Will connecting two switches together keep the same network?

[tracerit]

I'm setting up a small network for a market. I want to keep the server in the office (back of the building) and connect three POS registers and an Access Point in the front of the building. There's already one CAT5 cable laid out over the ceiling. I would prefer not to add another cable, so was wondering if I could do this setup:



Back Office:
Internet --> Router ---> Switch 1 ---> Server

Front Office:
Switch 2 ----> Three different POS Registers, One Access Point


I was thinking of using the already laid out CAT5 cable to connect Switch 1 to Switch 2. Would this keep the same network, essentially adding the extra 8 ports of Switch 2 to Switch 1?

 

[lif_andi]

If they are all on the same subnet and vlan, yes.

 

[Red Squirrel]

yep assuming it's all 1 vlan it's basically like adding a power bar for plugging more things in. Just be sure you get a switch and not another router. Though you CAN use a router as just a switch if you set it up properly but easier to just get a regular switch.

 

[tracerit]

yup, same subnet and valn.

should I wire the cable as a crossover or straight since i'm connecting two switches? but the switches i'm getting are more modern, so not sure. I'm going with these Trendnet Unmanaged switches:

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001QUA6RA/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1413934452&sr=1&keywords=8+port+switch

 

[Red Squirrel]

Technically it should be a crossover, but I don't think it really matters these days, the switch should auto detect. Depends how smart the switch is.

 

[azazel1024]

Not a cross over for switch to switch.

At any rate, pretty much anything newer than about 10 years old (in a lot of cases newer than 15 years) is going to have auto-MDX, so it'll detect and work on the fly with regular or crossover.