Network hub defective ?
 

Situation
Router - Hub - 2 PC's

It has been like that for 1,5 years. Hub is approx 5 years old. Network connections are ok, ping is ok, ... but i have this problem ...

Problem
All the lights on hub are blinking like hell (also collision 100) without any connection being made (at my knowledge). The hub has 5 ports, 3 being used (1 uplink + 2 pc's).
If i pull the uplink to the router out the hub ... the blinking goes on.
If i pull the 2 pc's out of the hub ... the blinking stops. Only pulling 1 out doesn't help.

Checking netstat on the 2 pc's doesn't give me any open port or answer. All pc's have software firewalls, the router has a hardware firewall. Virus updating and scanning is ok. Adware installed.

What is creating traffic ?
Could the hub be defective ?

Unplug; reset switch; perhaps reload firmware.

are you experiencing lower transfer rates? time-outs? loss of connection? slower download speeds? any other impact besides the "flashing lights"?

More info :

adsl-modem ----- router/switch ------- hub -- 2 pc's

As pulling the cable out between router/switch and hub does not stop the blinking ... i don't believe resetting the router/switch might be the answer.

The hub has no reset button, nor a web-interface, nor the possibility to upload/install firmware.

^replied^

I've experienced some loss over the last weeks but it happens very rarely.
Pinging the pc's for over 50 times (yes, fifty each ... approx) doesn't give any loss, except the 51th time : 1 packet lost on one of the pc's.
Tossing around big image-files (around 1 GB) gave 1 error ... when moved around for the 30th time.

seems to be like a hardware failure, either cable or the device itself

I was looking for that answer also.

Problem is the blinking doesn't if i pull only one of the two plugs ... i have to pull them both.
Reseating them ... only one ... no matter in which order ... gives the blinking lights.
Chances are very small the two cables/NIC's being defective at the same time.

Grr, i hope this isn't like an evil software exploit ... still receiving loads of emails like "This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification - Delivery to the following recipients failed." from postmasters / recipients i don't know

Edit : i'm thinking of replacing the hub as i think this is the only plausible cause, and ... as it's blinking like hell ... it will go completly down one of these days eventually

buy a swith, no more collisions.

New switch arrived just in time.

Hub lights were blinking contiously and the hub almost stopped working.

No more blinking, no more loss ... for 35 eur