Dell PowerConnect 2724 10/100/1000 24-Port Switch Thread

[odditory]

Old switch, but I got one of these based on positive comments from Patrick and a few other people at another forum.

Disappointing to see the latest firmware available on Dell's site for this thing is from 2005.

Anyway the main reason I bought this thing was to replace my ailing TrendNet 16-port gigabit switch. I need 802.3ad (link aggregation) and with some googling prior to the purchase, comments seemed to indicate it was capable, at least of SLA. Now I can find the option nowhere on the management interface of the switch?

Anyone else successfully using this switch with SLA? Any tricks to getting it to work?

 

[nitrobass24]

On the Left side there should be a page named LAG Membership....SLA=LAG

 

[odditory]

thank you my good man. i can always count on old friends

what are your feelings on the switch overall? part of me thinks I should've spent more money.

 

[Patrick]

Nitro beat me to it (I am away this weekend.)

I like the switches mostly because they are cheap and have yet to have one go down. Never said they were the best but I think I got my last 2724 for like $100 which is pretty hard to beat.

 

[nitrobass24]

I think the switch is great. I have had zero problems, provides plenty of features that i need for a home environment. For the $$ i dont know what i could have gotten that is better.

 

[john4200]

I like the 8-port Dell switches. They are the only 8-port switches I have seen that use a standard power cord to plug into the box. Most other 8-port switches have a transformer brick with a loose-fitting coaxial connector that tends to pull out at the worst possible time!

 

[iceboi714]

which is better or both the same? LAG(SLA) or LACP?

 

[cactus]

Just bought one that came with "rack ears". I didn't even think that they aren't made for a 19in rack... I have some ears from an old Asante switch, I'll rig something up.

 

[apnar]

Anyone have any luck using channel bonding with these and ESX(i)? I assume the LAG they support is LACP (IEEE 802.3ad or 802.1AX) which VMware doesn't seem to support as an option.

 

[Rudde]

Hello, I was wondering about something when it comes to this switch, when I connect it into a router where I can't set a static IP have the switch in managed mode because I need LAG on a computer, how does this work out? I don't understand how I need a 192.168.2.x IP when most routers have a unchangeable 192.168.0.x range..

 

[xnoodle]

The whole range from 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 can be used for private networks, it's just a matter of preference. I've had some routers use 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.

Is the router "uplinked" to the switch or is the switch uplinked to the router?

If you can't change the settings on the router, can you change the settings on a computer temporarily so you can access managed mode? It's been a while since I've had to communicate with devices outside of my normal subnet but I typically just change it temporarily on my computer and change it back to DHCP when done.

Once you can access the management interface you can then go to the IP Addressing tab and either set the management interface to use DHCP, or to use a IP/subnet mask/gateway you specify (ie, static).

 

[S-F]

Odditory, you might want to update the OP with this information:


Documentation for Dell™ PowerConnect™ 27xx Systems

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/network/PC27xx/en/index.htm

I just fired mine up and have never used a managed switch before so I'll probably be chiming in here again in the near future.

 

[Rudde]

I don't get Dell PowerConnect to run with LACP with Solaris, anyone else having the same problem?

 

[soundscribe]

In the intervening months since this thread was last updated, is there anything else available around $100 for a managed 24 port 1Gb switch? Preferably fanless...

How loud are these things? I recently got rid of a Bay Networks 100Mb 24 port switch that had something like 9 fans. It was the loudest item in my rack. Very nice blinky lights though.

Enjoying the quiet of a fanless switch at the moment, but it isn't fancy. And only has 8 ports.

 

[Patrick]

I still haven't upgraded, but have been using two of these 24x7 and they never have issues just like the 16 and 8 port models. I also decommissioned the old Cisco Catalyst because power consumption was way higher. With power prices here the lower power Dell switch was a fourteen month payback.

 

[soundscribe]

Noise level isn't too bad?

 

[Patrick]

The 24 port is certainly noisier than the 16 port and 8 port model. In a rack, it will probably be one of the quietest components. I would not stick it on top/ underneath my desk though. Can't bring the next Extech and test it since it is sitting in the rack that is much noisier.

 

[S-F]

Just saw that this thread is still kicking so I might as well chime in. I've had mine running since last summer and it's been by far the best switch I've ever owned. The HP ProCurve switches I used to use would get squirrely and need to be power cycled every so often. And then they would just plain die. Same with 8 and 16 port Netgear switches. I'm not currently taking advantage of any of the more sophisticated features offered so I can't comment there. As for reliability, it's probably the most robust piece computer of equipment I own. As for noise, yeah it makes some. No more than any other contraption like it though. It's really not too bad. It make less noise than my Norco 4224 with the fans dialed way down.

 

[Patrick]

S-F - totally agree with you. I have had to power cycle my 2724 twice now. Once to physically move it to my new house and once to move it into the new rack in my new house. 2716 and 2708 have been the same. Certainly not the newest/ coolest around, but I like the fact that they are basically setup and leave alone devices.

 

[soundscribe]

A bit OT, but I bought a 2824 (not 2724) on eBay today. I liked the fact the 28xx has a CLI as well as a web browser interface. Hears to hoping it is as reliable and relatively quiet as the 2700 series.