Solved: Using 3, 2950T-24 switches

josephnuccio · ‎01-26-2009

In our office we have the following setup:

1. Verizon DSL with Static IP address

2. Westell A90-220015-04 DSL Modem

3. Linksys RV-042 Router

4. Dlink DSS-24 switch

These have been in place for several years and are working fine. But, we have run out of ports on the switch, so my boss has asked me to remove the DSS-24 switch and replace it with qty 3, Cisco 2950T-24 new switches which are new in the box.

I am not a network pro, and just know enough to get in trouble. After installing the new switches in our equipment rack, what do I have to do, if anything, to get 72 ports available.

I was told they will work right out of the box with no special configuration or setup required.

pstebner10 · ‎01-26-2009

Joseph-

They will indeed 'work right out of the box' for your purposes. You will need to link the 3 together using cross-over cables - one should have been included with each switch - they will probably either be orange or red CAT5 cables. You can tell by looking at the colors of the 8 wires on both ends of the cables. On one end, from left-to-right when looking at the bottom side of the jack, you will see: orange-white;orange;green-white;blue;blue-white;green;brown-white;brown. On the other end, if it is identical it's not a crossover. It shoud read: green-white;green;orange-white;blue;blue-white;orange;brown-white;brown. Then you know you have a cross-over cable.

So, you will need 2 of these to get all 3 switches connected to each-other. If I remember correctly the T series has built-in Gigabit uplink ports, right? You should go from gigabitethernet 1/0 (GE1/0) on switch 1 to GE1/0 on switch 2, and them from GE2/0 on switch 2 to GE1/0 on switch 3, using the two crossover cables. You should be able to then go from port 24 (or whatever port you want to use as an uplink) of switch 1 to your RV-042 router using a standard (not a crossover) patch cable, and be good to go - I don't think that the RV has a gig port on it.

HTH,

Paul

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Jon Marshall · ‎01-27-2009

Joe

"IP address needed to be configured in each switch, etc."

This ip address would be used to manage the switch so you could remotely access it. It is one of the first things people do when configuring a switch which is probably why you were told you needed it but as Paul quite rightly said all you have to do is actually just connect them up.

Jon

View solution in original post

pstebner10 · ‎01-26-2009

Joseph-

They will indeed 'work right out of the box' for your purposes. You will need to link the 3 together using cross-over cables - one should have been included with each switch - they will probably either be orange or red CAT5 cables. You can tell by looking at the colors of the 8 wires on both ends of the cables. On one end, from left-to-right when looking at the bottom side of the jack, you will see: orange-white;orange;green-white;blue;blue-white;green;brown-white;brown. On the other end, if it is identical it's not a crossover. It shoud read: green-white;green;orange-white;blue;blue-white;orange;brown-white;brown. Then you know you have a cross-over cable.

So, you will need 2 of these to get all 3 switches connected to each-other. If I remember correctly the T series has built-in Gigabit uplink ports, right? You should go from gigabitethernet 1/0 (GE1/0) on switch 1 to GE1/0 on switch 2, and them from GE2/0 on switch 2 to GE1/0 on switch 3, using the two crossover cables. You should be able to then go from port 24 (or whatever port you want to use as an uplink) of switch 1 to your RV-042 router using a standard (not a crossover) patch cable, and be good to go - I don't think that the RV has a gig port on it.

HTH,

Paul

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

Paul,

Many thanks for your reply.

Yes the 2950T-24 has 2 Gigabit uplink ports built in. I understand your instructions completely. That is how I believed they should be connected from reading up on these switches.

But, when I asked the same question on another site, I got conflict info. IP address

needed to be configured in each switch, etc.

Then I got tangled up using the CLI, etc.

But, I wanted to be sure of all the interconnections and confiuration (if any) before diving into the actual changeover.

Thanks again for your help.

Joe

Jon Marshall · ‎01-27-2009

Joe

"IP address needed to be configured in each switch, etc."

This ip address would be used to manage the switch so you could remotely access it. It is one of the first things people do when configuring a switch which is probably why you were told you needed it but as Paul quite rightly said all you have to do is actually just connect them up.

Jon

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

Jon,

Thanks for the info. I believe that there are many different ways to wire the switches and configuration would be important. But for starters, I just want the easiest way to use the 2950's I have on hand to get more ports.

I may want to do more with these switches after I get past this part.

pstebner10 · ‎01-27-2009

Joe-

Post back if/when you are ready to do anything else with those switches. You will eventually need to configure an IP address for the management VLAN interface on each switch. It sounds more complicated than it is...

This will allow you to telnet to the switches remotely and make any configuration changes that you wish.

Paul

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

Paul,

I am trying to get the 3 new 2950's up and working over the next few days. I will post back when they are up and running as simple switches. I'm sure I will need more help later for the switches VLANS.

I know I will need help replacing the RV042

with a Cisco 2811-DC Router.

pstebner10 · ‎01-27-2009

Joe-

No prob. Will you be replacing the DSL modem as well as the RV042 with the 2811? If not you really don't need anything as advanced as a 2811, unless you already have one lying around.

Paul

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

Paul,

I have one new in the box, laying around. Haven't opened it yet. Is it a DSL modem and router? I was under the impression that it was just a router.

In any case, I don't think it will be easy for me to do.

pstebner10 · ‎01-27-2009

It is a router, AND you can get an aDSL card (aDSL HWIC)for it and have it replace the DSL modem if you want. It just seems like a 2811 is a lot if all you are going to use it for is to perform NAT. I'm not saying that you can't, of course...

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

I'm not aware of the full capabilities of the 2811 yet. I will start reading up on it and see what else it can do. I know I am going to be in over my head. But, I am trying to learn the hard way....OJT with no help in my organization.

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

Paul, One last question on the switches.

Without removing the Dlink DSS-24, can I use a standard cable from port 24 on DSS-24 to port 1

of the first 2950? Or, do I need a crossover cable?

Will this then add 23 new ports on the 2950 to the existing 23 on DSS-24?

Joe

pstebner10 · ‎01-27-2009

Joe-

You can use a standard cable - I looked up the specs on the DSS-24, and all of the ports on it are Auto-MDI/MDI-X, meaning that you could use a standard patch cable or a crossover cable and it would work just fine.

Then, yes, you'll have 23 new ports available on the 2950.

Take care,

Paul

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

Paul,

Thanks again, Yes, that's what I thought. Just checking. I want to be 100% sure--lol. Joe

josephnuccio · ‎01-27-2009

Paul,

First problem encountered. I used a standard cable from port 9 on the DSS-24 to port 1 on the 2950. Then from port 8, from the 2950 to my office....some distance way from the switches.

There were no green lights on the 2950 ports, they were orange. And, I got the following when I did an ipconfig:

Original setup dlink port 9 to my office:

192.168.1.126

255.255.255.0

But when we connect to the 2950 as described above.....no internet connection and:

169.254.3.13

25.2555.0.0

What am I doing wrong? Joe