100BASE-FX

[DRGL]

One of our customers has two networks,all wired for CAT5e,they are linked via a fibre optic cable,at each end is a D-Link 1024R switch with a 100base-FX fibre card.My question is this:-Is 100base-FX fast enough to link a network of 15 machines to the main network?? (of 50+ machines) the main network is running fine,the remote network of 15 machines(150M away) is slowing down.The servers are all linked to the switches via CAT5e,as the organisation has expanded rapidly would it be advisable to like the servers via fibre optic now too?? Any help would be great! Thanks.......

 

[jimbopalmer]

In the ethernet forum I have a rant on duplex that I claim is a FAQ, you may wish to read it. In 100base-FX fibre you want both sides full duplex if possible, but even more important you want both sides to be the same duplex.

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[jimbopalmer]

I have a FAQ in the ethernet forum, which you may wish to read. For 100baseFX you hope to set both ends to full duplex, but be sure both ends are set to the SAME duplex.

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[DRGL]

the duplex setting is fine,both ends are set to full duplex,it's just started running slow.

 

[DRGL]

Just to add,on a ping test the result is usually around 10ms with time outs occuring every now and then. A local fibre expert reckons fibre either works or it doesn't so it can't be the fibre!! Doesn't sound right to me.....

 

[jimbopalmer]

Can you try the 1024R (not findable on the dlink site) in the main building as a test? if pings aren't faster it is not the long run of fiber itself

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[DRGL]

yeah we are trying that soon i think,same switches at both ends.thanks.....

 

[Jtodd]

If your link to the main network is 100FX, then you're at 100 Meg for the backbone (lets call it). What is the connection from the 15 users to DLink? If those are all 100 Meg, are you not over-subscribed on you 100 Meg backbone? (The possibility is there for one user to consume all the bandwidth on your backbone).

The point being, if this is the case, it might be a situation to choke the users down to 10 Meg, or increase the backbone 1Gig.



Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[DRGL]

hmmm....i don't know!! the 15 user's are on 10/100 as is the main network,the backbone linking the two is 100baseFX,are you saying this isn't enough for 15 users? Should we have a 1 Gig backbone?? If we go 1Gig can we just use media converters at each end to connect to the 10/100 switches? Or should we fit a 1 Gig switch and have two seperate networks with the servers also conncted via 1Gig?? Thanks for any info/ideas...