one switch or multiple switches

[zsero]

I need to connect about 30 PCs to a workgroup server in an old building, where there isn't any place for more than 8 cables in any wall. There would be 8 rooms and 4 PCs in each room.

I was thinking about placing one 8-port gigabit switch in each room (3com OfficeConnect or HP 1400 came to my mind), then collecting one cable from each switch, a total of 8 cable to the server room, then join them with the server in a final switch.

In theory it would work, but my friends with more experience said that the only proper way would be to use proper wiring, which means 1 wire for each end-point, and no switch in the middle. In this version, the only switch would be a high-performance 48 port switch next to the server.

I would like to ask - for Office use - what would be difference between the two scenarios. Is that multiple switching so slow and unreliable?

I made a quick illustration about the multiple switch version.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

That's fine..there's nothing wrong with that.

Sure ideally you'd want 30x brand new CAT6 (or 5e) cables running into a single 48 port switch..but sometimes you can't always have "ideal". So what you diagrammed above is the next logical step.

We're only talking about 30x PCs here anyways....pretty much even a poor design would work "OK".

 

[zsero]

Thank you for the answer. It's better to know it could work OK.

The other question is that is it possible to use the same network for 1 PC and 1 Voip hardphone for each workplace? There would be only 2-3 calls at the same time, but I don't know how would it interfere with the PC network.

How much voip traffic needs a separate network or managed switches? Is it suggested mainly for bigger networks?

 

[Brandon]

I've seen new VoIP phone systems work on 10 Mb networks of 300+ endpoints just fine, so I would think it shouldn't have a problem.

Most phones have a built in two port switch (Incoming then a port for the PC) which keeps you from having to double all cables to the desktops.

As for the design, it isn't the best in the world, but on gigabit network equpment, you really won't notice anything for office type work. Even jumping from 100mb to gigabit isn't a big leap for most office users, so you should be more than fine.

 

[scotty]

That's fine..there's nothing wrong with that.

Sure ideally you'd want 30x brand new CAT6 (or 5e) cables running into a single 48 port switch..but sometimes you can't always have "ideal". So what you diagrammed above is the next logical step.

We're only talking about 30x PCs here anyways....pretty much even a poor design would work "OK".

Agreed.

In a perfect world we'd all love the infrastructure to play nicely, but that's not always going to be the case. I've seen environments where in even larger offices you have dozens upon dozens of switches all over the place because for whatever XYZ reason, but building sucks or it can't be wired properly.

WIth 30 PC's, you shouldn't notice anything.

And it's just find to hook up phones and PC's using the phone's built in switch. In that size of an evironment (probably +/- 5-7 concurrent calls), you shouldn't notice any performance hit from VOIP.

 

[zsero]

Thank you all for the information! It really helped to decide which way is possible in our crazy cabling conditions!

Now, my only question is that what kind of switches would recommend for the small rooms and for the central room?

For the small rooms, I have had good experience with 3com Baseline range (except for loud noise), but I have read in the other thread about recommending the HP 1400 range. It seems more serious than 3com OfficeConnect range, like the same as 3com Baseline range, but I have no experience in these markets, please help me choose which is better. Our 3com Baseline 2816 has a very loud fan, and people really hate it when they work next to it. I would look into some totally fanless design for the small rooms.

For the central room, where every small room's cable will be connected, what would you recommend? There is a need for having a separated segment of LAN only for internet only use, as the place would like to allow free wifi in the conference room, but strictly with no connection to the main network. From what I read on this site, I think VLan's could be used for such a thing, like to separate one segment for free internet only use, and one segment for data+internet+voip use. Do you think it could work that way, by purchasing something like the HP 1800 switch, or I better use a router with more than one LAN card (in Smoothwall, it's easy to do it with Red, Green, Orange, Blue interfaces).

 

[scotty]

I would go the HP route. I really like HP switches personally for a variety of reasons. Depending on budget, you could go with some 1400's for the smaller rooms, and an 1800 in the center. For an office of 30 people, that's a pretty solid infrastructure.

As far as segmenting, either of your two methods would work, and are just as easy to set up. If it were me personally, I would just dedicate another interface and create another subnet - but VLANing would do just fine as well.

 

[Bart]

Agreed. Get a ProCurve 1800 as your central switch and a couple of 1400's in the smaller rooms. If I were you I'd also use VLAN to separate the data from the VOIP.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Hard to match HP's "Lifetime warranty" on their mid and upper range ProCurves. Fast and rather quick support if needed for their business products.

 

[zsero]

Agreed. Get a ProCurve 1800 as your central switch and a couple of 1400's in the smaller rooms. If I were you I'd also use VLAN to separate the data from the VOIP.

Thank you for the answers, I do like the HP idea too. I think I don't really understand VLANs that how could I have separate VLAN for Voip and Data, if I have many 1400s and one 1800. If only 1800 supports VLAN, how could I route Voip from the 1400s? I mean I have to vlan based on physical ports, which means the data has to travel from the end-point (phone/PC) through the 1400 then through the 1800 then arrive at server or voip gateway. So I need to have support for VLAN at all level, or I don't understand something.

But the more important question is that if is there any need for such a Voip VLAN, as there will be absolutely max. 4 calls at any time (phone line limit)?

 

[Bart]

Sorry, my mistake. You are right, for this to work you indeed needs all 1800's, no 1400's.

I don't think the Voip traffic will disturb the other traffic much, but if you're VLAN'ing, you're sure it won't.