

You don't see error, you see fragmented packets and collisions. The collisions are probably you problem.

Those happen when the speed and rate are not the same on both side. It often happen when one side is autoneg and the other, forced to a speed and duplex. Force both side or leave both side at autoneg.

Fragmented packets is not an error but could lead to performance issue. Make sure you MTU is high enough on every devices.