# On-off switch for Ethernet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2012, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249 "2012-01-03T11:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/21 "2012-01-03T19:11:50Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > I have an Ethernet socket that is on the outside of my shop for connecting a network printer. I am concerned that somebody could bring a laptop and connect to that socket, then he will have access to my network. > > So I am looking for a simple on/off switch that will easily disconect this run of cable from the switch. To satisfy my curiosity, why do you need a printer outside your shop? My personal feeling is that any manually operated switch system you set up is not going to be sufficiently secure because someone is going to forget to flick the switch some significant percentage of the time. But – a couple of ideas. Probably the cheapest is a physical lockout on your port. Something like [this](http://www.ampnetconnect.com/product_groups.asp?grp_id=2432&path=0,1687,2431), for example. I don’t know how robust that would be in the face of a determined hacker The other possibility that comes to mind is to use a Wifi-enabled printer with a strong password on the Wifi. Quite a bit more expensive that a simple switch, but it avoids the potential human-error problem of failing to lock/turn off the connector every evening. ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/22 "2012-01-03T19:13:34Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > No, I meant a [mechanical toggle 4-pole switch](http://rocky.digikey.com/weblib/ITT%20Cannon/Web%20photos/TOGGLE%20SWITCH%204PDT%20TO61-1385.jpg). I could put two of them side by side on a hobby box and connect their levers with some heat shrink tubing so they are actuated simultaneously, along with a couple of cat5e sockets and make my very own switchbox. Or, as I posted twice, you can [buy one](http://www.amazon.com/Modular-Switch-Box-RJ45-8x8/dp/B000AAJCA4). It’ll probably be cheaper than two 4PST swiches and cat5 sockets. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/23 "2012-01-03T19:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=Dog80] No, I meant a mechanical toggle 4-pole switch. I could put two of them side by side on a hobby box and connect their levers with some heat shrink tubing so they are actuated simultaneously, along with a couple of cat5e sockets and make my very own switchbox. [/QUOTE] :eek: EeeGods! But why would you want too? Sure, you could do it. You could also create Rube Goldburge-esque type machine to flip your switch for you as well, but it would be nearly as silly. If you don’t want your outdoor connection to be hot then just unplug the thing…this would be essentially the same as putting it on a switch box but would have the added benefit that it wouldn’t cost you anything and no network engineers like me would look at you funny for cobbling together such a lashup as you are proposing. Simple as that. If you want more complexity for complexity sake then program your switch with MAC layer filtering and/or set up some access rules…that way only your printer could use the port (and you could use access rules and port security so that only print jobs would be able to traverse the connection). Anything else plugged in wouldn’t have access. Or, if you really have to do it old school, take Lazlo’s advice and just buy an old school A/B type switch. Network guys would still look at you oddly, but they would just think you were into old school stuff and probably at least pity you and perhaps give you some modern text books on networking in the hopes of bringing you out of the stone age. 😉 -XT ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/24 "2012-01-03T20:43:14Z")
I third the idea of getting a cheap ([$10](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833130067)) 4 or 5 port switch, plug the cable from your main switch into it, and then the cable to your external jack into it. Then power cycle the new 4/5 port ethernet switch to control the the external jack. This has the advantage that you can use a lamp timer to control when the external jack is on and off, and your non-tech savvy employees won’t even have to mess with it. The elegant solution is to use a managed switch where the ethernet port can be scheduled to turn on and off, or can be bound to a single MAC address, but for price of a cheap ethernet switch, a patch cord, and a timer or power strip, I don’t think it’s worth messing with any kind of hacked solution. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/25 "2012-01-03T22:31:08Z")
I’ll go with a separat switch idea. you can just get a cheap home router, and disable DHCP. then as long as everything is plugged into the LAN ports (not the WAN!!) it becomes a switch. CHeap cheap cheap… You don’t need 1GB for a printer… Even cheaper, is to go to Office Depot or whatever and get a contrasting colour patch cable. Then tell people, “When you need that printer port, plug the RED cable into number 21 on the CISCO(?) box, where I have the sticky note with the arrow pointing; unplug when done”. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/26 "2012-01-03T22:34:56Z")
I’ll 4th the idea and also suggest plugging it into a [mechanical timer](http://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-T00448-2-Outlet-Indoor-Mechanical/dp/B0039UT73Y) to turn it on and off to make it reasonably idiot proof. ---
**Author:** ![TORNADO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@TORNADO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TORNADO)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/27 "2012-07-03T19:49:30Z")
This is for both dog80 and xt. I know what you need and i working on a physical switch to solve your problem since i am concerned about the same thing. Xt, he is looking for a simple switch which will work extaxtly like a light switch. It needs 8 connections to be compatible with a four pair ethernet cable, which will break the circuit like an ethernet coulper being unplugged. It will be a simple on/off rocker switch. Tornado ---
**Author:** ![TORNADO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@TORNADO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TORNADO)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/28 "2012-07-03T19:57:57Z")
POSTED BY PROGRAMMER: I’ll 4th the idea and also suggest plugging it into a mechanical timer to turn it on and off to make it reasonably idiot proof. I LIKE THE MECHANICAL TIMER IDEA, BUT MY EMPLOYEES ARE IDIOTS, SO I STILL NEED THE MECHANICAL SWITCH. AND WHERE COULD I GET A TIMER ANYWAY? TORNADO ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/29 "2012-07-03T20:06:38Z")
The switch and mechanical timer is the way to go. Probably a $20-30 solution. Once you set it up you won’t have to do anything. The idiot employees won’t have to touch anything either. The port will automatically start working in the morning and shutoff at night. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249/30 "2012-07-03T20:12:41Z")
To me this is trying to solve a problem with your buggy whip by tie wrapping some cable from your manual switch system to a rotary dialing mechanism. 😛 Good grief, do none of you people have a switch that you can http into and set a scheduler?? Oh well…it will be a funny anecdote for someone at some point who sees the manual switching lash up and gets to ask what it’s for (perhaps you could tie it in to your lawn sprinkler system as well, just for the fun of it…and maybe have it turn on your coffee pot too). -XT [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-off-switch-for-ethernet/608249.md?page=1)