How is a network switch stabilizing my connection?

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
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Aug 20, 2006
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I have no idea why, but my Internet connection is completely flaky unless I introduce a network switch between my router and computer. The motherboard on the computer with network issues uses the Intel 82574L and 82579V NICs. If I plug an ethernet cable directly from my router to the PC, the connection tends to randomly die for no inexplicable reason, requiring a complete restart of the machine before any connectivity can be restored. This happens regardless of which NIC I use (though it seems to be worse on the 82579V).

But once a network switch is entered into the equation, the connection is totally stable. The only issue I run into is that once in a while, the activity light on port one (the connection to my router) switches from green to amber, indicating there's a throughput issue (my 100 Mbps connection effectively drops to around 30 Mbps), but this goes away once I restart the switch by unplugging it.

Any ideas? I feel like there's something inherently wrong with the Intel NICs (Googling suggests there's some kind of packet bug in at least one of the models), but I'm not sure how a switch is keeping my connection from dying.
 
sounds like there is something wrong with the switchports on your router losing link...

the switch just handles it better than your NIC did
 
Putting a switch or anything like that in between is acting like a booster/repeater. There may be a connection issue or break after leaving the router. I've had situations before where I had to introduce a switch into the line to get it to hold a connection.
 
It's a D-Link AC 1750.

I'm still convinced that it's a NIC problem, as my last computers had no such issues. The port would completely terminate itself (giant exclamation point next to the adapter in Device Manager), and trying to restart it (disabling and then re-enabling) would freeze the PC.
 
Bad NIC.

It doesn't like the router, and it sounds like something it causing it to re-auto negotiate with the switch.

You could try setting the speed/duplex manually in the device settings, also update drivers. Could also run a live linux CD just to eliminate the whole software variable.

If all other devices work with the router/switch - buy a discrete NIC or replace the motherboard.
 
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