As a segment switch implementing PoE
Figure 26: Segment network configuration with PoE switches
The switch also works well as a segment switch. That is, with its high performance, it can be used for
interconnecting network segments. Simply connect the network devices that form those segments to the switch or
you can also connect other switches.
In the illustration above, two 2930F PoE+ switches with PCs, printers, and local servers attached, are both
connected to a switch. The devices attached to the two 2930F PoE+ switches can now communicate with each
other through the non-PoE switch. They can also all communicate with the server that is connected to a
1000Base-T port on the switch.
As shown in the illustration above, the IP telephones have been inserted in between the 2930F PoE+ switch and
the PCs, and a wireless access point (WAP) has been connected to the 2930F PoE+ switch. Only devices directly
connected to PoE switches can receive PoE power. Devices connected to the non-PoE switch cannot receive
PoE power.
Because the 2930F switches have the Auto-MDIX feature, the connections between the switches and end nodes
or servers can be through category 5 straight-through or crossover twisted-pair cable. Category 3 or 4 cable can
also be used if the connection is 10 Mbps only. In all cases, the device ports must be configured to auto negotiate
the link characteristics for this feature to work.
The switch, in turn, can be connected to a network backbone through fiber-optic cabling connected to a Gigabit or
10 Gigabit transceiver installed in the switch. Now, all the devices on these network segments can access other
network resources that are connected elsewhere on the network backbone.
Chapter 2 Installing the switch
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