Grounding cisco router

[sonub6322]

Hi experts, I am almost new to the networking field, hence I might have lacking some basic knowledge. I like to know the impact if the ground of any router get disconnect. WIll the router stops work?  We have two peripheral router in my organization, both are connect with the MPLS cloud through the MUX. One router (3745) have ground connection, where as the other (3845) don't. Recently the 3745 router start generating CRC error on the WAN interface. Once we remove the patch cord connecting with the MUX for loop test and reconnect later, the interface did not come back again. FInaly someone advice me to check the ground connection. I found it was loose. Once I fix it properly and reboot the router the interface become up. The person told me that some cisco router send the reference signal through the ground to the MUX connecting with it, if the MUX and router failed to exchange the reference signal the router will not work, is this true ? 

Thanks

Sonu

[Peter Paluch]

Hi Sonu,

What kind of interfaces are these? Serial or Ethernet interfaces?

In any case, the ground connection may be a culprit, as the voltage levels on devices are evaluated against a zero-potential connection whose potential may be related to the ground. If the grounding between two devices is not correct, their ground potentials may differ. That may result in these devices not correctly interpreting the signal levels and not understanding each other. Perhaps this is what happened to you.

Best regards,

Peter

[sonub6322]

Hi Peter, thanks for the clearification and sorry to reply late. The concern router use Serial interfate (NM-1T3/E3 Card with

One T3 and One E3 High-Speed Serial Port). I still have a small question regarding funtionality of a card  due to faulty ground. My question is, does a card hang or stop functioning if the gorund is not proper, it may generate errors like CRC ? In our case the card only start work after the loose ground connection fixed and reboot the router. It did not up after the fixing of the ground connection only. Please confirm.

Again thanks again for your time to guide me.

Thanks

Sonu