WIC-2t vs ethernet

[fran19422]

Hello, if you had a small network with a few routers in a building, would you connect them with ethernet rather than serial (like a WIC-2t interface).

Is the serial method of interconnecting routers (e.g WIC-2t) an old method that has been superceded by ethernet now ?

Thanks for any help.

[Reza Sharifi · Accepted solution]

Since this is all within the same building you connect the routers together using Ethernet ports.  If the distances are great (between buildings, Cities, countries, etc..) than you use a services provider and one method of connecting them would be using serial (T1) interfaces.

HTH

[Leo Laohoo]

Serial has been superseded by ethernet because it's expensive to cable up links like that.  Hardware manufacturers are not keen in keeping serial interfaces alive because it takes a lot of expensive "real estate" on the appliance.

Think about it:  How many RU do you need if you have a 24-port SERIAL interface switch or router?

Another thing is the distance and bandwidth you can push on a serial interface against ethernet (copper or fibre optic).

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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Posting

BTW, when using Ethernet within a LAN you would often want to use L3 switches.  Most small routers with Ethernet interfaces do not have actual performance to route at wire-speed.

Also BTW, today, "typical" Ethernet will provide over 50x the bandwidth of "typical" Serial.