topic Re: 5308XL port config question in Switches, Hubs, and Modems

5308XL port config question

Mike Kirton — Fri, 17 Sep 2004 15:07:57 GMT

I'm running a web monitoring product called SurfControl on a w2k server that is plugged into my 5308XL switch. My internal interface for my firewall is connected to the switch as well. SurfControl uses "pass by" technology so it needs to be able to see all the port 80 traffic going thru the switch. So I need this port to act more like a hub port or monitoring port than a switch port. Any way to do this?

Thanks,
Mike

Re: 5308XL port config question

SCOOTER — Fri, 17 Sep 2004 18:41:22 GMT

Mike,

You could configure a port as monitoring port and put a hub between the switch and server but, as I understand the product that you want to "snif" all port 80 traffic with is a permanent thing? So not some testing SW. Then this would not be a good sollution in my opinion. A monitorport is more used for troubleshooting purposes I believe.

Regards,

Scooter

Re: 5308XL port config question

Stuart Teo — Fri, 17 Sep 2004 23:51:40 GMT

I remember SurfControl doing some spoofing. Like if some web content is to be blocked, it will spoof the web server and send a 'blocked' page to the browser?

if that's true, then configuring a port to be a monitoring port and stick SurfControl into it, that might not work. When a PC is on a monitoring port, I've observed them becomes not contactable. (ie not pingable, etc)

Re: 5308XL port config question

Jarno Lepistö — Wed, 22 Sep 2004 02:41:06 GMT

Hi.

We are using SurfControl as well. I have installed it as follows:

SHDSL--5304XL--HUB-[SURF CONTROL]

So all you need to do is put hub in some router port and connect surfcontrol server in that hub. If you configure one of router ports as monitor-port i think it will generate too much traffic to that host so it will not work properly as monitor-port copies all traffic to that.

Hope helped

Re: 5308XL port config question

Mike Kirton — Wed, 22 Sep 2004 07:54:20 GMT

Thanks for the responses. I have my SurfControl server on a hub and this is working. I was concerned that I was experiencing network overload or something because sometimes I wouldn't see data logged. For instance, I could surf to a blocked site and SurfControl would block me but I would never see my visit to that site logged when I looked at my user details or the site details. Anyways, I upgraded to the new v5 and everything seems to be fine so I will leave my hub in place.

Thanks for the responses.

Mike