Not sure if this is the right place to ask this question. But I have a router which connects to the internet. Now I have a switch connected to this router. I added a lot more computers so I added another switch and connected it to the first switch using a cross-over cable.
As soon as I connect it to the first switch, my lights in first switch start blinking like crazy and my entire network simply stops working. The minute I remove the second switch's wire, its all fine again.
What could be the problem?
Best Answer
This sound suspiciously like you have the switches plugged into eachother in a circle. E.g. Switch A is plugged into Switch B which is plugged into Switch C which is plugged into Switch A. So broadcasts go A -> B -> C -> A -> B -> C -> A -> B -> C so on and so on at the maximum speed the switch will support, thus rendering the network unusable.
Make sure that none of the switches are plugged into any other switches except for that central switch (the router. Which I'm guessing is a consumer grade router that also has a switch in it).
Edit: Just saw your comments about the brands of the products. For clarifications sake, you actually have three switches in your scenario (your DIR-300 has a router AND a switch. It's the switch that's causing the issue here).