Posh switch - another cause of Audiophilia nervosa?
Posted by: hungryhalibut on 17 November 2016
There have been various threads recently about posh Ethernet cables and mention has been made a few times that plugging them into an el cheapo consumer switch like my little Netgear might not be getting the best from them.
The idea of a pro switch was a bit scary as I'm something of a numpty and want plug and play. Then I discovered that pro switches could be used very simply if required.
SiS has mentioned the Cisco catalyst 2960 as being very good indeed, but at a price of course, like over £300. However you can pick up used ones for much less and my eBay purchase arrived today. It has a proper mains lead rather than wall wart, and amazingly after a minute or two it just worked. I was rather astonished by that, as computer stuff rarely runs smoothly in my house....
It's been warming up for a few hours and it will be interesting to see how it does and whether there is a difference. It's certainly built like a brick outhouse and the post leads go in with a reassuring thunk.
Let's see.
From the spec sheet the Cisco Catalyst 2960G-8TC-L should offer Gigabit.
Alternatively you could add a separate Gigabit switch just for the bulk data traffic but this may require routing the traffic through the desired switch
The current Cisco Catalyst WS-C2960L-8TS-LL is also Gigabit
Hi FT, there are gigabit (1000BaseT) versions of the 2960s ... however the physical layer of 1000BaseT and 100BaseT is different .. although 100BaseT operation is a subset of the 1000BaseT physical layer operation. Therefore the sound affect improvements may be different between 1000BaseT and 100BaseT devices. I have only done my listening tests on the older 100Mbps devices ... it would be interesting to hear of a comparison between the two and confirmation the improvements are carried forward between physical layer implementations. I think it's likely they would be .. at least for the most part.
Simon
Scooch up and make room on that bandwagon guys, my "posh" switch is on it's way!
I have a question about placement;
do I just swap it out with the Netgear (which connects ND5/Sky/amazon/NAS plus link to router)?
Or use it to isolate the ND5, or also attach the NAS to it (which in my numpty level of network knowledge appears most logical)?
Thanks to HH starting the thread. Most enjoyable and for £50 a welcome distraction whilst I wait for my new Amp ��.
Shocked to read what you've been through and best wishes for your continued recovery.
Dazlin, simply swap over. Best not to use the either of the two uplink ports (on the right side) to connect to your streamer... use one of those to connect to your router switchport.
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Dazlin, simply swap over. Best not to use the either of the two uplink ports (on the right side) to connect to your streamer... use one of those to connect to your router switchport.
Simon, could you just confirm that please. I'm not using either of the separate pair - rather all the wires, including that from the airport express, are connected in the middle 8 port section. Should I have the router connected to one of the pair? If so, why is that please?
Is there a problem setting up the home network with two switches? My home isp router has three rj-45 connections on it. Right now I use one only, to connect it to my Netgear gigabit switch, to which EVERYTHING connects. What if I keep the Netgear switch for other gear, and plug the Cisco into a second port on my router and use that just for the nas (music server), NDS and Qute2?
Any advantages -or- disadvantages?
Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Dazlin, simply swap over. Best not to use the either of the two uplink ports (on the right side) to connect to your streamer... use one of those to connect to your router switchport.
Simon, could you just confirm that please. I'm not using either of the separate pair - rather all the wires, including that from the airport express, are connected in the middle 8 port section. Should I have the router connected to one of the pair? If so, why is that please?
Nigel - no your are fine as you are. If you run short of ports then use the separate one to run to the router - the key thing - I believe - is to have the streamer of one of the main switch ports as you have...
Why? The main ports have the better physical layer synchronisation - so I think...
Bart posted:Is there a problem setting up the home network with two switches? My home isp router has three rj-45 connections on it. Right now I use one only, to connect it to my Netgear gigabit switch, to which EVERYTHING connects. What if I keep the Netgear switch for other gear, and plug the Cisco into a second port on my router and use that just for the nas (music server), NDS and Qute2?
Any advantages -or- disadvantages?
Really should make no difference - other than there might be some ever so slight changes in a low level common mode noise getting to your streamer... so it might 'sound' ever so slightly different if at all
I suggest place your switches such that you don't have to have lot of parallel runs of ethernet cable.
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Bart posted:Is there a problem setting up the home network with two switches? My home isp router has three rj-45 connections on it. Right now I use one only, to connect it to my Netgear gigabit switch, to which EVERYTHING connects. What if I keep the Netgear switch for other gear, and plug the Cisco into a second port on my router and use that just for the nas (music server), NDS and Qute2?
Any advantages -or- disadvantages?
Really should make no difference - other than there might be some ever so slight changes in a low level common mode noise getting to your streamer... so it might 'sound' ever so slightly different if at all
I suggest place your switches such that you don't have to have lot of parallel runs of ethernet cable.
TY Simon. As to parallel runs . . ha! It's more like a rats nest!! I am not overly fastidious with my cable dressing, to say the least. It's all I can do to keep Burndies from touching things.
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Dazlin, simply swap over. Best not to use the either of the two uplink ports (on the right side) to connect to your streamer... use one of those to connect to your router switchport.
Simon, could you just confirm that please. I'm not using either of the separate pair - rather all the wires, including that from the airport express, are connected in the middle 8 port section. Should I have the router connected to one of the pair? If so, why is that please?
Nigel - no your are fine as you are. If you run short of ports then use the separate one to run to the router - the key thing - I believe - is to have the streamer of one of the main switch ports as you have...
Why? The main ports have the better physical layer synchronisation - so I think...
Thanks! Saves me lying on the floor again and getting a spinny head.
Thanks Simon. Simple works for me.
If using more than one switch, would it be just the one the streamer is directly connected to that makes the difference, or would multiple posh switches be desirable?
In my dimly aware way, it seems like only the one that the streamer is attached to would make much difference, as the benefits are due to the magic spells* wrought by the posh switch itself. But for those of us with two or more switches in our networks, if there's an obvious reason to think otherwise, it could be useful to know.
*May not involve actual magic.
If my theory of why there are benefits is the case, then the former, ie the switch that connects to the streamer directly.
Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Dazlin, simply swap over. Best not to use the either of the two uplink ports (on the right side) to connect to your streamer... use one of those to connect to your router switchport.
Simon, could you just confirm that please. I'm not using either of the separate pair - rather all the wires, including that from the airport express, are connected in the middle 8 port section. Should I have the router connected to one of the pair? If so, why is that please?
Nigel - no your are fine as you are. If you run short of ports then use the separate one to run to the router - the key thing - I believe - is to have the streamer of one of the main switch ports as you have...
Why? The main ports have the better physical layer synchronisation - so I think...
Thanks! Saves me lying on the floor again and getting a spinny head.
For me the lying on the floor part is fine; it's the getting up part that is the issue!
Bart posted:Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Dazlin, simply swap over. Best not to use the either of the two uplink ports (on the right side) to connect to your streamer... use one of those to connect to your router switchport.
Simon, could you just confirm that please. I'm not using either of the separate pair - rather all the wires, including that from the airport express, are connected in the middle 8 port section. Should I have the router connected to one of the pair? If so, why is that please?
Nigel - no your are fine as you are. If you run short of ports then use the separate one to run to the router - the key thing - I believe - is to have the streamer of one of the main switch ports as you have...
Why? The main ports have the better physical layer synchronisation - so I think...
Thanks! Saves me lying on the floor again and getting a spinny head.
For me the lying on the floor part is fine; it's the getting up part that is the issue!
These days I find it impossible to get up on my feet without making old man grunting noises, which is a rather recent phenomenon. Maybe now I am officially old!
Recently I have noticed improved low level listening SQ and the only change I have made that coincides with this is, yes you have guessed it, the addition of a posh (but rather cheap) switch.
Coincidence or causal?
Answers on a postcard please.
I think the sign of getting old is when you look in the mirror in the morning and a two inch long hair has sprung out of your ear overnight. How does that happen?
nigelb posted:Bart posted:Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Hungryhalibut posted:Simon-in-Suffolk posted:Dazlin, simply swap over. Best not to use the either of the two uplink ports (on the right side) to connect to your streamer... use one of those to connect to your router switchport.
Simon, could you just confirm that please. I'm not using either of the separate pair - rather all the wires, including that from the airport express, are connected in the middle 8 port section. Should I have the router connected to one of the pair? If so, why is that please?
Nigel - no your are fine as you are. If you run short of ports then use the separate one to run to the router - the key thing - I believe - is to have the streamer of one of the main switch ports as you have...
Why? The main ports have the better physical layer synchronisation - so I think...
Thanks! Saves me lying on the floor again and getting a spinny head.
For me the lying on the floor part is fine; it's the getting up part that is the issue!
These days I find it impossible to get up on my feet without making old man grunting noises, which is a rather recent phenomenon. Maybe now I am officially old!
I do those, AND the sigh as I sit down. 'Tis sad.
These days I find it impossible to get up on my feet without making old man grunting noises, which is a rather recent phenomenon. Maybe now I am officially old!
................ I do those, AND the sigh as I sit down. 'Tis sad.
.......... 
I had partial knee replacements in 2010 & 11, & as those the new knee club will know, kneeling is is a bit 'delicate'. So I get up from the floor without going thru the kneeing position by pressing up to & assuming a straight spread legged position & standing from there. I think it makes me look look very fit & elegant, like a finely tuned athlete in a floor exercise, by wife however thinks I look like a giraffe at a water hole, & grunting like a wart hog !!!! humfff
...but the final sign of old age is when you smack your lips & say "ahhh" after sipping tea.
A total right knee replacement, followed by a new left hip a couple of months ago, makes it difficult for me to get down, and almost impossible to get up without something or someone to hold onto. Sod this getting old thing! Our noble forum moderator was kind enough to fix the antistatic foot strap on me the other day whilst visiting the Naim premises.
I hope sipping tea is not a prelude to the surgeries you've mentioned Tony. Otherwise I shall have to stop drinking my beloved TGFOP
My only current annoyance with the 2960 is that it seems to take longer to find my Unitiserve on the UPNP list, and if I switch apps and then go back to the Naim app, it kicks me back to the home screen and has to search for the upnp server for a few seconds before finding it. Any thoughts?
yes - i don't think that is anything to do with the 2960 switch
I was having the issue prior to installing the 2960 (which I won't remove on account of SQ). I'm curious what may be causing the delay with the US appearing....