On Fri, Aug 26, 2016 at 12:43:30PM +0200, Pol Hallen wrote: > Hi all, I'm helping a friend to create a small network on his office (4 > floors) > > I suggests him to separate each networks: > > floor1 - 192.168.1.0/24 > floor2 - 192.168.2.0/24 > floor3 - 192.168.3.0/24 > floor4 - 192.168.4.0/24 > > DSL <--> SERVER <--> WAN - 192.168.10.0/24 > NIC1 - 192.168.1.0/24 <--> switch > NIC2 - 192.168.2.0/24 <--> switch > NIC3 - 192.168.3.0/24 <--> switch > NIC4 - 192.168.4.0/24 <--> switch > > what is better? A linux server with 5 NICS (for all floors) or a dedicated > and cheapest router with 5 NICS? (DSL <--> SERVER <--> ROUTER)
You have several choices. 1. Use a switch for each floor, connect them individually to a router. All cross-floor communication will need to pass through the router. This is good for control - you can do firewall functions between floors as well as to the outside. 2. Use a single switch for all floors, in which case all your cables need to go to it. This may be a wiring problem. You can then connect a router to that for Internet access. 3. Use a switch for each floor and connect them to a master switch next to your router. If the router dies, you still have cross-floor networking. 4. Use a multi-chassis switch, with one body per floor, connecting them across floors with suitable cabling. This is like a hybrid of (2) and (3), offering a lower cost than a giant switch but the same single management point. 5. Use a switch for each floor, use a router for each floor, have multiple connections to your central router. (And note that many mid-to-high end switches have some routing capabilities.) This can give you resiliency against cable breaks, and local control as well. -dsr-
