Slow Ethernet Fix: Why Wired Speed Caps at 100 Mbps
Fix wired Ethernet connections stuck at 100 Mbps instead of 1 Gbps. Diagnose broken RJ45 pins, Cat5e keystone flaws, EEE bugs, and duplex mismatches.
Ethernet Switch Troubleshooting Guides
Resolve 100 Mbps speed caps, switching loop broadcast storms, PoE+ power budget overload, and auto-negotiation failures on unmanaged and managed switches.
Although Ethernet switches are remarkably reliable, two physical-layer issues account for over 90% of switch tickets: damaged single wire pairs in Cat5e/Cat6 runs that force Gigabit ports (1000BASE-T, requiring all 8 pins) to silently downshift to 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps), and accidental Layer 2 bridging loops that trigger broadcast storms and lock up every port on the network.
Switch Troubleshooting Guides (8)
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Ethernet Switch Not Working Fix: Ports, Loops & Power
Troubleshoot an unresponsive Ethernet switch fast. Resolve Layer 2 broadcast storms, failing DC power bricks, PoE budget overloads, and dead RJ45 ports.
How to Test Local LAN & WiFi Speed with iperf3
Benchmark real local LAN, Cat6a switch, and WiFi throughput using iperf3 server and client commands to isolate cable bottlenecks without ISP speed limits.
Spanning Tree (STP & RSTP): Prevent Switch Loops & Storms
Stop Ethernet broadcast storms. Learn how RSTP 802.1w works, set deterministic Root Bridge priority (4096), enable BPDU Guard, and debug switch loops.
How to Set Up a Network Switch
Set up an unmanaged or smart managed Ethernet switch: connect the router LAN uplink, read link speed LEDs, prevent switching loops with RSTP, and set VLANs.
Cat5e vs Cat6 vs Cat6a Ethernet Cables Compared
Compare Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6a Ethernet cables across 1Gbps, 2.5GbE, and 10GBASE-T distances, MHz bandwidth, PoE heat, CMR vs CMP, and solid copper vs CCA.
PoE Switch Guide for Small Offices (802.3af/at/bt)
Master Power over Ethernet for small offices: compare IEEE 802.3af PoE, 802.3at PoE+, and 802.3bt PoE++, calculate watt budgets, and avoid 24V Passive PoE.
Best Ethernet Switch for a Small Office (2026 Picks)
Compare the 5 best Ethernet switches for small offices: Netgear GS308E, TP-Link TL-SG108PE, Ubiquiti UniFi Lite 16 PoE, TRENDnet 2.5G, and Cisco CBS250.