Network switch help

[v8-powered]

New house in networked and we have 2x 5 port Newlink switches, I want to use them for ethernet backhaul for our mesh system so will only require 1 switch operational (4 mesh access points in the house) but am unsure of how to cable up - hub just has the 5 ports marked 1X to 5X or doesn't it matter?

[KungFooBob]

Shouldn't matter.

In the old days you needed a x-over ethernet cable to connect two switches, but these days modern switches have ports that auto crossover.

...and don't call it a 'hub' thats something similar, but different

[v8-powered]

Shouldn't matter.

In the old days you needed a x-over ethernet cable to connect two switches, but these days modern switches have ports that auto crossover.

...and don't call it a 'hub' thats something similar, but different

Cheers - will give it a try and see if smoke comes out.....

[v8-powered]

No smoke, so that's good!

What's the easiest way to trace from the faceplate to where the Cat5 is terminated next to the switch? Nothing has been labelled and every room has a connection! Remember probe and tone generators from back in the day, anything easy and cheap other than plug a networked device in to every room until I get what I want?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Get an ethernet cable tester and plug one end in your wall socket and use the other end to try all the patch panel sockets until you find the right one, but it's the same as using the switch and a network device to do it.

A tone set is quicker, but doesn't test the cabling.

You made need a cross over between the switches, not all of them are auto mdix.
If you're having big problems let me know I'll pop round and have a look as you're only near Colchester and I'm near Ipswich, I can bring a cable tester.

[v8-powered]

Get an ethernet cable tester and plug one end in your wall socket and use the other end to try all the patch panel sockets until you find the right one, but it's the same as using the switch and a network device to do it.

A tone set is quicker, but doesn't test the cabling.

You made need a cross over between the switches, not all of them are auto mdix.
If you're having big problems let me know I'll pop round and have a look as you're only near Colchester and I'm near Ipswich, I can bring a cable tester.

Thanks for your generous offer - I've just ordered a tester off of Amazon for delivery tomorrow, will see how I get on. Hopefully should get away with just using the single 5 way switch but have the other just in case I need more ports than expected.