Advantages: easy setup ( if know what doing ) Disadvantages: easy to break.
Another entry onto the cisco scene is the catalyst 4948 switch. 48ports with four G-bic options for either fiber optics or standard RJ45 cables.
setting up:
this is made quite simple by the console port on the back. Using a program such as hyperterminal willl allow you to access the flash drive, and change the settings
ease of setup:
quite an easy switch to setup, it has the usual kind of cisco program, with the easy option to upgrade the firmware/ software on it. To setup a Vlan, you use the configuration terminal within. (conft)
Breakabiltity:
as it says on the box really: fragile. It can stand the usual bumps and scratches with its metal casing, but if dropped will usually break one of the ports.
Flashing:
using the console port, you can set it up to flash the firmware, and put either an upgrade or downgrade ...
Advantages: Advantages: Cheap, all in one solution Disadvantages: No manual overide or audio support
stops autoscanning and lets you use the currently selected PC.
The Belkin claims support for scrolling mice but I did find sometimes one PC would start up without recognising this facility if it wasn't the currently selected one when booting up and in extreme cases, wouldn't recognise the keyboard and mouse at all. Previous KVM's I've used send the PC fake 'There's a keyboard and mouse here' messages when not selected and it seems this unit does not, which is a pity.
Conclusion
The Belkin 2 port KVM is a well built unit that works nicely and provides a great way to save desk space and the cost of a second monitor, keyboard and mouse. The long leads are useful and despite the niggles with scrolling mice and the lack of manual switch. I'd say this unit is worth considering at this price if you can live with those shortcomings ...
Advantages: Cheap, all in one solution, audio support Disadvantages: No manual overide
It's surprising how many people have more than one PC at home although even more surprising is that many of them each have their own screen, keyboard and mouse.
In many cases this makes perfect sense but sometimes, you know you'll only ever use one or the other - perhaps one is your general PC and the other your music workstation. In these situations you can save a lot of space and money by investing in a KVM switch. KVM stands for Keyboard, Video and Mouse and allows you to use one keyboard, mouse and screen shared between two PCs.
This particular unit from Belkin is unusual in that it also includes audio support and also comes with all the leads permanently attached instead of being supplied as a separate cabling set.
Wiring it Up
Installation is simply a matter of taking each of the two main cables and plugging the sets ...
Product Information for "Cisco Catalyst 2950SX-48-SI - switch - 48 ports" »
Manufacturer's product description
The Cisco Catalyst 2950SX-48, 2950T-48, 2950SX-24, 2950-24, and 2950-12 switches, members of the Cisco Catalyst 2950 Series, are standalone, fixed-configuration, managed 10/100-Mbps switches providing basic workgroup connectivity for small to midsize networks. These wire-speed desktop switches come with Standard Image software features and offer Cisco IOS Software functions for basic data, voice, and video services at the edge of the network. Embedded in all Cisco Catalyst 2950 Series switches is the Cisco Cluster Management Suite (CMS) software, which allows users to simultaneously configure and troubleshoot multiple Cisco Catalyst desktop switches using a standard Web browser. In addition, with the newly launched Cisco Express Setup, users now have the option to set up the switch through a Web browser, eliminating the need for more complex terminal emulation programs and knowledge of the command-line interface (CLI). Cisco Express Setup reduces the cost of deployment by enabling less-skilled personnel to set up switches quickly.
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