Virtually all 100 Mbps switches are 10/100; most 10/100 hubs actually have
a small switch inside that separates the two speeds.

  The ideal solution would be to get a 24-port 10/100 switch and plug all of
the computers into it.  I believe Dell sells a reasonably-priced unit.

  Failing that -- and taking you at your word that you're satisfied with the
performance of the existing hubs -- you could get a 4-port or 8-port 10/100
switch (LinkSys, NetGear, or whatever) and plug both existing hubs into it.
(These connections will be from an "uplink" port on each hub, OR using a
*crossover* cable, unless you get one of the new auto-sensing switches.)
You might later connect a router to one of the open ports on this switch to
put the whole classroom on line, if you get a DSL or cable connection or
something similar.
  You *could* use a router instead of a switch for this, but in small/SOHO
devices your choices are going to be

(a) a two-port router that doesn't leave any way to add an Internet
connection, or

(b) a "multiport router" that is actually a 2-port router and a switch
inside the same case, of which you are, for now, only using the switch
portion.

  You haven't mentioned where the PCs get their IP addresses from.  The
switch approach lets a single DHCP service supply addresses for all of the
PCs.  The router approach adds a fair bit of complexity that you don't need.

David Gillett


On 4 Mar 2004 at 23:24, Byron Wolter wrote:

> I have 10 Compaq computers running XP Home and 12 HPs running Windows 98SE. This is in one large classroom. The Compaqs are networked using 100BaseT on a 100BaseTX hub. That all works fine. The HPs are networked running on a 10BaseT hub...and it all works fine. Both networks are TCP/IP. The 100TX hub is  100 only and the 10 hub is 10 only. They can't switch. My question is what is the best way to connect the two networks together? Some of the HPs on the 10mb hub have 10/100 NICs, so they can go either way, but
the rest are 10mb only.
>
> Does a router solve the problem? Or, I need to switch to both 100mb hubs and put 100mb NICs in the few PCs that only have 10mb NICs?  I really don't know.
>
> Byron Wolter
>
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