I’m having two ip networks (192.168.1.x and 192.168.2.x) bridged on a server, but all hosts (fixed IPs) are on the same physical 100BaseTX ethernet (with a daisy chain of 48ports switchs).
Often, I loose link between the server and hosts of the second network. Usually if I reboot the host, the connection work again, and if I force connection to be active, the connection keep alive until I ping after a while without active connection.
I’m wondering how many hosts can be connected on the same network without troubles, and eventually how many switches can be daisy chained ?
- I suppose maximum length between hosts to be 100meters to the hub or 200meters between extremity of the network.
- Somebody is suggesting 8 switches here : http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1137879&page=12
Any comments on how to find a solution to the problem and not answering directly to the question are welcomed!
Answer
If possible you shouldn’t daisy chain switches, but arrange them in a tree. Get a good primary switch and connect the server, the most important devices, and the other switches to it. Then use the other switches to serve the bulk of your network.
This will also ease cabling allowing you to run a single ethernet link to a ‘secondary’ switch near a group of devices (eg, one switch per floor / department / room are common realities).
When LANs grow large the differences between a quality switch and a cheap one will start to emerge.
Also don’t use software bridging unless you really need to. Are you that short on switch ports / ethernet cables?!? Other than performance issues, a pc is much more prone to failure than an ethernet switch.
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : snowflake , Answer Author : Luke404
