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Switch / Hub Basics
I have two desktop PC's which I want to connect directly rather than via a router. I have 2 ethernet cables and a Dell PowerConnect 2216 PowerConnect Switch. This has 16 ports in two rows. My query is so basic that it is not covered in the User's Guide: Does it matter which 2 of the 16 ports I plug my cables into - do they all perform the same input-output task (or do I have to use one from the top row and one from the bottom)? Tks
robert p
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October 12th, 2017 05:00
Hi Ian,
Thanks for posting.
The 2216 is an unmanaged switch so there is really no special configuration that you need for it. It is basically a plug & play switch. You can use it to interconnect your network devices.
If you are uncertain about your cable modem setup then you could get that working first then insert the switch. Just to make sure you add equipments in orderly steps so you can easily isolate a problem if it rather than adding everything into the network all at once.
http://dell.to/2yiUsJc
Ian Macpherson2
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October 12th, 2017 05:00
Hi Robert
Tks for the quick answer. My needs / "network" are really so basic that I will take the liberty of following your first para and disregarding the second! [apart from the switch there are only 2 devices - either it works to connect them or it doesn't].
Unless I hit problems and/or get more ambitious later ..
Ian Macpherson2
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October 12th, 2017 16:00
So I have connected my 2 Windows 7 desktops offline directly via the 2216 switch using 2 ethernet cables. I used ports 1 and 8 and in total 4 green lights were illuminated without blinking in addition to the power light. I was expecting the other PC to show up in Windows Explorer / Computer on the main PC as if it was a separate drive. No such luck. There was a popup something about enabling a private rather than a public network which I said yes to, though that caused my Bulldog security to flag up a vulnerability, why I do not know.
I suspect that life is not so simple and that in addition some "network configuring" will be necessary to get the system to work. Can you say what I now have to do?