On 22 Sep 00, at 22:59, John Hajinlian wrote:

> I plan to install a non-managed 24 port switch and use two of the
> ports to uplink to the NT server hub and Unix server hub. (The
> vendors will not let me remove these hubs and connect directly to
> the switch.) I plan to use four ports on this switch to uplink to
> four 5-port switches placed throughout the building. I believe I'm
> okay so far.

  Generally, "uplink" refers to the connection from a "leaf" device
toward the network trunk/core.  So I would say that you are uplinking
from these hubs, each to a port on the switch.

> What I'm not so sure about:
>
> ** Can I indeed uplink from a switch to a switch? (The smaller
> switches have an uplink port so I don't need a crossover cable.) I
> seem to think I can, but someone put some doubt in my mind.

  This will depend on the capabilities of the central switch, which
needs to be able to associate multiple devices (MAC addresses) with
each port.  Some of the 4-8 port switches I've run into only provide
for one device per port.  The only 24-port switches I've used have
been Cisco 1924 and 2924XL, and these are not so limited.

> ** Can the DSL router be plugged into the 24-port switch and will
> all the clients hanging off the 5-port switches be able to talk
> through it? Do you need a straight through or crossover connection
> for the router > switch connection?

  This should work.  You might need a crossover *if* the router
incorporates a hub -- some DSL routers do.  [I'd have one of each on
hand, and see which one works.  I've seen inconsistent/unexpected
results in this kind of case.]

> ** Will clients connected to the NT and Unix hubs able to
> communicate with everything else?

  Yes, assuming everything above has been addressed.

David G

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