Network advice

[Lilrich]

Hey All,

Yup me again with some more network questions :stupid:

I have got myself a cisco switch (managed) i think it is a 2950 but i think i am wrong their could be a different model anyway anyone got any tips on configuring this?

I also have a dell precision T3400 i want to rack mount this does anyone know if this is possible? I have seen HP towers in a rack before (at work) if not could the contents of the T3400 be moved to a rackmount server chassis?

UPS does anyone know of a good Rack UPS?

Lastly does anyone have any links for cat5 faceplaces, patch panels & cat5 cables?

That is all i have for now

Thanks all

Rich

[CrashG]

Monoprice is a good place to look for faceplates, cables, and patch panels. The Keystone plates and jacks are easy to work with.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/department.asp?c_id=105

[Sophism]

I can help you configure the 2950 however you really need to tell us what exactly you want to do with it. I could get into vlans etc but that would be kind of pointless if you are not going to use em ;)

Your basic configuration would probably be something along the lines of setting the hostname and configuring vlan 1 as an administrative vlan with an ip address. (this way you can telnet). You could also setup SSH however I believe you will need the crypto featureset.

Can you post the contents of a Show Version from the switch?

[Lilrich]

Monoprice is a good place to look for faceplates, cables, and patch panels. The Keystone plates and jacks are easy to work with.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/department.asp?c_id=105

Brilliant....i am going to have a look here now.

Does anyone know if the dell precision are standard atx and will they fit into a standard rack mount server chassis?

I can help you configure the 2950 however you really need to tell us what exactly you want to do with it. I could get into vlans etc but that would be kind of pointless if you are not going to use em ;)

Your basic configuration would probably be something along the lines of setting the hostname and configuring vlan 1 as an administrative vlan with an ip address. (this way you can telnet). You could also setup SSH however I believe you will need the crypto featureset.

Can you post the contents of a Show Version from the switch?

Sophism, we use Vlan's here and for what i want i really don't think that their is any need, i got this switch to learn on i was given no details about it what so ever so i don't even know how to connect to it. If i plug it in and connect it to my mac's network point can i configur eit like that?

I have knowledge of network's just not on this level, hence why i am trying to learn :) Thanks for your offer to help tho

[+BudMan MVC]

Your going to need to use the console cable that came with it to setup an IP, once it has an IP and HTTP is enabled you could use the SDM to configure it (web UI) if need be, or just normally you telnet or ssh to them.

But until you give it an IP, the only way to connect to it is with the console cable.. Sure a mac should work if it has a com port to use with the console cable, etc.

Until you configure it, its pretty much just a dumb switch -- it will pass traffic, etc. But not much else.

First thing you will see when you console is a wizard setting it up.. Have you bothered to even breeze over the documentation that came with it?? How is it you do not even know the exact model number??? :rolleyes:

[Lilrich]

Your going to need to use the console cable that came with it to setup an IP, once it has an IP and HTTP is enabled you could use the SDM to configure it (web UI) if need be, or just normally you telnet or ssh to them.

But until you give it an IP, the only way to connect to it is with the console cable.. Sure a mac should work if it has a com port to use with the console cable, etc.

Until you configure it, its pretty much just a dumb switch -- it will pass traffic, etc. But not much else.

First thing you will see when you console is a wizard setting it up.. Have you bothered to even breeze over the documentation that came with it?? How is it you do not even know the exact model number??? :rolleyes:

Budman, i have a windows machine at home that has a serial port, can u buy console cables?

It is not a case of not being 'bothered' i dont have the documents i was given the switch through kind so i didnt purchase it, when i got it the switch was dead the PSU had died so i have repaired it and if i could fix it the switch was mine that is why i now have it.

It has already been configured for use elsewhere (before i got it) so i will need to reset it.

Oh and i didnt know the exact model number becuase at the time of posting the switch was not in front of me.

Rich

[Sophism]

You need to use a console cable and connect it to a serial port or a USB to serial adapter.

http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/...-console-cable/

and you will need one of these as well

http://www.usbgear.com/computer_cable_deta...06%2C1009%2C601

You then connect it to the CONSOLE port on the back of the switch.

On a Mac you can use Zterm which is free, or on a windows box you can use Hyperterminal. stop bits of 1, and flow control of none.

For the hyperterminal settings you will want to set a 9600 BAUD, 8 data bits, no parity,

With the default image there should not be a password. If there is I can post instructions on resetting that password.

By default you are in user exec mode, you have basic troubleshooting commands available but cannot really change anything.

type "enable" and hit enter and you are now in privileged exec mode. (this is like Root or Administrator)

type "conf t" to make changes to the currently running configuration. This is called global config mode.

These changes are not saved and if you restart they will be lost. TO save any changes to nvram you can type "Copy ru st", or type "wr". If you are in a line config or int config you can type "do wr".

To change the hostname of the device type "hostname "name""

To remotely manage the switch via telnet you can type the following commands

from global config:

line vty 0 15

password "password"

login

exit

then from global config type the following:

int vlan 1

ip add "set this to a reachable ip on your network" for example: "ip add 192.168.1.200 255.255.255.0"

By default all your switchports should be in vlan 1 so if you plug a computer up to switchport 1 and it is on the 192.168.1.0/24 network you should be able to telnet to this switch by opening Terminal and typing "Telnet 192.168.1.200"

lol I got roped into a quick meeting at work and budman beat me to it :p

[Lilrich]

Okay this is all good, i have a console cable and connected it to the computer, i need to find out how to reset the switch back to factory defaults. It has a number of vlan's configured accross it and also has a password.

I appreciate the help, and i am trying to learn to please exuse me.

[Sparky101]

Okay this is all good, i have a console cable and connected it to the computer, i need to find out how to reset the switch back to factory defaults. It has a number of vlan's configured accross it and also has a password.

I appreciate the help, and i am trying to learn to please exuse me.

You need to do a password recovery, follow procedure here - http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/swi...080094184.shtml

[Lilrich]

Okay password reset :) I am now just trying to configure all the ports on the switch to vlan 1.

When you login and type enable do you then have to type conf t to be able to execute commands such as line vtr 0 15?

I get this error:

howell_sw050>enable

Password:

howell_sw050#conf t

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

howell_sw050(config)#line vtr 0 15

^

% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

howell_sw050(config)#

[Lilrich]

Okay i managed to get this working now - i followed all your steps and this is now what my vlan configuration looks like

VLAN Name Status Ports

---- -------------------------------- --------- -------------------------------

1 default active Fa0/1, Fa0/2, Fa0/3, Fa0/4

Fa0/5, Fa0/6, Fa0/7, Fa0/8

Fa0/9, Fa0/10, Fa0/11, Fa0/12

Fa0/13, Fa0/14, Fa0/15, Fa0/16

Fa0/17, Fa0/18, Fa0/19, Fa0/20

Fa0/21, Fa0/22, Fa0/23, Fa0/24

Gi0/1, Gi0/2

[Sophism]

that is a VTY not VTR ;)

[Lilrich]

that is a VTY not VTR ;)

I noticed that - i must have cars on the brain or just extremely tired ha ha! Is this switch configured now? If i was to connect 24 cables from a patch panel to each onr of these ports would it work on the network?

Somehow i think i need to configure DHCP - i don't really want to leave this to my router, maybe a hardware firewall/router is required for this task,

Rich

[+BudMan MVC]

most any cisco switch/router can act as a dhcp server.

Again -- I would HIGHLY suggest you RTFM! ;)

If you do not have it handy - all the docs are available on cisco

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/12_2/i...de/1cfdhcp.html

Configuring DHCP

you would have to enter service mode.

Router(config)#service ?

alignment Control alignment correction and logging

compress-config Compress the nvram configuration file

config TFTP load config files

dhcp Enable DHCP server and relay agent

disable-ip-fast-frag Disable IP particle-based fast fragmentation

exec-callback Enable exec callback

exec-wait Delay EXEC startup on noisy lines

If you not comfortable with command line - you can configure the dhcp server using the SDM.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/secursw/ps5318/

But I would really suggest you lean the command line, SDM is fine for people that just need to do the basic stuff - but if you want to take full advantage of your switch you will need to use the command line.

edit: remember not to run more than 1 dhcp server on the same network ;)

[Lilrich]

I have managed to finally figure out how to remove vlan's from the configuration, i have been trying to configure the switch as a DHCP server but i think i am going to leave this to the hands of pfsense to carry out.

Here is my curren vlan configuration, how do i know if each one of these ports is configured correctly now? Budman thanks for the links to the cisco documentation came in real handy but will take a few reads to get my head around.

VLAN Name Status Ports

---- -------------------------------- --------- -------------------------------

1 default active Fa0/1, Fa0/2, Fa0/3, Fa0/4

Fa0/5, Fa0/6, Fa0/7, Fa0/8

Fa0/9, Fa0/10, Fa0/11, Fa0/12

Fa0/13, Fa0/14, Fa0/15, Fa0/16

Fa0/17, Fa0/18, Fa0/19, Fa0/20

Fa0/21, Fa0/22, Fa0/23, Fa0/24

Gi0/1, Gi0/2

1002 fddi-default act/unsup

1003 token-ring-default act/unsup

1004 fddinet-default act/unsup

1005 trnet-default act/unsup

VLAN Type SAID MTU Parent RingNo BridgeNo Stp BrdgMode Trans1 Trans2

---- ----- ---------- ----- ------ ------ -------- ---- -------- ------ ------

1 enet 100001 1500 - - - - - 0 0

1002 fddi 101002 1500 - - - - - 0 0

1003 tr 101003 1500 - - - - srb 0 0

1004 fdnet 101004 1500 - - 1 ieee - 0 0

1005 trnet 101005 1500 - - 1 ibm - 0 0

Remote SPAN VLANs

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Primary Secondary Type Ports

------- --------- ----------------- ------------------------------------------

[+BudMan MVC]

what do you mean configured correctly? Its listed in the default vlan -- so all ports can talk to each other.. Do you mean for speed or duplex? what other configurations do you want to put on them? You would have to do that on the interfaces themselves.

Just take a look at the interfaces to view their settings, or take a look at your running config for other configurations that might be set, etc.

Again READ THE MANUAL!!!

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/l...de/scg_prf.html

The cisco site is LOADED with documentation.. You will want to make sure you are viewing info that pertains to your current IOS version though.

[Lilrich]

what do you mean configured correctly? Its listed in the default vlan -- so all ports can talk to each other.. Do you mean for speed or duplex? what other configurations do you want to put on them? You would have to do that on the interfaces themselves.

Just take a look at the interfaces to view their settings, or take a look at your running config for other configurations that might be set, etc.

Again READ THE MANUAL!!!

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/l...de/scg_prf.html

The cisco site is LOADED with documentation.. You will want to make sure you are viewing info that pertains to your current IOS version though.

Dosent matter budman, i will leave my questions at that, i have read (reading) the documention i just wanted some help of people in the know but it dosent matter.

- Rich

[+BudMan MVC]

I would be more than happy to answer any specific questions you might have, but Im not a fan of spoon feeding info to people when the info is right at their fingertips.

have given you info on how to connect to it, and how to get to the dhcp server settings, etc.

What specific questions do you have?

"how do i know if each one of these ports is configured correctly now"

Is VAUGE at best.. Without knowing EXACTLY what your wanting to do - nobody can answer that question. To view the settings for a specific interface -- look at the interface, or look at the running config, look at the settings specific to each interface in the running config, etc.

What do you want to do on the interfaces?? Set speed, duplex? Access, Trunk Mode? Portfast? Etherchannel? What?

Again would be more than happy to help you with anything "specific" -- and you will clearly get more in depth info from the documentation than anyone's post. But once you have read how to do something - and its not working, or you would like clarification of how/why etc.. then yeah plenty of people in the know that can help you.

Sorry but "how do i know if each one of these ports is configured correctly now" is not really an answerable question.. If you state what you want to do on an interface, and then show us the config for the interface we could tell you if its correct or not.. But without KNOWING what your wanting to accomplish there is no way to tell you if its correct or not ;)

[Lilrich]

Hey Budman,

Thanks again for your reply, i understand where your coming from and by no means am i asking to be 'spoon fed' just after a little bit of direction, all iwant to know is how do i make sure if the configuration i have now completed is going to work when i plug something into it. Is the easy answer try it?

Sorry about my vauge post.

Richard

[+BudMan MVC]

By default all ports are going to be in vlan 1, by default all ports will forward traffic - cisco switches are designed to be plug and play.. by default they will be auto speed and duplex, etc. You don't really have to configure anything for them to be used as a switch. Now that would not be very useful for people shelling out the cash for a fully managed switch ;) But hey out of the box they will function - and nothing "has to" really be configured. Only when you want to start using some of the "managed" features do you have to actual start to configure them -- or if maybe you run into an issue where auto speed and duplex dont work, or you want to set an interface to a specific speed or duplex for your needs, etc ;)

Sure if there was some configuration on the switch before you got it, its possible there might be some settings that could cause you issues. Viewing the running config would show you all the settings, and from there you could determine if some of them might cause you problem. If you want just reset it to factory and all previous settings would be gone at it would be like you got it brand new -- you mentioned you went thru the password reset procedure.

Did you reset it to factory?

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/swi...0800c4546.shtml

Resetting Catalyst Switches to Factory Defaults

If your unsure of anything -- you might want to do this.. This way your sure you have a clean slate config to work with.

If you have any "specific" questions -- always glad to help.. Or even general "switching" technology questions, ie what is a vlan, what is stp, etc.. happy to help! But please at least do some research on the topic before asking the questions ;) heheh

Edited April 9, 2009 by BudMan

[Lilrich]

Does anyone have any ideas how many U something like this would be?

I am trying to figure out how many U cabinet to order.