Can I just add another switch to this? Pic included

[MachoManRS]

At work I am going to be adding about 10 workstations to what we already have. I want to know if I can just buy a 16 port switch and connect it to our current switch (it has auto detection I think) and I'll be good to go?

Someone might be able to better tell what's going on here. It looks like a dsl modem is connected to a router and then that router is connected to our main switch. I am guessing that the cheap looking black router is assigning IP's for our network? Is this probably right? We also have a windows 2003 server with a domain which everyone logs into.







Thank you!

 

[Emerald]

the Short answer is YES.

you can connect the new switch directly to the old one and also in addition use a second cable to connect it to the router. The connection between the two switch, however, will be enough for it to work properly.

 

[MachoManRS]

Thanks emerald. I read the FAQ and it seems to explain that it should work as well. Would there be any reason I would connect the new switch to the old one AND use a second cable to connect the second switch to the router?

Also, am I probably correct in guessing that the black router is the thing assigning IP addresses to this network?

Thank you

 

[Catsrules]

Wait, hold on here, what are you talking about connecting a second cable to the router?
What is the router connect to now? I would assume it is connect to the old switch, in this case your new switch can ether be connected to the old switch, or the router (cheap back box). If it is connect to both at the same time you will create a loop, that will basically break you network until the loop is broken. (Router and switches may need to be rebooted as well)
Just connect the new switch to the router, or old switch and leave everything the same and it will work just fine.

I would guess that it is the black router that is giving out the IP addresses, but the win 2003 server does has the capability to give out IP as well, so it is possible the server is giving out IP addresses. But the new switch will work ether way

 

[MachoManRS]

Yes catsrules you are correct the router is connected to the old switch currently. It didn't make any sense to me for a second cable to be connected the router, but that's what emerald typed so I was making sure that's not a good idea.

After reading everything, I'm going to buy a 24 port 10/100/1000 switch to use as our main switch and plug it into our new server which has a gigabit nic and the router. Then I'll hook the few extra connections that I'm installing into our old switch and then connect the old switch into the new one.

Thank you!

 

[pale paladin]

you need to buy a quality backbone switch and then utilize smaller less managed switches in distributed areas. I'm not trying to tell you what you are doing is bad and forbidden it just doesn't make sense when you can create a better infrastructure while still utilizing some of the older equipment you have. In addition what type of connection is coming off of your modem? Eth,Gig? That would determine how much money you want to spend on a big 24port. If you are playing with a non gig or fiber uplink then buying a cheaper switch makes sense.

 

[riser]

Uh, I would disregard Pale Paladin's comments for now.

Overall you are on the right path with your last statement.

 

[Catsrules]

I agree with Riser.

 

[d85kennedy]

For a network of this scope, you dont need an enterprise quality managed switch. I agree with Riser.

Its best to daisy chain as few switches as possible.

Purchase the 24port, connect router + server to it and fill the remaining 24 ports in the first instance. Then use the remaining smaller switches to cover the rest of your hosts.

For troubleshooting later, you should make each switch a logical group of computers in 1 office/department or maybe all the printers.

You only need 1 connection between the 24port and the router. Using 2 cables between here make the network slower as their is 2 routes.

 

[MachoManRS]

Best answer selected by MachoManRS.