topic Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email! in Archive

Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:58:37 GMT

I have a BT 2701HGV-C router.

I also have a non-wireless HP Officejet Pro 8500 printer which is connected to my Dell PC by USB cable.

I also wanted to print to the HP printer from my latest model 13" MacBook Air laptop but I didn't want the caddle of swapping the USB lead over every time I wanted to print from the Mac.

So I plugged an Ethernet cable into the HP printer and the other end into my BT router and, voila, I can now print wirelessly from my Mac.

The problem is that when the printer is connected to the router by Ethernet cable it completely knocks out my email on the Dell PC (Mozilla Thunderbird). As soon as I unplug the Ethernet cable from tthe BT router normal service is resumed.

Any ideas for a fix?

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

garlangreeny — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 02:01:34 GMT

Is it possible to simply just set up your email without being connected to the router or this happen only when you use the printer via router? It may be blocking something to prevent you from access your email via your Dell PC.

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:11:44 GMT

Everything works fine when the printer is NOT connected to my router - email, printer (via USB), internet, PC etc - but immediately I push the Ethernet plug into an Ethernet socket on the back of my BT router I am unable to send or receive email.

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:19:28 GMT

Hi,

There is one thing that springs to mind, and it's if Thunderbird is set to use a specific connection, rather than any available one.

We've seen something like this in Outlook Express, where an errant dial up connection was being used instead of broadband, and would do some weird things.

At the moment, other than that, we're a bit of a loss.

Dave

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:13:10 GMT

I've checked the Settings in Thunderbird and everything is correct as it should be.

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:54:33 GMT

Hi,

What happens when you plug the printer directly into the computer using Ethernet?

Also have you tried testing it without the USB cable connected, assuming you haven't already?

Dave

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:12:02 GMT

I'll have to try your suggestions tomorrow as I don't have my Ethernet cable with me today.

I'll post the results here.

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:32:05 GMT

This is really odd!

I unplugged the USB cable (PC to printer) and plugged in an Ethernet cable (router to printer) and promptly completely lost all wi-fi signal from the router.

I unplugged the router from the power supply, left it for about 30 seconds then plugged it in again. I also unplugged the Ethernet cable which went to the printer from the router and rebooted my laptop. The wi-fi signal returned.

I then reconnected the printer to the PC via USB (I can't print from the Dell PC without this connection) and the printer to the router via Ethernet but using a previously unused port.

Everything is now working correctly!

I simply do not understand it!

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:31:30 GMT

Hi,

Well it certainly goes from the weird to the bizarre.

The only thing I can think of is that the port you were using is faulty, but I've never heard of a faulty Ethernet port causing such a strange result.

What happens if you go back to the original port now?

Dave

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:00:39 GMT

I unplugged the Ethernet cable which went from printer to router at the router end and plugged it back in to the original port.

Immediately I was unable to send or receive email from my PC or my laptop and I could not get a wi-fi signal.

I left the printer plugged into the router via the Ethernet cable to the original port then pulled out the power lead from the router, left it for about a minute and plugged it back in again.

Everything works fine again! So it isn't a faulty port.

It seems that the problem arises if I plug an Ethernet cable into the router whilst the router is "live". Maybe I should only plug in cables when the router is "off" and then switch it back on afterwards.

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:26:47 GMT

Hi,

Well that throws that theory out.

Under normal circumstances a restart of router and computer is probably best when changing cables and such, but we have no idea why this particular change stuffs up email on the PC.

None at all.

/lost

I am glad it works though, no matter the reason behind the working.

Dave

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:37:26 GMT

Hi,

We're running with this one, as we've spoken to one of our coaches who knows stuff.

If you're using USB on your PC, why is that? Is it the router that's connected to the Ethernet port on the PC? And it doesn't affect anything other than email?

Also could you try something? Could you go into the router and DMZ mode the PC, and see if the Ethernet still does the same thing?

Sorry to be a pain, but you've given us a mystery to be solved now. 🙂

Dave

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:37:35 GMT

Yes, I think I'll give up trying to figure out the "whys" of this and just accept that everything now works!

Of course, I am spoiled a bit by being a Mac user at home of 12 years duration. With Macs there is no need to restart or switch off when swopping cables but evidently on a Windows set-up there is.

I prefer Macs by many, many miles but, unfortunately, I am obliged to use a PC at work.

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:43:19 GMT

1) I have to use a USB cable from my PC to my printer because my HP Officejet Pro 8500 is the non-wifi version.

2) I have my BT router connected to my Dell PC by Ethernet cable to power the internet, email etc.

3) The problem arises when I connect a second Ethernet cable from the router to the printer (so that I can access the printer wirelessly from my Mac laptop) when email on my PC is knocked out until I restart the router.

4) "DMZ mode the PC". Sorry but I don't understand that bit. I'm not really a techie!

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:45:00 GMT

Hi,

Well to be fair if it's working and you want to leave it alone then don't mind us. We're geeks that just like the challenge too much. 🙂

Dave

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:45:41 GMT

Crossing posts for the win. 🙂

Dave

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

follywinesltd — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:51:27 GMT

I sent my "I think I'll give up" post before I received yours asking for more information. Sorry! But I have replied with the details.

Re: Ethernet Knocks Out My Email!

DaveA — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:56:16 GMT

Hi,

This link has details on port forwarding, and the bit you are looking for is DMZMode Plus about half way down.

http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/c/426,3124,3670/a_id/9445/kw/dmz

As I say if you want to call it quits then don't worry about it. 🙂

Dave