this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2025
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Ghost ports (infosec.pub)
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by westo232@lemmy.world to c/sysadmin@lemmy.world
 

In the middle of a live VLAN readressing of a 200-node company, I encountered this gem. The ports just kept blinking on even after plugging out the cables. (HP aruba 24 port switch)

One turned off after a reboot.

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[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 147 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (3 children)

The lights are combined link/act, not separate link act. left for upper side, right for lower side. 2 and 4 are blinking, 1 and 3 (the empty ports) are not.

[–] gressen@lemm.ee 13 points 4 months ago (1 children)

So #5 is disconnected on the other end, right?

[–] orris@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Yes, or the systems etc. Or the port is disabled if the switch has the ability.

[–] abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Could've also just caught the photo in a flash of down activity depending. Still tho.

[–] gressen@lemm.ee 3 points 4 months ago

It's a gif and the LED is permanently off.

[–] reddthat@reddthat.com 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Port 4 is slightly pulled out, you can see the cable difference between 2and4. which I think is what OP was getting at.

It's probably touching just enough pins to keep active

[–] orris@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It doesn’t seem to be, they look like different cables, look at the strain relief after the clear part, looks like a different pattern and shorter. They are probably both fully seated.

[–] reddthat@reddthat.com 2 points 4 months ago

Hmm maybe I was wrong. Either way I think we can both agree this is everything just working normally...

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 points 4 months ago

Really? I've never seen that. In my experience, those labels are for the ports themselves, not the lights.

[–] Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works 31 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Does... Does nobody see the clear arrows showing these are indicators for the ports below?

[–] GBU_28@lemm.ee 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?

[–] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

Should probably check that #5 cable or port…

[–] argh_another_username@lemmy.ca 23 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] sudo42@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago

It's like people have never heard of wireless networking. Sheesh.

/s

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 21 points 4 months ago

The ports are numbered with arrows. Port one’s LED is on the left, port two is beneath port one and has its LED on the right. The two blinking above open ports are for even-numbered ports that are actively plugged in on the bottom row. I dunno why the LED for port five isn’t blinking; maybe the other end of the cable is connected to a device that is powered off.

[–] metaStatic@kbin.earth 8 points 4 months ago

Who ya gonna call?

[–] computergeek125@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

The Netgear M4300 I got works like that, it's a feature not a bug. There's no link lights on the bottom, so the top row does the ports in alternate left/right patterns matching the label on the case right above the light.

Edit: a word

[–] ThermonuclearCactus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

It's the vengeful spirit of that 2012 mac mini that I put out of its misery last year!

[–] secret300@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 4 months ago

Idk why but this gif is art to me

[–] owenfromcanada@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Listen, the ghosts gotta get online somehow

[–] QProphecy@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] Leeks@lemmy.world 21 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Actually it’s by design! Right side is for the lower ports, that’s why there’s the number with an arrow above it.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Yeah, which is how we know that 5 isn't patched into a machine, (likely goes to patch panel, then through the walls to an office/cubical with no machine connected to that port.)... Often means someone was fired and not replaced, or else the patch would be swapped to another place if they replaced the user and placed them elsewhere.

(Doesn't have to be that, could be other things of course, like a laptop someone took home, a dead VoIP phone... A disconnected media station, etc)

[–] QProphecy@lemmy.world -3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Okay Oscar

Edit: Oscar Martinez?

[–] majestictechie@lemmy.fosshost.com -1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

"Who's been looking at 1800's ankle porn on my PC?"

[–] nightwatch_admin@feddit.nl 2 points 4 months ago

Not sure why people are downvoting, uncovered ankles were indecent in those days. IIRC there’s even a mention in ’Dracula’ when Mina goes outside at night to run after Lucy.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip -2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

That's normal.

The switch doesn't immediately detect that there is nothing plugged in. It keeps transmitting.

Edit: the lights are not even lit if you look closer