new product

In looking at the RB816...

I looks like the system communicates to the Ic178C switch chip via an Infinion an983b. ethernet chip, with the IC178C running in a 8+1 port configuration.

This would mean that the 8 ports "share" a common 100Mbit link to the PCI bus.

SO... that would be 100Mbit port to port, but a shared 100Mbit link back to the CPU.

Correct ?

Am I the only one not quite getting the point of this board? How, exactly, are we supposed to use a 19-port router? Yes there's the switch chip, but aren't there enough 16x10/100 + 1xGigabit L3 switches on the market already?

If csickles's observation is correct, this means that it's essentially a glorified hub. You would be better off buying an el-cheapo Chinese pseudo-managed switch.


Most importantly though, how is this more important than an SFP port on the high-end RBs (RB600/800/1000)?

I'm looking forward to hearing about any uses for this board...

Have to agree with "andreacoppini",

I'd prefer more Ports for RB 1000U, or the daughter board made to fit in a 1U casing, using interface / data cable.

RB 816 looks abit bulky to fit in any network server condition.
(While RB 1000u too empty inside the casing )

That's only my opinion..

I agree, this does look pretty useless.

Good for breaking an eternet into multi tennant links...

Good for breaking an eternet into multi tennant links...

that already exists, apparently they call it a 'L2 switch', it's a very rare species, obscure and unknown.

But you can limit by port, better monitering and control per tennant..

One less device to deal with, keep updates Etc...

Not a world changing device, but handy...

But you can limit by port, better monitering and control per tennant..

I did just that only a few weeks back.
Standard RB1000, uplinked into a Gig port on a cheap 'WebSmart' pseudo-L2 switch and defined a VLAN for each tenant. In MT, VLANs are standard interfaces, so there's nothing you can't do on a VLAN which you can on an internal Eth.

One less device to deal with, keep updates Etc...

...and tens (hundreds) of switch-chip/bridging bugs less to worry about.

Not a world changing device, but handy...

You're right on that... but 'handy' is not something to get excited about when there is a wikipage-ful of wanted features.

is very useful if you want to make a lanparty on the tower...you dont need to cary a switch.

is very useful if you want to make a lanparty on the tower...you dont need to cary a switch.

Classic eastern european sarcasm.

But you can limit by port, better monitering and control per tennant..

I did just that only a few weeks back.
Standard RB1000, uplinked into a Gig port on a cheap 'WebSmart' pseudo-L2 switch and defined a VLAN for each tenant. In MT, VLANs are standard interfaces, so there's nothing you can't do on a VLAN which you can on an internal Eth.

Wrong! I've a situation where my carrier gives me leased lines per vlan.
Carrier equipment and ROS are using different minimal vlan packet sizes.
(ROS uses smaller sizes when doing arp). Both interpretations are
standard conform but not compatible (MT interpretation is seldom).
Carrier equipment drops MT generated Arp-packets throwing packet
too small errors. So I ended up using one Ethernet port per leased line to the
switch an let the switch build the trunk to the carrier.

Hello all.
I have rb532A. Can I connect RB816 to my 532A??

Anybody have this board to make eventualy check it?

I think it can work but you need latest RouterOS and I am not sure about max. taffic speed.

I think it can work but you need latest RouterOS and I am not sure about max. taffic speed.

Thanks aaa for reply. Trafic speed is not so important to me.
Could You tell which rOS version support this board??
So I decided to buy it and test it with this config. I post some information about this in the future.

Has the case come out for this thing yet?

If so, anyone in North America carrying it?

--Chris

Do all of the ports on this show up as configurable interfaces on routerOS or is it just basically a switch?

Thanks,

Jason

I agree with some comments here - this set has really stupid size. Solution that many of us neer is 1U router like RB1000 with more ports.
Casing IS important, when you ar not using it for own usage, but placing it in customers rack! Many routerboards look like "home made" and not reliable for non-IT customers.

Inox.. xDDD

Do all of the ports on this show up as configurable interfaces on routerOS or is it just basically a switch?

Thanks,

Jason

I need to find out the answer for this question too. I have to serve a small office, with VoIP devices, and I need to enable QoS on the ports separately to assure that the VoIP connections will always have fixed bandwidth. Will I need a complete Layer3 switch, or I can configure the RB816's ports one by one?

thanks,

Peter

You can configure each port as separate port, also you have possibility to assign then to switch.