Can an Ethernet switch be made to work like a hub?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

SherpaDoug

Full Member level 2
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Messages
149
Helped
28
Reputation
56
Reaction score
28
Trophy points
1,308
Location
Cape Cod, USA
Activity points
2,260
Is there anything like a modem type command set that will allow me to tell an Ethernet switch to just work like a dumb hub? Mostly I want a hub so I can evesdrop from one port onto traffic between two others for troubleshooting purposes. But secondly I am trying to minimize delays, and it seems a switch won't start relaying a packet until it has recieved the whole packet and checksum so you get a whole packet length delay in the switch.
 

If it's a managed switch (not a cheap-as-possible consumer switch) then it probably has a command or setting on the GUI that mirrors all traffic through a specified port to another port. That allows traffic monitoring like you ask. I've used that method often.

There's no way to completely turn any switch I've worked on into a hub though. Store-and-forward is just how they work.

I keep an old hub in my 'toolkit' for easy monitoring if I need to watch traffic from several ports at once.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…