Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Plugging network switch ports together?

1 view
Skip to first unread message

Paul Conners

unread,
Nov 17, 2012, 3:53:12 AM11/17/12
to
Due to limited space in the tiny wiring closet, the consumer-grade Cisco
gigabit 24-port switch is mounted vertically on the wall with ports facing
up.

I have fished more than one bit of trash out of an open port connector and
would like to protect them in the future.

Would there be a problem if I were to plug a patch cable into 2 ports? This
is the simplest means I can think of to cover them.

Thanks.

grinch

unread,
Nov 17, 2012, 5:50:53 AM11/17/12
to
If you connect 2 ports on the same switch together, the switch will get
it own mac address back, go into error disabled mode and shut the ports
down.

Buy a bag of RJ45 plugs and put one of them in to each port,nothing will
be connected so no problem . Or have you ever heard of insulation tape ,
just tape over the open ports.

Henry Law

unread,
Nov 17, 2012, 6:10:45 AM11/17/12
to
On 17/11/12 10:50, grinch wrote:
> Buy a bag of RJ45 plugs and put one of them in to each port,nothing will
> be connected so no problem . Or have you ever heard of insulation tape ,
> just tape over the open ports.
>

Tape; definitely tape. Ordinary household sticky tape would do, I
suppose. You might think of cutting a piece of paper to size and then
taping it in position.

--

Henry Law Manchester, England

Bernard Peek

unread,
Nov 17, 2012, 7:13:29 AM11/17/12
to
Gaffer Tape: it has dark side and a light side. It binds the universe
together.

--
Bernard Peek
b...@shrdlu.com

Henry Law

unread,
Nov 17, 2012, 7:53:10 AM11/17/12
to
On 17/11/12 12:13, Bernard Peek wrote:

> Gaffer Tape: it has dark side and a light side. It binds the universe
> together.
>

And, together with WD40, makes up the Universal Tool Kit. If it moves
and shouldn't, use gaffer tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD40.

Paul Conners

unread,
Nov 18, 2012, 4:02:47 PM11/18/12
to
> If you connect 2 ports on the same switch together, the switch will get
> it own mac address back, go into error disabled mode and shut the ports
> down.
>
> Buy a bag of RJ45 plugs and put one of them in to each port,nothing will
> be connected so no problem . Or have you ever heard of insulation tape ,
> just tape over the open ports.
> [grinch]

As long as it's just those ports and cause no electrical damage, I can live
with that: simply power-cycle the switch when those ports are needed.

Future additional network expansion will be little and can be plugged into
the switch at night or with advance notice of shutdown.

Brian Cryer

unread,
Nov 19, 2012, 5:30:07 AM11/19/12
to
"Henry Law" <ne...@lawshouse.org> wrote in message
news:BIOdndGqZJso7TrN...@giganews.com...
The trouble with tape is that when you remove it you often leave a sticky
patch. Tape is an option, but personally I'd use some empy RJ45 plugs
(although they might be easier to later remove if they had a bit of cable
attached to them).
--
Brian Cryer
http://www.cryer.co.uk/brian


PeeGee

unread,
Nov 20, 2012, 11:33:45 AM11/20/12
to
It may be "try it and see" as some switches will not recognise the
"loop" and saturate the switch with endless messages (a self-induced
DoS) :-( I would hope the Cisco is more intelligent ...

--
PeeGee

"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)
0 new messages