Hi,
I tend to agree with Jon here. Since you are new to Linux and
networking in general, you need to have the simplest setup you can, so
that there are fewer things to go wrong. In your case, I'd install 2
NICs in the LRP box as per Jon's suggestions, locate the box at one end
of the house, run the DSL box into one of the NICs, and a switch (not a
hub) into the other NIC. This switch should be big enough for all the
computers PLUS the router PLUS the link to the other switch. Then run a
link from the uplink port on the switch to the switch/hub at the other
end of the house (into a regular port, not the uplink port), and away
you go.
I'd strongly recommend a switch for the end with the router (and
realistically one at the other end too) over a hub as you will have
better network performance with a switch than with a hub. With ethernet
networking, it works with what is known as "collision domains".
Basically a hub is a single collision domain - only one device attached
to a hub can communicate at a time - if two devices try to talk at the
same time, they are both told to keep quiet for a bit and try again
later. These "collisions" reduces network performance.
Now with a switch, every port is a separate collision domain. This
means that if your machine (A) wants to talk to the LRP box (R), and
another machine (B) wants to copy a file from a third computer (C), then
all of this can happen simultaneously without any collisions. However,
a collision will occur if two machines try to talk to the LRP box (or
any other box) at the same time - this is unavoidable.
Also, hubs are half-duplex devices. This means that a computer (or any
other network device attached to it) can either talk or listen - they
cannot both talk AND listen. This means that a 100Mbps hub can have a
single computer talking to another computer at 100 Mbps, but then a
collision occurs if the "listening" computer needs to reply to the
"talking" computer before the "talking" computer has finished what it
has to say.
Switches are full-duplex devices. A device attached to a switch port
can walk and chew gum... oops - talk and listen simultaneously.
Basically, this means that if you are copying a large file from machine
(A) to machine (B), and also copying from machine (B) to (A), the copy
will take well under half the time on a switch than on a hub.
Generally, switches look at the devices attached to each port and
determine if the device is able to talk in full-duplex (all NICs,
routers, bridges, etc) or half-duplex (a hub) and configures that port
according to the device attached to it. The 10/100 switches also
determine if the device attached will talk at 100Mbps or only 10Mbps,
and configures the port accordingly (as do 10/100 hubs).
In reality, if you have a number of machines attached to a 100Mbps hub,
and the same number of machines attached to a 10Mbps switch, the network
based on the switch will be the faster network. Even though it is
operating at 20% of the maximum speed of the hub (10Mbps full-duplex, vs
100Mbps half-duplex), the far reduced number of collisions due to the
multiple collision domains will greatly increase the network
performance.
Now, of course at home you may not care about this increase in speed,
therefore stick to hubs as they are cheaper. However, I'd recommend
that at least the device that YOUR computer and the router are connected
to be switches. :-)
Regards,
Hilton Travis
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of
> Jonathan French
> Sent: Tuesday, 19 June 2001 7:15 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [Leaf-user] Stupid Newbie questions
>
>
>
> To follow up on Danny's answers, and to save you a lot of
> trouble, if it doesn't cost too much skip the 3 NICs and just
> use two and buy an extra hub. Use one NIC for the DSL, and
> plug the second NIC into the extra hub (or switch) which then
> services the other two hubs. That way you won't have any
> problems sharing data between the machines, as they will all
> be on the same subnet. It just takes a bit of extra effort
> to make the machines talk across subnets with Windows, and
> having one subnet will make your new life as a system admin
> much easier.
> Good Luck,
> Jon
>
>
> Danny Carter wrote:
> >
> > First off, there are NO stupid questions.
> >
> > > What we would like to do is build a box with thre NICs.
> > > The first would be for the DSL line and the other two
> > > NICs would each service a hub. Is this feasible?
> >
> > Yes
> >
> > > I also have the questions:
> > >
> > > 1: I've never used hubs before, how do you assign IP
> > > addresses to each port. Can somebody post a URL(s)
> > > for HOW-TOs about this?
> >
> > Hubs are passive devices and do not need to be set for IP
> > addresses. You usually have an uplink port (depending on
> > the make/model), that will be either the highest or lowest
> > numbered port on the hub.
> >
> > > 2: When using multiple hubs like this, are these
> > > referred to as subnet?
> >
> > Yes, you can have a subnet to each hub, depending on what
> > IP address range that you set for each nic.
> >
> > > 3: Is it possible to "daisy-chain" the hubs?
> >
> > Yes. This was answered in the answer to Number 1 above.
> >
> > > 4: What are good brands for inexpensive hubs? What
> > > gotchas shouod I watch out for? Also, I'll need to PCI
> > > NICs. Recommendations?
> >
> > I use a 3com hub and nics, but there are some very good
> > units available from Linksys also. For the type of nics to
> > use, that depends on your particular setup. Look for nics
> > that have Linux packages available.
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