Any Problems with this?

[The_KiD]

At the moment in our office, we have network points in trunking round the edge of the building, these are used for the PC's an the phones.

The problem we are having now, is we have expanded rapidly and have run out of network points in the trunking.

We did use some Cat5 splitters initially which helped, however they are a pain in the ass when it comes to trouble shooting.

So what I plan to do, is at the end of each row of desks, stick in a 12 port 10/100 switch, with 2 gigabit uplinks on it, then get some gigabit switches downstairs so that the computer in each desk is plugged in to the switch then the switch goes in to the sockets on the wall, which means 12 machines only use 2 sockets on the wall.

Now I don't think the phones will work through the switch? so they would still need the sockets for them, but it should gives us much more room for expansion.

Will this work ok do you think? I am no networking guru!

 

[fluiduk]

Hiya

That sounds fine. But you are right about the phones, unless they are IP phones they are unlikely to work through the switch.

Is the trunking the big stuff that is easy to pop open? If so I would look at adding extra networking points. I always install twice the amount I actually need to allow for expansion. I would go down this route because I prefer to have all the kit safely tucked up in a rack. Otherwise you will end up with all manner of probs ie 'err I split coffee on the lighty up thingy and now it doesn't lighty up' etc. I have lost count of the calls I have had because some one has broken the switch or tripped over cables and rip the ends off of them etc.

Aaron