Cheap Source for Racks?

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

New sub-project:

(No, haven't gotten the house yet. Still in Gov't Paperwork Limbo )

So one issue I've forseen is integrating my Magic Jack into the house's phone system; there is one old old touch-tone phone wall mounted that I'll want to reuse, and I am doubtful that my Magic Jack Go has the power to run a full phone system (with phones powered off the 48V phone line power).

To fix that, I bought one of these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-VIKING-...S/263183418909


(note- I best offered it down well under $100 even though ebay isn't showing that... )
Now, here's the question: I want to make a board or panel to put on the rack that will have this, the Magic Jack Go, and possibly/probably one of my two AP/switch units (a Linkysys ea3500 and ea4500, openWRT'd). The AP is to give stronger wireless signal to things in/near the garage (such as my Android head unit in my truck) if the final router location isn't good for garage/driveway access (and also the switch can be used to give a few extra gigabit ports in the garage if the rest of the house and server eats up the 24 port switch). The magic Jack would get it's LAN and power from the AP (since the AP has a USB port on it).

Would a long tray be good for this? Or perhaps a wood/plastic/metal vertical panel on the front of the rack? Probably doesn't matter, but I'd prefer to design twice and cut once on this.

Right now the magic Jack is mounted in my workstation cart, which is great for running to the AIO Laser Fax wonder on top of it, but no good for running to a line booster which I'll want to hard wire (through the patch panel) to the house's phone wiring (IIRC there's an exposed splice near where I'm thinking of putting the cabinet).

[shakyshee]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Finally found a deal on Cat5e:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cat5e-enhanc...kAAOSwFe5X0Br4

$51 shipped for 1000' isn't too bad, right? Beats the $60-$80 I was seeing (for solid copper, not CCA wannabe shit). UTP isn't shielded (despite the claim of the seller), but it is solid copper, so still a deal.

Ohhhh, I overlooked this one. Anyway, grats on the deal, you seem to be happy with what you got!

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

^ I already have a rack... did you read the thread?

[shakyshee]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

They don't have anything in their site that says racks, but since they offer metal machining services and other furniture of some sort, they can help you with cheap racks. Also, the said company, which offers metal machining services is China based, so if you're looking for cheap, they are the way to go.

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Wire came in. Appears to be legit based on weight and cut check. Brand new spool too. Appears to be really good quality.

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

^I'll do a cut check... since it was sold as new and does come out as CCA, I'll get a refund or something (as the seller lied or screwed up). Seems to be a reputable brand; they don't even sell CCA. Unless somebody reboxed some CCA shit, all signs point towards legit.

Link to the OEM's listing: http://www.hosiwell.com/exec/product...at-5e-UTP&lg=E

With the new house money is going to be a bit tight. I'd rather get it wired up before I have the house fully moved in. A penny saved is a penny earned. It might not be belden (or the like), but I think it will be fine.

[bluto]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

I wouldn't mess with any no-name cable from eBay if you plan to do a permanent installation. How can you be sure it is not CCA or actually manufactured to spec? Better to spend a couple extra $ for a reputable box of cable from the big box store to know you won't have to rip it out and re-do it later. If you still don't agree, read the article over on blue jeans cable about how they tested store bought patch cables with a Fluke and almost none passed as meeting Cat5e specs. As they also say, if you buy their expensive cables to install in your walls and later you have some kind of problem with your system.. You are assured that the cable is NOT the source of the problem.

Finally found a deal on Cat5e:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cat5e-enhanc...kAAOSwFe5X0Br4

$51 shipped for 1000' isn't too bad, right? Beats the $60-$80 I was seeing (for solid copper, not CCA wannabe shit). UTP isn't shielded (despite the claim of the seller), but it is solid copper, so still a deal.

[Topcat]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

I dont remember what I paid for the last 1000' spool, but thats sounds close.

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Finally found a deal on Cat5e:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cat5e-enhanc...kAAOSwFe5X0Br4

$51 shipped for 1000' isn't too bad, right? Beats the $60-$80 I was seeing (for solid copper, not CCA wannabe shit). UTP isn't shielded (despite the claim of the seller), but it is solid copper, so still a deal.

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Here's a picture:



Sure beats the plastic 5 Port Belkin switch I was using. Not that I'm tossing anything; for my future office having 23 connections will be handy (I'm thinking of putting in a table for laptop docks, for instance, that will eat a few...)

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

No bueno on either system teaming. V5's LAN quit working (again, when it was working it was unstable as shit), likely a fried chip. V3.8's Nvidia nForce Pro 2000 chips don't support teaming in windows 7 (and being my wife's rig, I don't dare put server 2012 on it). V4 and V2.5 both support it but aren't being used. The last system is an X5DAL-g with only one NIC.

Perhaps I just run 1 line initially to the office and run everything off the 24 port office switch, now installed in the back of my tower/cart (no good pics, sorry)

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Yes. Linux bonding code does not restrict bonds to the LACP/802.3ad mode of operation. The Linux box is stopping the loopback on the unmanaged switch.
Switches need to adhere to those standards mentioned for link aggregation to work. The managed switch can not stop the loopback.

There's a reason network guys are paid far more than sysadmins. Routing packets properly is not my idea of fun so I only know enough to get me by, but it's not hard to do a search online to see if I'm talking horseshit or not.

OK!!!

I get what you're saying. I'll go with the 2+2+1 option for the office then; two workstations with 2gbs bonds, and 1 to the 24 port switch for everything else. Assuming I can make teaming work on an nvidia Nforce Pro 2000 series Glans on windows 7 do teaming. If not, then maybe 2+1... once the switch gets here I plan to use it to set up bonding/teaming on the two office workstations as a test.

[diif]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Server to switch.

Is there something fundamentally different about PC aggregated connections and managed switch aggregated connections?

Yes. Linux bonding code does not restrict bonds to the LACP/802.3ad mode of operation. The Linux box is stopping the loopback on the unmanaged switch.
Switches need to adhere to those standards mentioned for link aggregation to work. The managed switch can not stop the loopback.

There's a reason network guys are paid far more than sysadmins. Routing packets properly is not my idea of fun so I only know enough to get me by, but it's not hard to do a search online to see if I'm talking horseshit or not.

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Whats TC doing ? link aggregation from one managed switch to an unmanaged switch ?

Server to switch.

Is there something fundamentally different about PC aggregated connections and managed switch aggregated connections?

[diif]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Whats TC doing ? link aggregation from one managed switch to an unmanaged switch ?

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Not without both of the switches supporting it....deja vu ?

But clearly the gigabit switches (which are the same model) accept such connections from servers and the like. Right now I'm running a 3 connection round robin bond to one of said switches from my server and everything works just fine. Topcat has the exact same model too and he's had no issues. Is that sufficient enough proof?

[diif]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

And I take it that the managed switch couldn't use the same round-robin bonding (link aggregation) technique that my server uses without issue?

Not without both of the switches supporting it....deja vu ?

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Switches tend to be difficult to repair. They are relatively highly integrated implementations -- unless a connector (or power supply) is broken, you'll probably find you've just wasted a lot of time on some scrap metal.



Think carefully about how you plan on using each "drop", regardless of its physical location. If I need a horrendously fat pipe, its typically only for a very short duration/special purpose need. E.g., making a copy of a 4T disk. In those cases, there are usually other options that are simpler and more reliable (e.g., physically move the drive to be co-hosted with its twin and do the transfer at ~6Gb speeds)

Within my office, Gb links are more than adequate. Anything outside the office can be throttled to 100Mb and still be "tickled" with the available bandwidth. I'll be running fiber out to the shed -- but that's mainly for protection from lightning, etc.

See other posts...

[Curious.George]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

Saw this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cisco-SGE201...4AAOSw7pNZnYVX

But nah, probably unrepairable junk?

Switches tend to be difficult to repair. They are relatively highly integrated implementations -- unless a connector (or power supply) is broken, you'll probably find you've just wasted a lot of time on some scrap metal.

Reason I ask is I just scored some dirt cheap quad port gigabit cards and thinking that 24 ports isn't going to cut it. Or not and I get a 16 port switch for the office and give it 4 links (So I can quad team my workstation and dual team my wife's workstation, but neither of us will need all the bandwidth at the same time?

Think carefully about how you plan on using each "drop", regardless of its physical location. If I need a horrendously fat pipe, its typically only for a very short duration/special purpose need. E.g., making a copy of a 4T disk. In those cases, there are usually other options that are simpler and more reliable (e.g., physically move the drive to be co-hosted with its twin and do the transfer at ~6Gb speeds)

Within my office, Gb links are more than adequate. Anything outside the office can be throttled to 100Mb and still be "tickled" with the available bandwidth. I'll be running fiber out to the shed -- but that's mainly for protection from lightning, etc.

[ratdude747]

Re: Cheap Source for Racks?

That switch supports link aggregation, your unamanaged switches do not.

And I take it that the managed switch couldn't use the same round-robin bonding (link aggregation) technique that my server uses without issue?