Roku3 and Sansco security DVR can't connect through SG200-26

[TimPickard]

I recently purchased a SG200-26 to replace 3 8 port unmanaged switches in my home network. When I connected it up everything seemed to work fine until I tried to install a new Sansco security DVR (wired cameras not IP). I believe the Roku had the problem but it fell over to the WiFi and I didn't see it. When I connected through the switch it was as if I had a bad cable as far as the DVR was concerned. With DHCP it wouldn't receive an IP address, static or dynamic, and with a manually entered static IP no other device could see it. The only way to get the DVR to connect to my phone or computer was to connect it directly to my router.

I didn't know about the Roku until I went to replace the router with an ASUS GT-AC5300, but during setup I had to touch most devices in my network because I altered my static IP assignments. Then I discovered the Roku has the same problem.

Everything else on the switch can get an IP assigned by the router except those two devices. The only similar device is a Chrome-cast, but as it is wireless only it doesn't go through the switch anyway. I have a regular DVR but haven't tried it as I rarely use it and don't even have it connected to the TV. Any other device can connect to the ports I was trying to use and moving them to known good ports accomplished nothing. All NIC lights operate as they should and the switch is set to auto config speed if the interfaces are not 1 Gbs. In fact my printer is 100 and has not trouble with the switch.

I have eliminated hardware as the issue and the only device that seems to be likely to have a config problem is the switch. I would like to place the DVR and Roku on a separate VLAN, along with other IoT devices, but if I can't go through the switch I won't be able to without significant trouble. ASUS did not put VLAN support into their GUI. After all "why would someone want VLANs in a home network?" I guess they never heard of MIRAI, but I have.

I could hack the router to create the VLANs with Busybox, but I'd rather not hack into a brand new device when I have another that should do it better anyway. Any ideas where to start looking would be appreciated. I feel like I'm missing something that should be obvious.

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

the first thing I would do is reset the switch to factory defaults (page 63 of the attached admin guide). 

I don't know if the Roku has any security options, if so, you might want to try and disable all of them.

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/csbss/sf20x_sg20x/administration_guide/Cisco_200Sx_v1_4_AG.pdf

[TimPickard]

I reset the switch to factory and it had no effect on allowing the Roku3 to connect. I tried enabling Flow control and setting master on the port, also no effect. I changed it all back before returning the Roku to the router. Also no settings on the Roku to account for this.

[TimPickard · Accepted solution]

I found the basic cause and therefore solution to this problem while troubleshooting with a friend. The thought crossed my mind that the Roku 3 might not have Gigabit Ethernet, so I checked. It does not. When I went to manual speed 100M and full duplex it started working again. I switched the security DVR to the same and it is also working now. I don't know why they were unable to negotiate with the SG200-26 but could with either my old and new routers. That will take a little more research and I'm not sure I'll bother.