Netgear/Cisco Switch Compatibility
Solved
SebastienD
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rockwars -
rockwars -
Hello everyone!
Here's my problem, I am equipped with three Cisco Catalyst 24 port 2950T switches connected in series via the 10/100/1000BASE-T uplink port (daisy-chained).
We need to get a new switch, but Cisco is quite expensive and I am interested in the much more affordable Netgear FSM726S.
My question is simple, if I connect the Netgear switch behind the third Cisco switch (in cascade), will there be any compatibility risks?
Can we connect any switch behind any other switch?
Here's my problem, I am equipped with three Cisco Catalyst 24 port 2950T switches connected in series via the 10/100/1000BASE-T uplink port (daisy-chained).
We need to get a new switch, but Cisco is quite expensive and I am interested in the much more affordable Netgear FSM726S.
My question is simple, if I connect the Netgear switch behind the third Cisco switch (in cascade), will there be any compatibility risks?
Can we connect any switch behind any other switch?
3 answers
Hi,
pure switch shouldn't be a problem, the two perfectly ignore each other.
However, if you start making trunk links with dot1q VLANs, even though it's standard, it could cause some issues.
Also, spanning trees may lack stability, but anyway, a spanning tree is not stable by principle.
I recently remember issues between a Catalyst 3550 and an HP ProCurve.
And if you want to have joint management, then that's really not something to consider.
But in simple switch connection, the standards are sufficiently well-established for it to work.
--
And ... there you go!
pure switch shouldn't be a problem, the two perfectly ignore each other.
However, if you start making trunk links with dot1q VLANs, even though it's standard, it could cause some issues.
Also, spanning trees may lack stability, but anyway, a spanning tree is not stable by principle.
I recently remember issues between a Catalyst 3550 and an HP ProCurve.
And if you want to have joint management, then that's really not something to consider.
But in simple switch connection, the standards are sufficiently well-established for it to work.
--
And ... there you go!
OK, so I don’t intend to change anything on the switch configuration. So there shouldn't be a problem with this "simple" switch connection.
Thank you for this quick response!
Thank you for this quick response!
Hello brupala,
I just installed a Local Area Network, I used 5 PLANET 10/100/100 switches, I connected them all to a CISCO CATALYST 2960 switch which will in turn be connected to a Server (2003) and a modem router for internet access. Will this be compatible? More importantly, I would like to know if I can use NETWORK ASSISTANT to get the topology of my network and manage everything from my PC (Network Administrator).
Thanks in advance.
If you can suggest an architecture or send me documentation, that would be great.
Thanks again.
I just installed a Local Area Network, I used 5 PLANET 10/100/100 switches, I connected them all to a CISCO CATALYST 2960 switch which will in turn be connected to a Server (2003) and a modem router for internet access. Will this be compatible? More importantly, I would like to know if I can use NETWORK ASSISTANT to get the topology of my network and manage everything from my PC (Network Administrator).
Thanks in advance.
If you can suggest an architecture or send me documentation, that would be great.
Thanks again.