Is it possible to have communication between switches linked to the same router?

3

Hi people of superuser,

I have a question regarding basic networking knowledge. I've done quite some research online, but some concepts of networking are too abstract for me to understand.

I need to upgrade my home network, which will look something like this:

Basic network set-up

I have two switches and a NAS connected to a router. Multiple PC's are connected to switch S1. Another NAS (S2) is connected to switch S2.

I'm confident that the computers connected to S1 are able to connect to NAS 1 as I currently have a similar setup. I need to add multiple devices to the network, which I was planning to do using switch (S2). One of the main objectives is to be able to connect to NAS 2 from S1.

My questions are:

  • Is it possible for the PC's to connect to NAS 2? I usually connect to it's IP address via a web browser.
  • Should I setup the switch if it won't work?

J. Doe

Posted 2019-08-17T15:02:44.503

Reputation: 33

Answers

2

Using regular, domestic unmanaged switches, yes, your solution will work just fine.

Switches are in effect invisible to the network - they're like junctions in water pipes… the water simply doesn't care & will flow to whichever tap is opened.
...except this 'water' can flow both ways simultaneously, which is where my analogy breaks down ;)

The switch takes no part in traffic management as far as the user is concerned, so is in effect the same as just wiring everything directly to the router.

All devices will pick up DHCP addresses from the router & all will be happy in the same local subnet. You could actually wire the switches in any topography to best fit your building layout, including one through the other; it will all "just work".

This model breaks down if you have a lot of switches - which is why corporate structures use managed systems, but at consumer level, having 2, 3, 4 switches dotted around the house, ad-hoc, is a very simple way to gain some extra connections to the router & between all other devices in the house. I've never seen what happens if you route switches back round in a circle, but I'd avoid that. You can run one through another, though, as far as you like.

Tetsujin

Posted 2019-08-17T15:02:44.503

Reputation: 22 456

Switches are in effect invisible to the network - they're like junctions in water pipes… the water simply doesn't care & will flow to whichever tap is opened. - What you mean with this, is that the switch just the messages to all connections? – J. Doe – 2019-08-17T15:17:17.420

Usually I connect to the NAS by typing in 192.168.1.something. Will this still work? – J. Doe – 2019-08-17T15:19:40.530

An unmanaged Switch is basically a collection of bridges. It "routes" the packages from one network port to the other. – Nordlys Jeger – 2019-08-17T15:20:25.187

Yes, that will still work – Nordlys Jeger – 2019-08-17T15:20:34.303

Okay Thank you ! – J. Doe – 2019-08-17T15:20:47.047

1The switch takes no part in traffic management as far as the user is concerned, so is in effect the same as just wiring everything directly to the router. – Tetsujin – 2019-08-17T15:22:00.067

@J.Doe - Switches are fairly active devices and do a fair amount of stuff under the hood, even consumer grade switches. But the goal is to make it seem as if a message going to any port goes to all the other ports. That isn't, in fact, usually what happens, but you can pretend it does. – Omnifarious – 2019-08-17T18:46:21.907

@J.Doe One caveat though, never connect consumer grade switches so there's a potential loop without a router in the middle. That will likely cause packets to endlessly circle the loop. If your mental model is that switches send incoming packets to all ports but the one the packet came in on, you can see how this would happen. – Omnifarious – 2019-08-17T18:49:52.917

Asked: 2019-08-17T15:02:44.503

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Active: 2019-08-17T15:32:01.517