Cisco 2960 set up

Posted by: john s on 08 September 2017

I've read quite a few posts suggesting that using this switch in the network is a good idea, and as I need a new switch (current unmanaged switch is has run out of space) I'd like to give it a go. There are several models available "used" on the auction site, but I'm a bit unsure what the detail differences are - does it matter which specific 2960 you get (I don't mean the number of ports!)?

Also - it looks as though resetting the password is easy enough. The quick start guide I've seen online says "

Press and hold the Mode button. The switch LEDs begin blinking after about 3 seconds. Continue holding down the Mode button. The LEDs stop blinking after 7 more seconds, and then the switch reboots. The switch now behaves like an unconfigured switch. You can enter the switch IP information by using Express Setup as described in the “Running Express Setup” section on page 4.

Does that mean I could run it "unconfigured" so I don't have to go through express set up? 

Anything else I've missed?

Thanks very much.

 

Posted on: 12 September 2017 by William

Thanks HH, in my case the main router sits far away in a storage room but there is an Ethernet wall socket in every room. So up to now I have had an old cheap switch connected to the wall socket in the living room (and thus to the main router). To this switch I have connected an Airport Extreme in bridge mode (for general data storage and WiFi roaming) as well as my Apple TV and hifi system. My music server is a sonicTransporter with internal SSD drive which is currently connected directly to the far-away main router. I could move the music server to the switch in the living room but the only way I see to isolate the other devices from the hifi would be to connect the Cisco switch to the wall socket, the hifi to the Cisco and the old switch with other devices to the Cisco. Would this be preferable to plugging everything straight into the Cisco switch?

Posted on: 12 September 2017 by Simon-in-Suffolk
William posted:
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

The switch is designed for devices to connect to it - please attach all appropriate devices to the switch such as NAS etc as well as the Streamer - in a way this will have advantages as the network response will be slightly quicker... 

Thanks Simon, I am trying to make sense of the discussions in various threads... Am I right that from your experience SQ is not compromised with all the devices connected to the same 2960 switch? And there is no benefit to be had from a fancy PS on the switch? However a good cable between switch and streamer might improve SQ? Regards, William

In my experience SQ is not compromised connecting other devices to the switches. Most of these devices have power supplies built in that are optimised to meet the device's needs and meet its EMC requirements