Do switches have serial ports?

webspiderwebspider Member Posts: 30 ■■□□□□□□□□
Do switches have serial ports?

Comments

  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    What do you think? What L2 protocols are used on serial links? What about on ethernet switches?
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
  • webspiderwebspider Member Posts: 30 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I have no idea. If I had I wouldn't have asked in forums. :)
  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    I was trying to point you in the direction of where to look.
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
  • webspiderwebspider Member Posts: 30 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Ok it is HDLC,PPP,802.3 ,Frame Relay protocols in L2,now what?
  • Carpe PorcusCarpe Porcus Member Posts: 84 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Why would you think or need a serial port is required on a switch for what purpose and to what end would you use one?
    “I'm always admitting I'm wrong. That's how I eventually get to right.”
  • theodoxatheodoxa Member Posts: 1,340 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I haven't seen one. But, it is possible, such an option could exist on higher-end "expandable" or "modular" switches. If Cisco would release a 3560/3750 with a few (1-4) T1 Ports [or make some T1 SFPs], there would be no need for a router ever again. You could just connect your WAN (MPLS, Frame Relay, etc...) right to your Layer 3 Switch. Based on what I've read, I believe this is already possible with MPLS over MetroE (Ethernet).
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  • DirtySouthDirtySouth Member Posts: 314 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Good grief, people. Just answer the guys question unless of course you don't know the answer. OP, I am not aware of any switches that have serial ports like the ones you're probably thinking of. There are layer-3 switches that have routing capabilities like theodoxa mentioned. A traditional layer 2 switch is not going to have a serial port though.
  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    DirtySouth wrote: »
    Good grief, people. Just answer the guys question unless of course you don't know the answer.

    Now come on, that isn't how you help someone learn. Give a man a fish blah blah.....
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
  • bbarrickbbarrick Member Posts: 242 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Now come on, that isn't how you help someone learn. Give a man a fish blah blah.....

    Unless it's a pufferfish, in which case, he would have no need to learn anymore.
  • DirtySouthDirtySouth Member Posts: 314 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Now come on, that isn't how you help someone learn. Give a man a fish blah blah.....
    In most cases, I completely agree with you. icon_smile.gif
  • FrankGuthrieFrankGuthrie Member Posts: 245
    Isn't a (blue) Console cable a serial connection?
  • theodoxatheodoxa Member Posts: 1,340 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Isn't a (blue) Console cable a serial connection?

    Yes, but probably not the kind the OP was referring to. Its a low-speed Asynchronous? Serial connection which is used for out-of-band management. The main reason for wanting a Synchronous Serial port (e.g. WIC-1T, WIC-1DSU-T1) would be to connect a switch to a Leased Line, Frame Relay, or MPLS (using T1). I think T1 ports would be a nice addition to Layer 3 switches, because they would eliminate the need for a router in many cases.
    R&S: CCENT CCNA CCNP CCIE [ ]
    Security: CCNA [ ]
    Virtualization: VCA-DCV [ ]
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