When you set a Network Port on the switch, it will not flood a packet with
an unknown destination MAC address out all of the ports. Packets with
unknown destination MAC addresses are "drained" out the network port. The
only practical application where I can see using a "network port" is if the
MAC addresses of all the devices attached to the switch have been statically
set in the switch. In this case, the switch would know about all the
devices that it has to talk to, and we can send the packet with the unknown
destination MAC address out the network port, hopefully to find its way to
the proper destination.
The problem that you will find by using a network port is that if the MAC
addresses of the other devices that are connected to the switch have not
been statically set, they may appear to "dropp off the network" Network
printers are a big problem because they usually generate very little
traffic, so the switch doesn't learn the MAC address. If you printer is
sitting on port 7, and you have defined a network port, there is a good
chance that any packets that are supposed to go to the printer will actually
go out the network port and never find their way to the printer. In most
applications, I have found it reasonable NOT to use the network port. If
you do use it, you will want to make sure that you understand why you are
using it, and the limitations of using it.
In the Cat 1900, I believe the setting to set a network port is in the
System Menu.
""Daniel Boutet"" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
8pdi8m$nsg$[EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:8pdi8m$nsg$[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> So basically it's a "trunk link" that you set as a "network port"? Or is
it
> just any port that are basically not use a
> whole lot and you do not mind having the broadcast whenever a MAC needs to
> be learned so that way your CAM
> table stays within the 1024 address range for the 1900's? Doesn't the CAM
> work on a FIFO base?
>
> I am still not too clear on this.
> Also, what is the command on the switch to tell it that it's a network
port?
>
>
> "neal rauhauser" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> >
> >
> > The little switches have a limited MAC address table. If you know you
> have a
> > link where they're going to see more MACs than they can hold you set it
to
> be a
> > 'network' port and the switch doesn't learn MACs from there. This is
meant
> for
> > a large campus environment where you have a 19xx serving a workgroup.
> I've
> > worked on some real cluster (*#&$%s over the years and I've never seen a
> real
> > world situation where this would be needed.
> >
> >
> > I'd like to hear from anyone else if they've been in some shop of
> horrors
> > where this configuration was required.
> >
> >
> >
> > Daniel Boutet wrote:
> >
> > > I was looking at the specs and it says that it supports 1024 MAC
> address. My
> > > understanding is that it is what the CAM table will support at one
time.
> > > But the specs also states:
> > >
> > > "Unlimited MAC addresses support on configurable network port"
> > >
> > > This, I don't get. Can anyone explain?
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
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> >
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