LAN Party Chat
LAN Party Chat
The same business I mentioned includes Quanta and Juniper switches, but they only appeared in limited numbers on eBay or lacked 10G ports in the listings. Contact their site directly and specify your requirements—they might have smaller quantities available that aren’t advertised yet. If you're based in the US, consider asking if they’re open to renting 20–30 switches for a fee, similar to paying a deposit. After a week, they should refund your purchase minus a reasonable amount (around $500–$1,000). Personally, I prefer Arista over Juniper, and Allied Telesyn has been useful before. Remember, switches aren’t the only expense—you’ll also need Ethernet cables. Don’t assume you must buy cables yourself; consider purchasing them in various lengths (10m, 15m, 25m, etc.). Arrange the cables in a star pattern under desks so users don’t walk on them. Connect each switch to the main switch via plastic or metal conduit to protect it. Determine the available power and ensure your building’s electrical system can support it—check with the fire department if permits or insurance are needed for such high usage. For 400 computers, each averaging 250W, plus 50–100W per switch, you’ll likely need over 100KW. Confirm cooling capacity for the space and verify that the location has proper permits and insurance for that level of power draw.
I received a Brocade ICX 6430-48p, but the interface is really poor if you care about anything. It feels like a cheap build. Around $80 for 48 ports, PoE, and 10G SFP.
Typically, administrators prefer the graphical interface for configuring managed switches.
We previously accommodated 370 individuals in a LAN setup. The upper limit is 400, but this is restricted by fire regulations and similar policies.