Connecting OfficeConnect Hubs

[wishiknewmore]

I'm rather new to network administration and certainly not a professional.

We have 2 OfficeConnect 8 port fast eternet hubs connected together as explained in the user's manual. The hubs are physically connected using the little stacking clips that come with them, so we're not talking about a spread out arrangement here. We have a 3rd hub of the same type for backup incase one of the others rolls over and dies.

Now, we find we have maxed out all available ports on the two in-use hubs and need more. I find the user's manual rather confusing in the area of adding more hubs.

Bottom line, can I or can I not connect the third hub to the two I already have for a total of 24 ports?

In one place the manual says if you need more ports, just add more hubs (plural) yet in another place it says you can only connect 2 hubs together without using a switch. I'm lost.

Thanks for any help.

 

[shender944]

Well I am not familar with the type hubs you have but in general with only 24ports you should not need a switch. If you notice alot of collisions on the network then you might want to use the switch. But my guess is you will be fine adding the 3rd hub.

 

[jmartin]

Do you wanna use a third hub? Which is the way you connect the second hub to the first one? You just only need to repeat this conection to the third new. I guess this: if one port is for a server, the remaining (except one on each hub) are for terminals, and you must have both hubs conected via a 'cross over cable'. If need more ports, just add a new hub by the following: unplug a wire from a port, in this port connect a 'cross over' -or MDIx- cable, the other end to a port in the new third hub.Finally the wire you unpluged first conect to any available ports in the new hub.No matter how far could be the new hub from the existing hubs, the 'cross over cable' must be as long enough as needed.
Thats all!.