Power Troubles


As basic an issue as power might seem, it should be your starting point when you have a device that is not functioning correctly. For example, you might get up one morning and find that although your computer is working just fine, nothing prints. You check the printer and find that it's turned on and has paper loaded; you just can't figure out what the problem might be. Check your hub or switch. Has someone accidentally unplugged the AC adapter that powers the device? Most hubs have a power LED that indicates when the unit is powered up. If you have a power strip, check that too. It's easy, especially in a small office where you don't route cables through the wall, for something as simple as an unplugged device to cause problems. Of course, look to see that no one has switched the power strip to the off position.

You should not use the inexpensive power strips you can find so easily at a discount store. Instead, go to an electronics store (or some of the large home/builders stores) and look for a better power strip. Because a single power strip can do a lot to protect your hardware from damage, all devices, from computers to printers to switches, should be plugged into a power strip that has surge protection as a feature. Again, the low-end strips say they will do this, but in practicality, you get what you pay for. Many of the high-end versions will provide connections for your telephone and even network cables, broadband connections, and even cable interfaces, among others, to further insulate your SOHO network from something like a lightening strike.

If you were even more thorough when setting up your network, you probably bought a small uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and have your power strips or computers plugged into the UPS. Look for any fault lights on the UPS to determine whether it has gone offline due to a power surge or some other malfunction. UPSs should be selected with care, because they implement many of the standard functions of power strips, but provide a lot more in that they are better able to isolate surges, and they can provide battery backups and automatic shutdowns of your servers in the case of a power outage . Small UPS devices can be used in a home network and are not that expensive. And each device usually offers four to six power receptacles, so you can use one UPS for several devices in the SOHO network.

For more information on UPS devices, see Chapter 5, "Protecting the Network: Preventative Maintenance Techniques."


Finally, if you are having power problems with all the computers on your network, check the fuse box or power panel in your home or office to be sure that the fuse or circuit breaker at that point hasn't disconnected the power.



Upgrading and Repairing Networks
Upgrading and Repairing Networks (5th Edition)
ISBN: 078973530X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 434

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net