Network setup help

[statiatech]

I am in need to setup a large testing center for the university I work for. We will be connecting 120 computers to 1 server that will be located all in the same room (ethernet). These systems will have access to the internet but the main reason for this setup is for testing only. In the past for our smaller testing center we have used hubs with only 40 computers connected. With the new size of the testing center I think hubs are not going to work but Im not sure. The 5-4-3 rule comes in to play here. I think this job would need at least 6 hubs which would break this rule. I have started looking at switches but I have never used them. I found 2 80port switches that I think may work. Are they easy to configure? With never working with a switch before, would I be able to configure it out of the box or is it not that easy? Is there some other way I should be going with this? Maybe 1 80port switch and 2 hubs would work?

Any help would be great.

Thanks

[BipolarBill]

Switches are no harder to use than hubs are. Just plug and play.

With that many PCs, you may want to subnet by splitting the total with a router. Network congestion will be pretty heavy with that many nodes. A router/switch combo might be a good idea.

[statiatech]

What is the max number of ports I will find on a router? What about the config of a router, is it something I will be able to do out of the box? Any suggestions on routers and switches to look at?

My background...I have an understanding on how networks run but in no way am I a "network person". I have worked with small networks that use hubs. After that it is a learning game. I would contract someone to do the job but that is kinda hard on a small island :).

Thanks

[BipolarBill]

A router can have as few as two NICs. It can be a PC running routing software (Win2K server). If it's PC-based routing can be done automatically. If it's hardware, you may have to create and edit a routing table. Not fun.

If I were you, I would ger two 80-port switches and set up. Use it two different subnet masks to keep congestion down (the switch helps). If it get's congested, consider a router. You will need a real geek to configure and run subnets, so wait.

[DVNT1]

My opinon differs from BipolarBill a little for your scenerio. I would believe that a test LAN wouldn't have the high network usage a LAN with the same number of "normal" users will have. Therefore the need to segment is low.

It will also depend on what you are wanting to test.


You could just get one switch and then some large hubs. Have each hub directly connected to the switch and the 5-4-3 rule, won't be a problem. This should be a more cost effective solution than all switches. Since you only have one server, the effect of switches won't be that dramatic unless you do a lot of peer-to-peer network traffic too.

If the LAN usage is very high and the network seems too slow for testing, you can always segment with just a PC with two or three NICs.

As for the switch management, initially it is just plug & play but occasionally switches tend to keep a learned MAC address relating to a given port even if actually changed. In those cases you can delete that entry (or all of them) and the table will rebuild with normal usage.

edit -> spelling

[BipolarBill]

Darn, Deviant One...where are you when I need you? ;)

Thanks.

My experience is strictly book and lab. DVNT1 is a real SysAdmin, statiatech. Close doesn't cut it in the corporate world.

[DVNT1]

Originally posted by BipolarBill
...My experience is stickly book and lab. DVNT1 is a real SysAdmin, statiatech. Close doesn't cut it in the corporate word. Thanks but also don't sell yourself short. Nearly all the comments from you I've read are just the same as I would have suggested. :)

[BipolarBill]

Yeah but you have less typos! :p

Thanks.

[statiatech]

hehe....well I thank both of you for your help. I will be back if I run into any more problems.

John

[BipolarBill]

Originally posted by statiatech
hehe....well I thank both of you for your help. I will be back if I run into any more problems. Uh-oh! :eek: