Media convertors

[sparkeh]

Ok think this is a silly question but want reassurance

 

So currently we have two buildings linked together by a fibre connection that extends our curriculum network. As none of the switches have fibre modules, the link goes to a media converter, then into a switch.

 

I now need to run a separate connection over the fibre for an admin station in the second building. The theory seems fine; the fibre termination box has connections free for fibre cables that can run to media converters with the one in the main building going to the VLAN switch and the second going straight to the patch panel to give us an admin link.

 

However, I have never bought any equipment for this kind of thing (or really had much to do with it) so don't know if there are any 'types' or compatibility issues. There seems a lot of jargon that I might have to wade through.

 

Can I just pick up any media converter and fibre cables or am I going to have to look more closely at specs and protocols or anything?

[dezt]

I have a similar setup, 1 fibre link between 2 buildings with media convertors being used. I have set the ports on the switches at either end as uplink ports for Vlans and they work fine.

 

No extra kit was purchased.

[kmount]

I now need to run a separate connection over the fibre for an admin station in the second building.

 

I don't understand ... do you need to run a 'new' fibre cable or do you just want to add an additional workstation?

 

If you need to run a new fibre cable for 1 PC, that could get expensive ...

[FN-GM]

I know with Cisco switches when you setup VLANs you will be able to run 2 VLANs over one connection between the two switches. This feature is called trunking.

 

Basically what he is trying to say (I think) he wants two run 2 VLANs over one fibre connection.

[localzuk]

I don't understand ... do you need to run a 'new' fibre cable or do you just want to add an additional workstation?

 

If you need to run a new fibre cable for 1 PC, that could get expensive ...

 

He has a multi-core fibre it sounds like. With 1 pair in use already and with spare pairs.

 

A pair of any of these would do the trick. Note that you'd also need to buy SFP or GBIC modules for them too clicky. Also, make sure you buy the correct type of fibre patch leads to go between the panel and the converters. They should be of the same spec as the fibre itself.

[SYNACK]

You can do this, we had our network running over these a while ago. You will need a couple of converters like this:

D-Link DMC-700SC Media Converter

 

and the appropriate patch leads to convert from the connectors that are on the patch panel to the ones on the converter. Your patch lead will also need to be the same type of fibre as the main fibre run between building ie OM3 otherwise you will get massive signal loss. This should be written in small print on the side of the existing patch leads that you are using you are looking for something like OM3 or a measurement like 45u.

 

The other thing to take into account is the distance involved, if the fibre run is more that 550 meters you can't use SX (multimode) as it will not make the distance. You would have to use LX converters to extend the range out to 10km.

[Joedetic]

Just so there's no confusion following on from what FN-Greatermanchester has said.

 

VLAN Trunking and the 802.1q standard are NOT vendor specific.

 

But yes, you could use VLAN trunking but have a think about your bandwidth requirements before you do that.

[FN-GM]

I know that, just don’t know any specific brands and models of the top of my head. I just used Cisco because i know it is capable of doing it.

[Joedetic]

Pretty much all layer 2 managed switches.

[ASJ]

Most HP Procurve switches will as well.

 

VLAN's are the way we go. With proper planning means you can let the new network be potentially invisible to the rest of the network.

[plexer]

Do you need the admin machine in the other building to be hidden from what's allready there?

 

You say you allready have a fibre connection into a switch on that side so why just run a new copper port to where the machine is?

 

Ben

[localzuk]

Do you need the admin machine in the other building to be hidden from what's allready there?

 

You say you allready have a fibre connection into a switch on that side so why just run a new copper port to where the machine is?

 

Ben

 

From his post it seems they have a split network.

[sparkeh]

Thanks for all the replies! You have really helped

 

Let me clarify a bit:

 

I don't understand ... do you need to run a 'new' fibre cable

 

No, its like this:

 

He has a multi-core fibre it sounds like. With 1 pair in use already and with spare pairs.

 

But said more concisely and eloquently

 

Do you need the admin machine in the other building to be hidden from what's already there?

 

You say you already have a fibre connection into a switch on that side so why just run a new copper port to where the machine is?

 

Ben

 

Sorry not sure what you mean but I think that:

 

From his post it seems they have a split network.

 

 

Answers it.

 

Just to be perfectly clear here is a, hopefully better, description

 

We have two buildings, Building A (main building) and Building B (secondary building).

 

Building A has a VLAN switch that separates the curriculum and admin network in Building A.

 

When Building B was built a fibre cable was used to join the two buildings. The terminal box (is that what its called?) has space for 8 separate connections.

 

Currently, in the VLAN in Building A, there is a connection from a Curriculum port to a media converter and onto the fibre box. In Building B, the fibre goes to another converter and from there into a switch, extending the curriculum network to Building B.

 

So, I want to take an Admin port, and connect to a media converter and onto the fibre box. In Building B, the fibre will go to another converter and from there straight into the patch panel, extending the Admin network to one wall socket in Building B.

 

So, in summary, after reading these posts, I just need to make sure that I purchase the correct converters in relation to the distance involved and the right cables from the fibre to the converter (both if which I can get from the existing equipment).

 

Phew mammoth post!

Correct me if I am wrong

[plexer]

Can't you make the port which you would plug the admin pc into in building b and vlan it into the vlan for admin in building a?

 

ben

[dezt]

 

Just to be perfectly clear here is a, hopefully better, description

 

We have two buildings, Building A (main building) and Building B (secondary building).

 

Building A has a VLAN switch that separates the curriculum and admin network in Building A.

 

When Building B was built a fibre cable was used to join the two buildings. The terminal box (is that what its called?) has space for 8 separate connections.

 

Currently, in the VLAN in Building A, there is a connection from a Curriculum port to a media converter and onto the fibre box. In Building B, the fibre goes to another converter and from there into a switch, extending the curriculum network to Building B.

 

So, I want to take an Admin port, and connect to a media converter and onto the fibre box. In Building B, the fibre will go to another converter and from there straight into the patch panel, extending the Admin network to one wall socket in Building B.

 

So, in summary, after reading these posts, I just need to make sure that I purchase the correct converters in relation to the distance involved and the right cables from the fibre to the converter (both if which I can get from the existing equipment).

 

Phew mammoth post!

Correct me if I am wrong

 

Like I said earlier, we have an exact same setup here, we have a fibre link to building B from Building A. on each end of the fibre link is a media convertor going into port 24 on a switch. on the VLAN setup we have VLAN 1 for curriculum network and VLAN 2 for Admin network. We require 1 port in building B to be setup for the admin network. the switch in building A is setup for port 24 as an uplink port. Then we have setup port 24 in building B as an uplink port as well. then we have added port 10 as VLAN 2 for admin access.

 

We did not need to buy any extra equipment to do this.

[SYNACK]

Correct me if I am wrong

 

Sounds right to me

 

@plexer and dezt - It does not sound like there is even a switch over in room B just single a single station that is connected to the converter directly at the moment. To implement VLAN trunking over the existing fibre link would require a managed switch in room B which would probably work out more expensive than the converters especially if there is only going to be two computers in there in the near future.

[sparkeh]

Thanks again guys.

 

Just reading over the trunking sugestions when I realised I made a missed something out in my description. The school conforms to the LAs standard network build which means that the switch that manages the VLANs does nothing else, ie the curriculum port hands off to a second switch (curriculum switch) and the admin port hands off to a third switch (admin switch). Its a port on the curriculum switch that connects to the fibre not the VLAN switch directly.

 

Therefore I thought that the switch in Building B would not be able to see the Admin switch in Building A (as being separated by the VLAN switch) and could not use trunking.

 

Sorry to mislead

[plexer]

3rd VLAN?

 

Ben