Need Help With Network Failures

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ShawnInPaso

Getting the hang of it
May 30, 2016
132
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Edit to add: the lan connections from the 4 port switches to the 16 port switch do not light up at all??

I have an 11 camera setup using Blue Iris but recently 5 of the cameras have stopped communicating over the LAN. The only thing in common is that the five cameras use TP-Link POE switches (3 cams on one switch and 2 cams on another). They did not fail at the same time. When the first one failed a few days ago, I did a lot of troubleshooting and thought the switch was failing because it was intermittent. So I replaced the switch and all was good. Today, the new switch and the other one failed at the same time. I've checked power, point to point connectivity on the cat6 cable to the switches and cameras, but the cameras do not show up on the client list and cannot be pinged. Other cameras connected to the 16 port switch are powered separately are working fine. I've attached a diagram, mainly all cams connected to the 4 port switches have failed and I don't know why? I have had this system working without issue for years.

Thanks for any help!

Camera Config 2025.jpg
 
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Where is the BI server connected?
What do the arrow points boxed in red below mean?

Camera Config 2025_1.jpg
 
@TonyR

Thanks for asking - good questions I should have explained in my post and diagram.
The 'arrows' indicate WIFI connections. The BI server is connected to the 16 port switch.
 
So the AP and Wifi cameras are still working from the one switch? Yet all other cameras that were connected on POE ports and powered by POE Switch have failed? This sounds like there is an issue with the POE switches.. Seeing from your diagram the Ap is powered by awlwort and not POE?.. I would double check the POE switches to make sure they are still able to provide power?

Edit: I would also double check that none of the Cables you are using are CCA.. That is a POE Killer depending on length of cable and types of POE cameras being powered. Time is faster the larger the POE requirements..
 
@Revo2Maxx
Good observation. Here again I failed to include all the details. I have other cams plugged into the 16 port switch which are powered directly, not by POE. Seems it's just the POE cams that fail? The cables are quality stuff, not CCA. Initially I suspected a bad cable when only one of the two 4 port switches failed, but I checked it end-to-end for connectivity and it is good. When the other 4 port switch had the same issue, it seemed something else was going on? It has been a head scratcher for me as I haven't had any issues like this in the past. Everything is on the same network, maybe some kind of IP issue?
 
Issue is I have not heard of 2 POE switch going offline at the same time or even close to the same time in your configuration.. I have heard of an IP cameras going bad and taking out POE switch, Reboot of the switch can at times get it to return. other times the fuses in the switch die and cameras won't power on without a repair.. SMD fuses normally..

Don't know TP-Link POE switches so I can't say how they are setup.. However strange that there is such an issue again at the same time different switches.. First thought maybe link issue, However because your Ap is still working seeing I assume that the AP that is by the Wifi cameras are what is connecting the cameras to the main Switch that is then allowing the connection to the NVR.. AKA Blue Iris.. So if I understand correctly the Ap is still passing data from dead POE Switch to the main TP-LInk switch? Seeing I see in your diagram the Ap is working in what I am guessing as AP mode and not an Ap working in a Bridge? So that says port from TP-Link on the right with AP is still getting data from the ethernet uplink to the main TP-Link switch..

This seems like a fault in the Switches. Either Power supply issue? If you have a multi meter check the power source of the POE switches. At times they might work on a normal reduction of voltage in normal data but won't provide POE?.. AKA Let just say in theory the switch works with data off 12v or even 18v and the power that the switches are getting is only 60 or even 80 because of some type of voltage issue. Then the switch could still provide the data but fail to power the POE supply for the POE ports..

Try and Test, Remove the Ethernet from one of the cameras, Connect 12v power to camera might require power extension cord, Power the camera then plug your camera back into the switch and see if that will then transfer data to the Main TP-Link switch and your Bi machine?

Here are steps I would try
Check PoE switch power – Are the LEDs on?
Confirm Ethernet connections – Are cables secure?
Reboot PoE switches & NVR/Bi Computer – Does that restore the cameras?
Test PoE cameras directly with 12v power – Do they work?
Verify NVR network settings – Is it on the correct subnet and Network Range?

To the last point? Was there a change in the Router data that might have changed the Ip address for your cameras and Bi Machine but the cameras connected over POE are on Static IP from and older Ip pool?
 
@Revo2Maxx

I am very grateful for your time and expertise to share the info with me. When I get home tonight I will re-read your post and try the recommended actions.

Thanks very much
 
Revo2Maxx said:
Here are steps I would try
Check PoE switch power – Are the LEDs on?
Confirm Ethernet connections – Are cables secure?
Reboot PoE switches & NVR/Bi Computer – Does that restore the cameras?
Test PoE cameras directly with 12v power – Do they work?
Verify NVR network settings – Is it on the correct subnet and Network Range?

To the last point? Was there a change in the Router data that might have changed the Ip address for your cameras and Bi Machine but the cameras connected over POE are on Static IP from and older Ip pool?
Click to expand...
Hey Revo -
I checked and tested the good list you put together and still have the same issues....sort of.

When checking the ethernet cables and connections, I noticed that the connectors for each of the two switches seem a bit loose in the 16 port switch the connect to . I unplugged both and plugged them back in and one of the two 4 port switches started delivering traffic for the 2 cams on that switch. It has since been intermittent. As unlikely as it may seem, I think I may have just had a very coincidental failure of the two connections/connectors at the 16 port switch. Tomorrow I will be replacing the connectors for those two cables and see how it goes.

Thanks again for the help!
 
Restart your router and modem, check for physical cable issues, and ensure your devices have the latest firmware.

And check for outdated drivers, they may be the cause of the issue.
 
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Personally I think the POE power module on the switches has died. Were the any storms in your area when the switches failed? It is not uncommon for POE modules to "get fried" through electrical surges. This most commonly happens during electrical storms when a nearby lightning strike sends voltage back through the network cable to the switch, but it isn't the only way these can fail. Even an abnormal surge through the normal electrical power lines can cause problems like this. Given that the switches are the same brand and perhaps even the same model, they would both be susceptible to the same causes of failure. This means that having both fail at the same time wouldn't be that unusual because they were both exposed to the same event that caused the problem in the first place.

I had several "cheap" POE modules die like this previously. It wasn't really until a switched to using an enterprise grade POE switch that I stopped having POE failures.

As a test, do you have a POE injector that you can hook up to provide power to the cameras instead of relying on the network switch to provide power? I suspect the cameras will "come back to life" if they are powered through an injector instead of the current switches (which I suspect are fried).
 
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The Automation Guy said:
As a test, do you have a POE injector that you can hook up to provide power to the cameras instead of relying on the network switch to provide power? I suspect the cameras will "come back to life" if they are powered through an injector instead of the current switches (which I suspect are fried).
Click to expand...
Thanks for your good suggestion. First, my apologies for not returning to describe the final answer. The failure was a combination of two things, a faulty connector that worked sometimes, but not always, so the connector was replaced. The second issue was indeed the POE supply which was low voltage, but not completely dead. These two things together kept me guessing and I'm grateful for everyone's help. I have since replaced the entire length of cable and replaced the POE switch.

Cheers.
 
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