I'm a bit confused as to why I haven't seen any references online to using Switch A's uplink port (1Gbps, 24-port 10/100) to connect to Switch B's uplink port: everything I've seen — including documentation, forums, articles, etc. — has Switch A's uplink port going to one of Switch B's 10/100 access ports. As I understand it, the Uplink port (besides greater speed normally) is no different than another port except that it's "internally crossed-over" so that you can use a straight cable with it.
I've also seen documentation on using the uplink port to connect a switch to a gateway router, or even a server, as it provides greater bandwidth than the access ports, but yet not sure why nobody seems to be cross-uplinking, even when there's 2 uplink ports available on some higher-end switches.
Switch in question is Linksys SRW224P (x2).
Am I missing something?
Best Answer
That particular switch is a 24 port 10/100 PoE switch with two gigabit ports. You want to connect the two switches via gigabit ports to maximize the inter-switch bandwidth.
As voretaq7 days, in the past "uplink ports" meant ports with switchable MDI/MDIX capability. Since nearly everything new today is auto-MDI/MDIX dedicated "uplink ports" aren't typically sold as a feature unless, as is the case with this particular switch, the "uplink ports" are higher-speed than the rest of the ports on the switch.