Please advise me on the proper LAN config herein

[CharlesRenault]

Please help me understand the proper configuration. I don't just want to get it right, I want to understand why one is the proper model and why the others aren't.

I can't help but think a lot of people may write it really won't make a difference but I'm sure one is standard, there's got to be a logic to this and that's what I'm aiming for.

In case my quick write-up isn't clear, the switches are distanced apart by walls that can be drilled through but that will take several days of crawlspace work and sheet metal drilling.

Thank you, all.


Setup A [Router: only one (1) LAN port used total]

Router {port 1} --> Managed Switch # 1 --> Respective Devices/clients
Managed Switch # 1 --> POE Switch --> Respective Devices/clients
Managed Switch # 1 --> Dumb Switch --> Respective Devices/clients

Setup B [Router: two (2) LAN ports used, each to a switch]

Router {port 1} --> Managed Switch # 1 --> Respective Devices/clients
Router {port 2}--> POE Switch --> Respective Devices/clients


Setup C [Router: three (3) LAN ports used, each to a switch]

Router {port 1} --> Managed Switch # 1 --> Respective Devices/clients
Router {port 2} --> POE Switch --> Respective Devices/clients
Router {port 3} --> Dumb Switch --> Respective Devices/clients

------ ------ not as important as above --- ---


Setup D [Router: two (2) LAN ports used, each to a switch]

Router {port 1} --> Managed Switch # 1 --> Respective Devices/clients
Managed Switch # 2 --> Respective Devices/clients

-- {LAG / LACP} --

Router {port 1} --> Managed Switch # 1 --> Respective Devices/clients
Managed POE Switch --> Respective Devices/clients

-- {LAG / LACP} --

Router {port 3} --> Dumb Switch --> Respective Devices/clients

 

[CopyRunStart]

I'm going to start with ABC. In my opinion, A is correct. It seems closest to the Cisco Hierarchical Model. Your managed switch is acting as the distribution layer, and your dumb switch and POE switch are the access layer. Your Router pretty much acts as the Core layer. If you really want to go by the book, your distribution and core layers should have redundant devices if it's within budget.

Now D: If you want LACP, I would do model A with however many 1Gb connections between each device.


Do you plan on doing any VLANs?

 

[Concentric]

It's not possible to say which layout is "best" without more information on your network and what it's used for. Whether or not the switches are managed is only one of many considerations.

For example, could you clarify the per-port speed that each router/switch is capable of? If your router is only 10/100 but everything else is Gigabit (for example) then in setup B or C you are creating a decent bottleneck between the different segments. At the end of the day that is probably far more important.

 

[Mackintire]

I generally agree with the two posts above, but from a practical point of view it depends on the capabilities of the device and your requirements.

If you have low expectations or no need you can go straight from Router to endpoint device.

Otherwise you should Follow something similar to Setup A.

The reason you use a managed switch is to manage your network and remove load and risk off of the router.

The router should be properly sized, secure and configured.

Intra network data should travel no higher than the managed switch below it.


At a previous company I worked for that plugged everything directly into the router, then started hanging l2 dumb switches off the router. The first time that pummeled it with a broadcast storm the WAN traffic (internet connectivity) died. The router was at 90-99% CPU use filtering/dropping packets from the internal network.

Eventually I got them to purchase a managed switch...once configured with broadcast storm protection , storm traffic died at the port and stopped gumming up the entire network.

 

[stormy1]

How is the network being used mostly internet? mostly accessing local servers?
The best design has the min, number of device between the highest traffic points.
That would be for internet use your router for distribution and for mostly local using one of the switches for distribution, likely the managed switch.
Lets say you have a ip camera setup with a recording server, you want that server on the same switch as the cameras.
The less traffic you have sent between switches the better.