https://community.hpe.com/t5/switches-hubs-and-modems/mesh-design-question/m-p/4792110#M26066 I'm trying to design a mesh network for our existing LAN. The core switch is a 5406zl feeding to 6 5308xl switches. The mesh is going to be a partially connected one, and all I'm looking to do is provide at least 1 redundant path for each 5308 switch. I'd rather the traffic was balanced using a mesh, than only active on failure if using STP.<BR /><BR />Anyway, my question is, all the 5308's currently have primary fibre connections to the 5406. If I add a mesh, do all the switches need secondary (mesh port) connections to the 5406, or can I just configure the mesh between ports on the 5308's? It's a bit difficult to explain, but if a packet takes a meshed port route via another 5308, will the packet then expect to pass across a meshed port link back to the 5406, or can it use the primary connection that's already in place?<BR /><BR />My concern is that if I don't have a meshed link (as well as a primary link) from each 5308 to the 5406, then packets could just spin round the meshed loop on the 5308's, and never make it back to the core. Wed, 25 May 2011 15:09:49 GMT Tony Barrett_2 2011-05-25T15:09:49Z https://community.hpe.com/t5/switches-hubs-and-modems/mesh-design-question/m-p/4792110#M26066 I'm trying to design a mesh network for our existing LAN. The core switch is a 5406zl feeding to 6 5308xl switches. The mesh is going to be a partially connected one, and all I'm looking to do is provide at least 1 redundant path for each 5308 switch. I'd rather the traffic was balanced using a mesh, than only active on failure if using STP.<BR /><BR />Anyway, my question is, all the 5308's currently have primary fibre connections to the 5406. If I add a mesh, do all the switches need secondary (mesh port) connections to the 5406, or can I just configure the mesh between ports on the 5308's? It's a bit difficult to explain, but if a packet takes a meshed port route via another 5308, will the packet then expect to pass across a meshed port link back to the 5406, or can it use the primary connection that's already in place?<BR /><BR />My concern is that if I don't have a meshed link (as well as a primary link) from each 5308 to the 5406, then packets could just spin round the meshed loop on the 5308's, and never make it back to the core. Wed, 25 May 2011 15:09:49 GMT https://community.hpe.com/t5/switches-hubs-and-modems/mesh-design-question/m-p/4792110#M26066 Tony Barrett_2 2011-05-25T15:09:49Z