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malebolgia
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Would Additional Switches Cause Problems?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:18 pm

Problem: Need to get ethernet into two rooms.
Solution: Bring one ethernet cable into each room, and connect it to a small switch. Each cable will connect to my router, back in the office.

I'm curious, would going with this solution be a bad idea? Meaning would it slow down the network or cause some weird problem? I would like to run wireless to each device, but the walls in my apartment aren't exactly making that possible. :(
 
wibeasley
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Re: Would Additional Switches Cause Problems?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:41 pm

Is this your situation and suggestion?
Room A (office):
-modem
-router
-at least one computer
Room B:
-switch #1 connected directly to router in Room A
-multiple computers connected to switch #1
Room C:
-switch #2 connected directly to router in Room A
-multiple computers connected to switch #2

What equipment do you have already, and how are you running cables physically?
 
malebolgia
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Re: Would Additional Switches Cause Problems?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:01 pm

Exactly, I have nice D-Link router/wireless AP. Two 8 port switches, spool of Cat5e ethernet, and I plan on using some cable runways.
 
wibeasley
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Re: Would Additional Switches Cause Problems?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:29 pm

Should work easily; I have a similar setup using Linksys equipment (and I'm not a network expert). Since you already have everything, you could start tonight. Add piece-by-piece, and check that everything can ping everything else as you add something new (From a Windows machine, use the -t option in Windows to ping indefinitely. Ubuntu's ping utility does this by default.) It might save you trouble if you assemble, connect, and test the network in your office first --before you move the swithces and machines into the other two rooms.

It sounds like you have real switches, and not routers that you're using as switches. If not, remember to disable DHCP in the 'switches' and use a regular port instead of the uplink port (but this probably depends on the model).
 
just brew it!
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Re: Would Additional Switches Cause Problems?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:52 pm

Assuming you need multiple Ethernet jacks in each room, that is exactly how you are supposed to do it. It should not cause any problems. In fact, if two computers in the same room need to talk to each other, that traffic will only go through the switch in that room, keeping it from affecting anything else.

At work we have a couple of big switches back in the server room, with individual Ethernet cables running from there to wall jacks at each desk and lab bench. But some people (especially the engineers) need to have multiple PCs and other network-connected equipment at their desk/bench. So many of us have our own switch... the personal switch is plugged into the wall jack, and all our other crap is plugged into the switch. So basically what you're thinking of doing, but on a much larger scale.
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