Overview

This article helps troubleshoot Encoders and Decoders that report a 10 or 100 Mbps network link in an AMP Standardized or AMP Alternate Configuration system. Use AMP’s Gather Details tool to identify affected devices, then determine whether the reduced link speed follows a device or remains with its cable path or switch port.

Common Symptoms

• Gather Details reports 10 or 100 Mbps for an Encoder or Decoder expected to link at 1 Gbps.
• Video or audio drops out or freezes.
• A device links at its expected speed when connected directly to the switch but reports a reduced speed through its original cable path.
• Several devices report reduced link speeds.

Check Link Speed with AMP

Run Gather Details before disconnecting cables. Compare the reported speeds to identify each affected Encoder or Decoder.

• AMP Standardized: From the AMP start screen, select Service, then Gather Details. See Gather Details with AMP - Video for a Standardized Configuration walkthrough.
• AMP Alternate Configuration: From the AMP start screen, select Alternate Configuration in the lower-left corner and acknowledge the disclaimer. Open Gather Details from the Alternate Configuration service options.

1. Run the scan and review the reported link speed for each Encoder and Decoder.
2. Record every device reporting 10 or 100 Mbps. Include its device name, switch, and port when available.
3. Identify the original cable path for each affected device. Several devices on the same switch may have separate cable faults.
4. In the switch management interface, confirm each affected port’s negotiated speed, link status, and error counters.
5. If one device is affected, continue to Troubleshoot One Device Reporting 10/100 Mbps. If several devices are affected, continue to Troubleshoot Multiple Devices Reporting 10/100 Mbps.

Troubleshoot One Device Reporting 10/100 Mbps

1. Confirm that the device’s assigned switch port is enabled. Check its negotiated speed, speed and duplex settings, and error counters.
2. Disconnect the device’s existing Ethernet connection. Connect the device directly to its assigned switch port using a known-working short test cable, then check the link speed again.
3. If the link returns to its expected speed, test the original cable path, including the installed run, terminations, patch panel connections, and any couplers. Repair the faulty connection and check the link speed again.

4. If the reduced speed remains during the direct test, perform a Device Swap Test with a working device of the same type.

   Check the port assignment before moving a device: An arbitrary switch port may not carry the traffic an Encoder or Decoder requires. Confirm its AMP assignment or multicast configuration before using it for a test. For Standardized port assignments, see Switch Configuration Guidelines for AMP Standardized Systems.

   Exchange both devices between their locations, leaving each location’s cables and power source in place. Reconnect each device to the connections at its test location, then run Gather Details again.

• The 10/100 Mbps result follows the suspected device: Inspect its Ethernet connector. If each location’s power source remained in place during the swap, the result points more strongly to the device. Record its model, firmware, and test results before contacting Just Add Power Support.
• The 10/100 Mbps result remains at the original location: Continue testing that location’s cable path and switch port.
• Both devices now report their expected speeds: A loose connection or temporary condition may have been corrected during the swap. Monitor the ports for further link changes or errors.
• Both devices report reduced speeds after the swap: Recheck both test connections and power sources. The result does not isolate a single faulty device.

Troubleshoot Multiple Devices Reporting 10/100 Mbps

Several reduced-speed links can result from separate cable faults. Test each affected device connection first. Investigate shared equipment or settings when the results show that the affected connections have something in common.

1. List each affected Encoder or Decoder, its switch port, and the components in its original cable path. Compare the list with devices reporting their expected speeds.
2. For each affected device, disconnect its existing Ethernet connection and connect it directly to its assigned switch port using a known-working short test cable. Check the negotiated speed. If the link returns to its expected speed, test that device’s original cable path and terminations.
3. If a device still reports 10 or 100 Mbps during the direct test, follow the device swap procedure in Troubleshoot One Device Reporting 10/100 Mbps.
4. Look for a pattern in the results. Affected runs may share a patch panel, intermediate switch, or installation work. Test the suspected connection or component before changing unrelated switch settings.
5. If multiple Decoders share one switch port through an intermediate switch, check the speed at each Decoder port and at the intermediate switch’s uplink separately. A 100 Mbps uplink does not, by itself, mean each Decoder has negotiated at 100 Mbps.
6. After each repair, run Gather Details again to confirm which device links have returned to their expected speeds.

If Device Links Are Healthy but Video Is Unstable

If Gather Details shows that the affected Encoders and Decoders link at their expected speeds, but video between switches drops out or freezes, check the inter-switch connections. Their speed is separate from the link speed reported for each Encoder or Decoder.

1. Identify the inter-switch connections carrying traffic between the affected source and display.
2. Check the negotiated speed, link status, and error counters at both ends of each connection.
3. For an AMP Standardized system, compare the active connections with the AMP-assigned topology. Confirm that every AMP-assigned inter-switch link is active at 10 Gbps and participating in its assigned Link Aggregation Group (LAG). A missing link or a connection running below its intended speed can reduce available bandwidth and contribute to video instability.
4. Inspect or replace the affected cable, DAC, or transceiver as appropriate, then test video between devices on different switches. See Multi-Switch Considerations for AMP Standardized Systems.
5. For an AMP Alternate Configuration, compare each inter-switch connection with the site’s network design and have the network administrator check its multicast configuration.

If Video or Audio Still Fails

If the affected device links now report their intended speeds but video or audio still fails, perform a Point-to-Point Test with an affected Encoder and Decoder. This removes the switches and installed network path from the AV test. Provide appropriate power to both devices when they are disconnected from PoE switch ports.

• The pair works point-to-point: Continue investigating the switch configuration and installed network path.
• The pair still fails point-to-point: Record the device models, source, display, and their direct connections for Just Add Power Support.

A point-to-point test helps isolate the remaining AV issue. It does not measure the original switch-port link speed.

Verify the Repair

1. Restore any settings changed for testing, then return all devices and cables to their intended system connections.
2. Run Gather Details again. Confirm that affected Encoders and Decoders appear in the scan and report their expected link speeds.
3. Confirm that the affected switch ports remain linked at the expected speeds and their error counters are not continuing to increase.
4. Test the affected source and display. If an inter-switch connection was repaired, test a source and display on different switches.
5. Record the original and final link speeds, test results, cause, and repair in the jobsite documentation.