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WIC killed our 1841s?

gatewayrehab
Level 1
Level 1

Hi All,

Short version:  Has anyone ever seen the installation of a WIC card in an 1841 render the router inoperable?  (No SYS PWR led or fan?)

Long version:

    Our company recently decided to upgrade our existing T1 connections to remote offices by upgrading to dual T1 links using PPP multilink. 

I had tested a setup in my office with a pair of 1841s, and got it working with a pair of VWIC2-2MFT-T1/E1 cards.  Sweet!

The routers currently have a single 1DSU-T1 V2 WIC card.  Our plan is to install the new VWIC2 cards alongside the existing T1 serial card so I can configure everything from the home office, then cut over everything in one day by simply moving cables over to the new VWIC2 card.

  We sent out the new VWIC2 card to our most remote office and sent instructions for how to remove the blank faceplate and install the second WIC module.   The next day our man onsite powers down the router, installs the card, and powers up the router, but no connection is made.  I drive out there and see that the router is completely dead.  No 'SYS PWR' led, or fan.   Even after removing the offending WIC and all WIC cards.  Hmmm.  Let's just set this aside for now.

   I brought a back up 1841 configured for the site, so I plug it in and get the network back up.  I'm able to ping the central office, and get a nagios confirmation that our site is back up.  Yay!

    Now the whole point of this exercise was to install the VWIC2 card for the upgrade, so I power down the router, install the VWIC2 card, and flip the power switch back on.  NOTHING!  No 'SYS PWR' led or fan.  Just like the first router that died.  I didn't think to bring a second known good router with me, so I get to do the whole drive again.  The next day I bring one of the routers I tested in my office with the VWIC2 already installed, and it works perfectly.

     The day after I swapped out the power supply in the broken routers with a known good power supply and both routers were still completely dead.  I imagine it must be something on the motherboard that is fried.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this before?

Still scratching my head,

    - Ken

2 Accepted Solutions

Accepted Solutions

I wouldn't put it into another router See if you can get a different one. This isn't a normal occurence...

HTH,

John

HTH, John *** Please rate all useful posts ***

View solution in original post

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

I've seen something like that.

The WIC card had a component that failed and it "burnt" the motherboard of the router.

I guess I wouldn't be asking you to put a bet on the latest horse race. 

View solution in original post

5 Replies 5

John Blakley
VIP Alumni
VIP Alumni

Ken,

I've never seen that before. Did you use the same card for both the primary and the backup router? The only thing that I can think of is that the card itself is faulty and shorting something.

HTH,

John

HTH, John *** Please rate all useful posts ***

J.blakley,

     The same WIC was plugged into both routers that failed.  Your suggestion is the suspicion that we have.  We are nervous about plugging it into any other routers, but it would be revealing if it killed another router, or worked perfectly.  It is currently sitting in 'quarentine' in my boss's office.

   I am still somewhat new to networking, having just earned my CCNA last year, and wondered if this was something that rarely happens, or if it's commonly know how this can be caused.  I'm glad I didn't learn this by plugging the WIC into our 3845 at the central office.

     We're probably going to try returning the WIC.

    - Ken

I wouldn't put it into another router See if you can get a different one. This isn't a normal occurence...

HTH,

John

HTH, John *** Please rate all useful posts ***

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

I've seen something like that.

The WIC card had a component that failed and it "burnt" the motherboard of the router.

I guess I wouldn't be asking you to put a bet on the latest horse race. 

gatewayrehab
Level 1
Level 1

Thanks for the posts.  I'll let everyone know how the return process goes, or if we find any more cards that do this.

(There are five more sites to upgrade.)

   - Ken

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