Written 27 Aug 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card. Buy links are not tagged yet.

Check that the leftover box can reach the house router

Before you blame the switch or buy a new cable, ping the router from the leftover box.

Ping is a tiny "are you there?" check. The gateway (default route) is the house router's address on your network, the first hop out of the leftover box. You already know the leftover box's own number from see the leftover box's address on the house network. This note checks the path to the router.

Skip until SSH works

If you have never logged in from the couch, that is SSH from the couch. You can also type this at the leftover-box keyboard. Prefer this look after a cable is plugged in and you know the leftover-box address: a cable beats Wi-Fi for the leftover box, then see the leftover box's address on the house network. This note assumes you can log in from the couch, or sit at the leftover-box keyboard.

What this is

A look, not a shopping trip. If ping to the router fails, fix the cable, Wi-Fi, or awake check before you buy a 2.5G switch. Start with is the leftover box still on? and a cable beats Wi-Fi for the leftover box. Do not buy a switch for a failed ping.

Find the router number

SSH in from the couch, or sit at the leftover-box keyboard, then ask:

ip route

Point at the default via … line. That via address is the gateway (the house router). It often looks like 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1.

Ask

Ping that gateway three times. Replace GATEWAY with the via number you just saw:

ping -c 3 GATEWAY

Three replies with times mean the leftover box can reach the router. 100% loss means the path is broken: cable, sleep, or wrong network. That is is the leftover box still on?, a cable beats Wi-Fi for the leftover box, or keep the leftover box on the house network.

Optional: ping past the router

Only after the router replies, you can ask a public address:

ping -c 3 1.1.1.1

If the router works but the internet ping fails, that is upstream or DNS territory (see which name server the leftover box is using, then look up a site name from the leftover box), not a new switch.

What next

Cable speed: see how fast the leftover-box cable is talking. Write down the hardware address: see the leftover box's hardware address. Keep the number stable: keep the leftover box on the same number. Cable: a cable beats Wi-Fi for the leftover box.

Skip

• Skip if SSH and the leftover-box keyboard both fail. That is is the leftover box still on? or SSH from the couch.
• Skip a new switch for a failed ping.
• Skip forwarding port 22.
• Skip buying a NAS for this look.
• Skip Proxmox tonight. That is what a VM is, and when you do not need one.