When internet goes down network goes down

[passeri]

I said earlier that if the problem was not fixed then we would need to look more closely at the problem definition.

problem: when the internet is down the transfer stops.....

That statement assumes a sequence you have not demonstrated.

(Not 100% happy with my synchronisation programme, but I am working with it)..

What is this transfer software?

What if your transfer is breaking and that stops internet? We do not know.

When you are not doing a file transfer, does everything stop when the internet connection does?

How do you know the internet connection stopped prior to breakdown of the file transfer?

When the problem happens, are you able to access Opnsense to view connections and logs?

What steps do you take to fix the apparent internet failure?

[foxint]

Hi Passeri,

Thank you.


What is this transfer software? – Windows Explorer.

What if your transfer is breaking and that stops internet?

When I move the file to another computer, the transfer stops when the internet connection stops, and Windows Explorer says that the location was not reachable (or something like that). When the internet connection is reestablished the file location was found, and the transfer continues.

This is what I have experienced for the last few months.

When you are not doing a file transfer, does everything stop when the internet connection does?

I do not know as I only have noticed it during file transfers.

How do you know the internet connection stopped prior to breakdown of the file transfer?

The file transfer stopes, then I check the internet logo (bottom right) and it says internet connection not available (or something like that).

When the problem happens, are you able to access Opnsense to view connections and logs?

I do not know how to view the logs and do not know what I would be looking at.

What steps do you take to fix the apparent internet failure?

This is a known failure of my internet; it is an intermittent drop out that happens each and every day. My ISP accepts its existence. I think it is a function of my remote location, but NBN refuses to acknowledge this. The frequency is recurring and can happen from a few seconds frequently, or a few seconds 4 – 5 times a day. Sometimes 45mins. Mostly a few seconds, but enough to stop data transfers from PC to PC. This is not the way I think the network should function????

Google Broken Hill NSW Australia on maps. This will give you an indication as to the remoteness of my location. It is a mining town of 16,000 people. As far as I know I am the only one with OPNsesne.

In writing this note the network has dropped out 2 times. But the last time I did not notice the internet indicator saying offline.

Thanks

Dan

[passeri]

I know very well where Broken Hill is :). My avatar.

When you are quoting someone else's text, please use the 'quote' feature to distinguish it. It is the sixth symbol from the right in the toolbar above your message area. Hover over it to see the hint.

... Windows Explorer

So, SMB file transfer, not rolling your own as seemed to be the case from your earlier comment.

... internet connection stops, ... location not reachable ... internet connection reestablished ... transfer continues.

This simply will not happen if traffic is merely passing through the switch, all devices in the same LAN IP range. To be entering the router suggests a second network or a cloud is involved, which would explain loss of connection when you get a WAN glitch.

You also comment that you do not notice internet failures using your computer locally, other than file transfer, and that the system comes up by itself without intervention by you.

I will get to logs later. We may need to go there. For now, two questions:

• How long do file transfers usually take?
• Do you use any cloud service such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or 365 / Onedrive, anything at all?

[Patrick M. Hausen]

@passeri they are diagnosing "Internet goes down" by looking at the network state icon in the Windows task bar. That might just indicate the entire network is failing, Windows doesn't make a difference here. When the link is down it will show "no Internet", too.

I don't have much time to participate today, just wanted to mention that.

@foxint You might want to start with "ipconfig /all" when the icon shows "no Internet" again.

[cookiemonster]

Diagnosing more than that it seems.
- "Internet goes down". Symptoms could indicate actual ISP failure, modem failure, etc.
- "I cannot access any of my PCs on the LAN" . This is the one that will take time to unwrap.
And with MS Windows, that I am not good at. I might have to reduce my participation. Will help where I can.

[passeri]

@cookiemonster, I am in the same or worse position, never having used Windows other than in passing, professionally or personally. @Patrick, I saw the ambiguity over what is in fact happening to the network, but I cannot interpret MS symbols as just observed.

A thing I want to test now is that in fact one end of this file transfer is in a cloud, or travelling via a remote route. Certainly Apple and quite likely Microsoft default to pushing data from their own apps to the cloud where you do not specify local. Although we do not have configuration detail, at this point it seems unlikely to me that Opnsense is involved at all. Logs may show whether that is correct.

Edit to add: Any MS users out there with spare time?

[foxint]

Hi Passeri,

Thank you. And a big thank you to Patrick and Cookiemonster and the whole community.

I am glad you are knowledgeable. Even some Aussies have no idea where Broken Hill is. Thank you.

Due to my synchronisation issue, I have a lot of data I need to move to its soon to be permanent home. I have been slowly moving large amounts of data – usually takes (estimate from Windows) 1-2 hours. (Large for me. And it takes sooooo long.)

No cloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Drop Box. The data transfer is all from my local PC's in my house connected via switches via ethernet.

I did a large file(s) transfer last night and it stopped. I had to push re-start, and it resumed. Presumably the internet dropped out overnight.
You have confirmed my worst fears. OPNsense users hate/do not use Windows. I looks like I have fallen down the rabbit hole.

Thank you.

Dan

[cookiemonster]

@foxint . What about a suggestion: let's get you on a stable setup first and then we look if the problems go away?
If you are agreeable, can you list your requirements, and your complete setup. That is mostly to get a lay of the land (your IT land). We can propose a decent setup.
- I'd like to know the list of equipment and the ip addresses you have set on them, specify where they are set. Their operating systems where known.
The main part I'm puzzled about is you said you have set static IPs on the machines' OS, so they're unknown to your router possibly. I would suggest to set them as static leases instead (this would be explained in time).
Then you could continue doing your transfers as you know how so far.
- Can you draw a picture of the setup, lines to boxes with names is all that is necessary. Take a photo with a phone and attach it to a post. Are you able to do that?
- What sort of machine you have setup OPN on, what are the NICs? The thinking is if you have realtek NICs they can be really unstable and drop your connections. Saying that, it is expected and said before that the traffic between devices through a switch will be unaffected by this. We need to know how these transfers are happening and why they might be apparently unstable.
What do you say?

[foxint]

Hi Cookiemonster

Thank you.

I have tried to keep it simple all Windows 10 Pro OS on all PC's.

192.168.1.1   OPNsense Box HP Elite Desk i5            OPN Box
192.168.1.115   HP i5                     Movies
192.168.1.105   GA-X99-SLI-CF i7–5829K       Self-built   Back up
192.168.1.118   GA-X299-UD4 Pro-CF i9-7900X   Self-built   Main Back up
192.168.1.124   GA-X79-UP4 i7 3820         Self-built   Tax
192.168.1.144   GA-X299-UD4 Pro-CF i9-7900X   Self-built   Main
Future                           Back up II

Dynamic
192.168.1.151   NetCom Wireless
(old modem/router modem part not working)            Wireless Hub for Phone
192.168.1.152   Samsung                   Phone

NBN Box
TP-Link 2.5Gbit Switch 8 port.
TP-Link 1.0 Gbit Switch 8 port.
Netgear 1.0 Gbit Switch 24 port.


Outside world – NBN Box – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
NBN box – OPNsesnse box – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
Main – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
Main Back up – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch – TP-Link 1.0Gb Switch
Movies – Netgear 1.0Gb Switch
Back up – Netgear 1.0Gb Switch
Netgear 1.0Gb Switch – TP-Link 1.0Gb Switch.

I could possibly remove the TP-Link 1.0Gb Switch and rout this all through the Netgear.

Hope this helps.

Dan

[cookiemonster]

Hi Cookiemonster

Thank you.

I have tried to keep it simple all Windows 10 Pro OS on all PC's.

192.168.1.1   OPNsense Box HP Elite Desk i5            OPN Box
192.168.1.115   HP i5                     Movies
192.168.1.105   GA-X99-SLI-CF i7–5829K       Self-built   Back up
192.168.1.118   GA-X299-UD4 Pro-CF i9-7900X   Self-built   Main Back up
192.168.1.124   GA-X79-UP4 i7 3820         Self-built   Tax
192.168.1.144   GA-X299-UD4 Pro-CF i9-7900X   Self-built   Main
Future                           Back up II

Dynamic
192.168.1.151   NetCom Wireless
(old modem/router modem part not working)            Wireless Hub for Phone
192.168.1.152   Samsung                   Phone

NBN Box
TP-Link 2.5Gbit Switch 8 port.
TP-Link 1.0 Gbit Switch 8 port.
Netgear 1.0 Gbit Switch 24 port.


Outside world – NBN Box – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
NBN box – OPNsesnse box – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
Main – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
Main Back up – TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch
TP-Link 2.5Gb Switch – TP-Link 1.0Gb Switch
Movies – Netgear 1.0Gb Switch
Back up – Netgear 1.0Gb Switch
Netgear 1.0Gb Switch – TP-Link 1.0Gb Switch.

I could possibly remove the TP-Link 1.0Gb Switch and rout this all through the Netgear.

Hope this helps.

Dan

It helps a lot. Now please draw a logical (not physical) map of these connecting to each other. No need to go all fancy, draw with pen and paper and upload a picture. Please.

[foxint]

Sorry for the delay.

Trying to re-size the image.

No matter how small I make the file, I cannot upload it

Dan

[passeri]

That diagram is definitely needed. If you are unable to upload one, I will try to draw my interpretation so you can correct it. That would not be until later today but we are in nearby time zones.

The symptoms had fitted with a normal network doing cloud access. Now the network in text form does not make sense to me. It appears to say, for example, that you have at least one switch as well as a router connected directly to the NBN. I await clarification.

[foxint]

Hi Passeri,

Thank you.

The NBN Box is only connected to the OPN Box and the OPN Box is connected to the 2.5GB switch.

Thanks

Dan
PS - looks like I managed to attach the map

[passeri]

I just need some further clarification on that, because for me the words and the diagram do not marry up.

Is the first part this?
NBN --> OPN --> 2.5Gb switch --> other switches and devices

or this?
NBN -->  2.5Gb switch --> OPN -->  switches or devices
             |
             v
    switches or devices

How many ethernet ports does your box running Opnsense have? You show two devices directly attached and more through a switch or two. Are you able to answer cookiemonster's question about the brand of ethernet card? It should be on it.

By the way there are plenty of Windows users employing Opnsense, and on a variety of hardware.

[foxint]

Hi Passeri,

Thank you.


NBN to OPN to 2.5Gb Switch to another switch.

OPN box has 3 but I could only get 2 to work. The PC had 1 Ethernet port and I bought a twin (2) port card, but only 1 worked. (Probably my mistakes).

Thank you.

Dan