Large Network Config help....switches, routers etc..

[milehigh]

I have a 3 story building. 1 DSL line feeds an 8 port dsl modem/router.

From that modem/router it is connected to a 24 port switch which is connected via the uplinks to approximately 8 more 24 port switches located on floors 1, 2 and 3.

Would it be better to use the cable routers ports and go from the router port to each individual switch instead of chaining all the switches together?

I'm also skeptical on what kind of performance just 1 DSL line can provide to a 3 story building - approximately 90 rooms.

I might also add that many users report trouble using messaging like IM with it constantly connecting/reconnecting

 

[jlazzaro]

each floor should have its own connection to the main router. you can daisy chain the switches that are all on the same floor/rack. are you using SoHo equipment or devices that are designed to be stackable like cisco 3750's?

depending on the equipemnt your using and how many switches each floor has, it may even be better to have 2 connection for each floor...more redundancy, bandwidth, possibly etherchannel those links, ect.

if you daisy chain ALL of them and one of the switches goes out on the 1st floor, you entire network is now down...

is this business or commerical grade dsl? what is your adverised download/upload? how many users does this have to support?

 

[milehigh]

Router....LINKSYS BEFSR81 10/100Mbps EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 8-Port Switch
Something like this

Switches...
Linksys 24 Port Switches..
3rd floor has 2
2nd floor has 4
1st floor has 2

all chained together..

Also I noticed that they are all connected directly to each others uplink ports...shouldn't it go from one of the regular ports to the next switches uplink port??

 

[Garion]

What is in place now is the best way to do it - A single core switch that connects all of the floor switches and the router together.

DSL comes in a lot of different speeds. If you've got a 1 Mb/s circuit then you're probably killing it. If you have 7Mb/s you're probably fine. Business Internet is usually less heavily used than it is at home.

If your users are having problems, you're probably having problems with people misusing the DSL line - P2P, large downloads, streaming music, etc. that are taking up your circuit. It's also possible that the old Linksys is having problems keeping up with 90 users. Do some homework and find a router that's better at handling that many users. Better yet, go out and get a little PIX firewall to provide better throughput and security.

- G

 

[Genx87]

With 90 rooms, i would consider getting a managed switch.

That being said, I suggest like others have to not daisy chain the switchs up the ladder. Pull wire down to the internet connection and either have it run off the router or get a central switch.

You can daisy chain them on each floor or pull wire for each switch you have down to the internet connection.