Just bought a used cisco switch

[TechBoyJK]

Ok,

Time to learn some cisco stuff. I just bought a used Cisco Catalyst 1900 switch. I want to implement it into my existing home network to play around with it.

DSL > Belkin Router > 5-Port DLINK 10/100 Switch > 4 machines and the cisco switch > 2 more machines

First of all, I believe I need a crossover cable to hook the cisco 1900 to the other switch. I made a crossover cable.

I've been trying to read through the setup guide, but I can't even figure out how to log into the damn thing.

I hooked up the crossover cable from the switch to the router, but the led is orange and not green. The led's for the connections to the two pc's behind the cisco switch are green. My guess is that since the port to the front switch is not configured correctly, it is orange. I need to log into the Cisco switch from one of the machines that are correctly hooked up to it and configure the other port for access. Help!@!!!

 

[cmetz]

TechBoyJK, don't know about the 1900, but on the newer ones, orange typically means collision/error. Does the 1900 have a RJ45 console port? If so, you REALLY need to get yourself a RJ45<->DB9 serial dongle and get in thataway. You need a serial console to get into networking gear.

 

[TechBoyJK]

serial console? I've never had to log into one of these before. I can log into my belkin router via IP, but apparently not the case with this switch. If somebody can give me some more guidance, it would appreciated. You don't reallly need to dumb things down for me.

 

[buleyb]

It could also be that orange is for 10mbit connections, green for 100 (as I have seen on MANY switches). But I don't know this switch, so who knows

 

[TechBoyJK]

no, i read the manual, orange is for error/collision. I tried wiring the ethernet cable several ways (need a crossover cable) and it would never take it. Whether it was a straight through cable or a crossover, it still came up orange. Is there a way to reset this switch? I bought it used and I am wondering if the current configuration could give me trouble. It assigned one of the machines hooked up to it an ip via dhcp, but it was a 169.245.115.40 address. I have been using 192.168.2.x address.

I am parsing my Cisco for Dummies book for answers.....

 

[martind1]

It assigned one of the machines hooked up to it an ip via dhcp, but it was a 169.245.115.40 address.

thats ia a bad address. that machine is not getting a proper dhcp assigned ip,

 

[TechBoyJK]

awesome, I just went to one of the techs in the data center and he gave me the ethernet to db9 serial changer dongle thinging and the ethernet cable I need to console into the switch. !!! Then he showed me exactly how to do it.

 

[eliteorange]

1900 are menu based configs right?

u shoulda got a 29xxXL and learn the real deal...

 

[TechBoyJK]

nah, i don't need one, and I only had -$100 to spend. $80 for the switch is a-ok. I will learn this one, and then move on.