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Expert network advice needed.


Mr. P

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I have a TP-Link 16 port gigabit switch and I am adding another TP-Link 8 port gigabit switch to extend my network. The cat5 from the 16 port to the 8 port, is it a patch or crossover? In the old days you needed a crossover for like devices but aren't most devices auto sensing/configuring today.

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You are right on all accounts.  You used to need a crossover cable, but I don't think there is a switch mfg today that doesn't have auto-sense. 

When cascading switches now a days, I don't even think about it - I just run a normal straight CAT5/6 from one to the other.

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Another 'old school' rule (10b5) that seems to have gone away. 2.5M between nodes  (But they still seem to make/ship standard patch cables 7'  ?)

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1 hour ago, TheDucks said:

Another 'old school' rule (10b5) that seems to have gone away. 2.5M between nodes  (But they still seem to make/ship standard patch cables 7'  ?)

They do that for some of the old equipment still in use out there.  On occasion you might need an actual crossover cat cable, so they still make them presently for that reason.   One day they may go away entirely, but I don't think that's about to happen for a little while longer yet.

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Mr. P-

I've added 3 Netgear switches to my display to help contain the cables from the controllers.  Each switch is linked to one to the next using regular Cat5e cable and I haven't had any issues.

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I believe the minimum was only for ring topologies, not star.  Something about impedance if I remember correctly. 

Who uses ring?  :P

 

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I installed 5 segments of thick (10b5) Ethernet with over 200 vampire taps. (centered on the stripe) and connected to workstations or a 'fan out box'

I only saw(and cleaned up)  remnants of Token Ring

CAT5 is so much easier!

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Hey, token-ring was great.  Deterministic transmission times and built in resiliency.  Who could ask for more?  Too bad it was so much more expensive.

Cat5 is easier, though.  

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40 minutes ago, jfuller8400 said:

Hey, token-ring was great

Until the token fell out of the network and you had to go searching for it.

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39 minutes ago, jfuller8400 said:

Hey, token-ring was great.  Deterministic transmission times and built in resiliency.  Who could ask for more?  Too bad it was so much more expensive.

Cat5 is easier, though.  

yep, those were the days.  When businesses had a choice of $800 for a token ring card and $150 for ethernet, well you know what decision most made.  And lets not forget ArcNet (star topology).

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1 hour ago, DevMike said:

Until the token fell out of the network and you had to go searching for it.

One of my all time favorite Dilbert's:

Dilbert.JPG.2252f74456fb22321262023b4705fc62.JPG

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5 hours ago, a31ford said:

Still have a MAU reset tool around here somewhere ….

wow, I had a few of those I would travel with providing network support for a few clients (all to often you would ask them for the one you knew you left with them only to have them say "don't know where it is").

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