# Can I use a switch on both ends?

## grant123

I use a Gentoo system as the router on a wired LAN.  I'd like to connect some machines to the LAN that are in the same vicinity as the router and also some other machines that are not in the same vicinity.  Ideally I would only run a single ethernet cable between the two locations.  Can I use one switch in each location with a single ethernet cable running between them to accomplish this?

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## 666threesixes666

yes.

id set a switch on the other end of the gentoo router...  then a switch on a long run of wire for elsewhere.  1 patch cable

cross over or straight through i couldnt tell you, im helpless with out packet tracer.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/40448-switch-switch-crossover.html <--- says cross over...  my gut says crossover cable required for switch to switch.

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## gotyaoi

Yeah, you'll want a crossover cable to connect the two switches. Some switches these days are smart enough to connect to each other even with a straight-through, but a crossover should always work. Just make sure the distance is less than 100 meters, or you're going to need a repeater or something in between.

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## py-ro

You almost need never Cross Over Cable with Switches (produced in the last 10 years). If one of them is GBit, you realy don't have to care.

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## Maitreya

 *py-ro wrote:*   

> You almost need never Cross Over Cable with Switches (produced in the last 10 years). If one of them is GBit, you realy don't have to care.

 

This!

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## Mad Merlin

Port auto-sensing is an optional part of the Gigabit standard, but in practice, is implemented on virtually all hardware. I personally haven't encountered any Gigabit hardware that doesn't support auto-sensing, I'd say you're fine with a straight-through cable.

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## Carnildo

 *gotyaoi wrote:*   

> Yeah, you'll want a crossover cable to connect the two switches. Some switches these days are smart enough to connect to each other even with a straight-through, but a crossover should always work. Just make sure the distance is less than 100 meters, or you're going to need a repeater or something in between.

 

Most switches produced in the past 20 years have either an uplink port, a port with an uplink switch, or autouplink detection, any of which will let you connect a pair of switches with a straight-through cable.

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## grant123

Thank you so much everyone.

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