Which Product ? Router or Switch ?

[rouven.heim]

Hello,

I need to route 8 separate class C ip-networks - no vlans. Which product is the best? When I had to route 3 or 4 networks i used an 2611XM Router with a 4-Port NIC. But with 8 networks !? I dont need BGB or OSPF, just static routing.

Can I solve this with an C3550-24-EMI switch?

What would you suggest?

Thank you,

R. Heim

[konigl]

If you want to route IP among 8 separate Class C IP Ethernet LANs, the C3550-24-EMI will do it. But if you only need static routing, you can save yourself US$2,000 by just getting the C3550-24-SMI. The SMI software will let you do IP static routing and RIP.

You can assign Layer 3 IP addresses to individual physical Ethernet interfaces; or assign layer 2 VLANs to the ports, then create interface VLANs that take on the Layer 3 IP addressing. Depends what you need.

Hope this helps.

[hbaerten]

Apart from konigl's suggestion to get a 3550-smi, you could also consider getting a 2950 (or any 802.1q capable switch) and keep the 2611xm to do the routing between the vlans (using a dot1q trunk between router and switch).

hth

Herbert