Help! Ethernet Switch Carnage

[mrlegs]

So at school we have two separate 24 port Ethernet switches, one of which died over the holidays. I have replaced it, plugged all points in (I even wrote them down), but it doesn't work.

 

I know why - it isn't connected to the 'System', but this is my problem - how do I connect it to the system?

 

A really newbie question I'm sure, but if anyone could shed a little light on this, I'd be massively grateful!

 

mrlegs

[Michael]

hmmm not quite sure what you mean. Only thing I can think of, is make sure there's just one Ethernet cable coming from switch A going into switch B. This'll form the 'network'.

 

So for example, if you have workstations and all your servers plugged in switch A, but just workstations going into switch B, it's very important you have a cable linking the two switches together. Hope this makes sense

[mrlegs]

There are 2 x 24 port ethernet switches, one that works, and one that I have just replaced.

 

Could I just confirm your suggestion Michael (Thanks BTW), that if say, number 16 was free on the first one, and 12 on the second, I just connect them up with a standard cable?

 

I have justed tested this and it works perfectly - many thanks!

 

Stephen

[K.C.Leblanc]

Unmanaged switchs should just work.

 

What sort of switches are they (make and model)?

 

Do they have uplink ports (is a it switchable or a separate port?)?

 

Are you using a cross wired cable connect between them?

 

Have you tried just connecting the new switch the old switch and then gradualy adding stuff, it's possible that some you're connected to is causing it to malfunction.

[Michael]

Yes, that's all there is to it Stephen. The only other thing you may want to check are for Gigabit uplink ports.

 

Physically all network ports look the same, but some may work at 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) and others at 1000Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet). Not all switches have them, but if they do, it is preferable to link switches together using 1000Mbps ports.

 

Normally the 24 ports you're referring to are bunched together and Gigabit ports (if they exist on the model you're using), will be either to the left or right of the switch.

 

If it helps, if you tell me the model/brand you're using I can direct you further.

[m1ddy]

Indeed.

 

It shouldn't matter what port number you use to connect the two switches. As someone suggested, it is best to use the 1000Mb/sec ports (Gig ethernet) to connect them. Depending on the type of switch, a normal ethernet cable might not work. It would need to use the same type of cable (cat5) but be wired slightly differently in a configuration known as a 'crossover'. (if you look at both ends of an ethernet cable, the coloured wires should be in the same order in a cable thats considered a standard type. In a crossover the order of the wires will be different at each end.)

 

Depending on what the new switch is, you may need to bring each port up manually by logging in to the console and going in to each interface and using a command similer to "no shutdown".

[elsiegee40]

Yes, that's all there is to it Stephen. The only other thing you may want to check are for Gigabit uplink ports.

 

Physically all network ports look the same, but some may work at 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) and others at 1000Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet). Not all switches have them, but if they do, it is preferable to link switches together using 1000Mbps ports.

 

Normally the 24 ports you're referring to are bunched together and Gigabit ports (if they exist on the model you're using), will be either to the left or right of the switch.

 

If it helps, if you tell me the model/brand you're using I can direct you further.

 

 

I'll add a footnote to this... on our switches using the Gigabit port disables the last Fast port on that row... we got some very interesting results when we started using the Gigabit ports until we realised what was happening!