At work - Want to network a few computers together.

[Cattlegod]

At work I have 4 computers that need to be connected to our network (gigabit) but there is only 1 port where all 4 of the computers need to be.

I was looking for the cheapest option and I'm thinking that using a gigabit switch will be it. All the routers I've found only have 100mbps input, but offer gigabit capabilities between the 4 computers. I still need the full gigabit access to the company network (not just 100mbps).

Now, can I just simply buy a $40 dollar netgear switch and plug the 4 computers into it and it will work fine? Or do I need to get a router first?

 

[JackMDS]

Router is a combo unit of Routing Circuits, and a Switch.

For LAN purposes you only need a Switch.

If you need Intrenet Access shared between computers you need a Router. There is No Giga Intrenet so there is No Giga Cable/DSL Router, there are few Routers that the swich part is Giga.

Peer to Peer Giga Networks

Setting a Small Giga network.

:sun:

 

[Cattlegod]

So if I use a switch, I will have no problem accessing the network, but will not have Internet access?

 

[Woodie]

Call your admin/network guy...work may not like it if you're plugging things in w/o knowing what you're doing.

 

[Cattlegod]

Originally posted by: Woodie
Call your admin/network guy...work may not like it if you're plugging things in w/o knowing what you're doing.

that is exactly why i'm NOT calling him

the guy in charge of our building is a hard ass. won't let anything pass. he would rather the company contract $2,000 dollars to have 4 more ports installed into the wall than buy a $40 dollar router and save the company money.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Cattlegod

Originally posted by: Woodie
Call your admin/network guy...work may not like it if you're plugging things in w/o knowing what you're doing.

that is exactly why i'm NOT calling him

the guy in charge of our building is a hard ass. won't let anything pass. he would rather the company contract $2,000 dollars to have 4 more ports installed into the wall than buy a $40 dollar router and save the company money.

And he's correct for doing it that way.

hooking up a SOHO switch/router to the network is a VERY bad idea. You could cost the company millions in down time if something goes wrong.

 

[Cattlegod]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Cattlegod

Originally posted by: Woodie
Call your admin/network guy...work may not like it if you're plugging things in w/o knowing what you're doing.

that is exactly why i'm NOT calling him

the guy in charge of our building is a hard ass. won't let anything pass. he would rather the company contract $2,000 dollars to have 4 more ports installed into the wall than buy a $40 dollar router and save the company money.

And he's correct for doing it that way.

hooking up a SOHO switch/router to the network is a VERY bad idea. You could cost the company millions in down time if something goes wrong.

Really?

 

[jlazzaro]

if hes hooking up a hub, it shouldnt matter. the only real problem he could cause is the 4 computers on the hub not being able to access the network due to mac address restrictions on the switch port. the problem with hooking up a router up is you now have 2 dhcp servers, and you would probobly bring down the entire subnet you put the router on.

i actually did that accidentally once with a pix firewall, i kicked myself

what is your existing infrastructure? What type of device does the existing network jack go to?

 

[Cattlegod]

Originally posted by: jlazzaro
if hes hooking up a hub, it shouldnt matter. the only problems that could cause is the 4 computers on the hub not being able to access the network due to mac address restrictions on the switch port. the problem with hooking up a router up is you now have 2 dhcp servers, and you would probobly bring down the entire subnet you put the router on.

i actually did that accidentally once with a pix firewall, i kicked myself

what is your existing infrastructure? What type of device does the existing network jack go to?

not sure what the network looks like. all i see is the jack in the wall.

hmm, so, if I just use a Hub to break out more ports, then there shouldn't be any issue at all, right?

or will i lose internet access, or something else? will putting the hub in that port just look transparent to each of the computers and everything will operate as normal?

 

[jlazzaro]

if you have internet access by hooking up one computer to the wall jack, you shouldnt have any internet access problems when using the hub. Its a very slim chance they have port security setup...

 

[netsysadmin]

Just let the admin handle it. You can bring down the whole network if you dont know what you are doing. Remember some companies have policies regarding messing with computers and/or networking equipment. Nothing like breaking the network and getting fired for it.

John

 

[Cattlegod]

That is what I was thinking. I can take any computer and just plug it into the jack and it will work. Even computers that you just buy off the shelf, so I know it doesn't use the MAC address to identify computers.

so far what I have learned:

Router: may take down the network because the PC I'm on will request an address, but will recieve two different ones because of two DHCP servers, possibly bringing down the subnet.

Hub: Shouldn't be a problem and if everything works now, it should work fine after the hub is installed. On the upside here, I shouldn't have any port forwarding issues either.

any flaws anyone can see with getting a hub and jacking it in?

 

[Cattlegod]

Originally posted by: netsysadmin
Just let the admin handle it. You can bring down the whole network if you dont know what you are doing. Remember some companies have policies regarding messing with computers and/or networking equipment. Nothing like breaking the network and getting fired for it.

John

If I do that
1 - It will take 1+ month to have them install it
2 - It will cost more money. If there is no risk with just plugging a hub into the port, that is what I would like to do. Is there any reason you can think of that plugging in a hub will bring down the network?

 

[Madwand1]

Yeah, you shouldn't really be doing anything with someone else's network without permission. However, FWIW, some years ago I had a project where I was working with (not for) a large bank (multi-billion dollar bank, million dollar project), and the guys I was working with had to setup a bunch of computers, and only had access to unused hubs (probably 10 Mb/s) for connecting these computers (some big companies are very cheap). I offerred to bring in my 5 port Linksys 10/100 switch, and they gladly accepted. Also took me some time to get that switch back after the project setup was finished

 

[Madwand1]

Why would you risk your own neck to do this? Does the time matter to you personally or to the company? Does the setup matter to you personally or to the company? If the latter, then you should be able to pitch the issue to someone responsible, ideally in the business line perhaps via a superior to the local network admin to get an exception installed. It's up to them to decide which is more tolerable, the hack or the delay / cost.

 

[nweaver]

Don't mess with the network, unless it's your job. Otherwise, you may be out of a job. How would you like it if the network guy posted on a forum, asking how to avoid you and do your job, and starting to muck with your stuff. Oh, and if it drops your project and dies, it's still your fault (just like if you kill the network, he's going to come under fire).

Just don't screw with the network...

 

[networkman]

Originally posted by: Cattlegod

Originally posted by: Woodie
Call your admin/network guy...work may not like it if you're plugging things in w/o knowing what you're doing.

that is exactly why i'm NOT calling him

the guy in charge of our building is a hard ass. won't let anything pass. he would rather the company contract $2,000 dollars to have 4 more ports installed into the wall than buy a $40 dollar router and save the company money.

If you were doing this on my network at work without permission your arse would be fired - no question! :|

 

[Cattlegod]

Originally posted by: Madwand1
Why would you risk your own neck to do this? Does the time matter to you personally or to the company? Does the setup matter to you personally or to the company? If the latter, then you should be able to pitch the issue to someone responsible, ideally in the business line perhaps via a superior to the local network admin to get an exception installed. It's up to them to decide which is more tolerable, the hack or the delay / cost.

Yeah, its for the company. I will propose the solutions to my boss. My job isn't at risk here, he will give the final buy-off, I just give him options.

Just for personal info, how would hooking up a hub damage the network? This is the question I will have to answer for my boss. He will look at it like this:

1 - hub is cheap
2 - hub is quick
3 - hub will work

why not do the hub?

 

[nweaver]

because the hub is not approved...the hub could cause other issues that you don't know about (arp storms, broadcast storms, accidental routing loops, etc)
How will your boss like it when you call support, and they network guy looks at the physical configuration, and refused to provide support to your homegrown hodgpodge unapproved additions to the network?

why not the network guy? if this is critical, just have your boss talk to the network guy and get it a big boost in priority.

 

[networkman]

At my employer we have policies in place governing this sort of thing:

5.1.2 - No equipment may be connected in any way into any network or other computing facility of the Library without the prior agreement of IT.

Every employee signs off on having read and understood this agreement.

 

[Madwand1]

Corporate network guys typically hate working with SOHO gear, and this is understandable if you look at it from their POV. They're responsible for keeping the network running smoothly and efficiently all the time. They have to do much more with the network than the typical SOHO environment. The SOHO environment gear competes first on price + a few key feature points, and nothing else. Some of it is liable to simply break or not work with heavy use and be incompatible with other enterprice-necessary features. Businesses also do not have to cut down to the lowest price point, and can afford to spend a bit more for the reliability. At home, if your network goes down, you lose some inconvenience. At work, if the network goes down, 100's of people could be idling, costing the company money. And so on.

I realize how silly it can seem from a SOHO point of view to insist on say a $1000 piece of gear when you almost know that a $100 piece of consumer gear will work, but the above point of view can put these things in perspective.

 

[JackMDS]

Hmm.. may be if you would find a Giga Hub they would let you install it.

:sun:

 

[blemoine]

I can take any computer and just plug it into the jack and it will work. Even computers that you just buy off the shelf,

i don't know about you guys but this would bother me more than the hub. not to say the hub is acceptable but bringing & plugging in random PCs into the network sounds like trouble waiting to happen.

 

[her209]

If the capability exists, then its okay... LOL

 

[bluestrobe]

I wonder if these computer at this company are on any AD or domain. Or are they running on a peer to peer DHCP network? Any of those would lead to problems.

If the network is just a "jack in the wall" then you should leave at that and dial the helpdesk to order a service ticket for your master plan.