connecting C3G124-48P switches

Have you configured the same vlan in switch 2 same as in switch 1

Have you passed all vlans in the interlink cable bettween switches I.e trunk cable

Do you care about vlanning, or would it be just the same if all ports were equal?  If you don't have any special VLAN needs (not using VOIP phone system for instance) then the simplest course of action would be to factory reset the switches, which I believe you can do by pressing a paper clip into the small reset button in the back next to the stacking ports. Try holding it in for greater than 10 seconds with the power applied. After that all ports should be equal which should allow you to do what you are trying to do.

We do want to implement VLAN's to help, at least, segregate "student" and "teacher" traffic in the very near future...

Ok, but for now you have no immediate need for those ports to have specific VLAN assignments correct?

The issue is that your ports appear to have settings on them that are unknown to you. Do you have any experience administering a switch?  You would need to login to its administrative console and set your ports to behave a certain way. Your ports you are using for uplink to the other switch I believe need to be assigned as trunk ports.

If you want to config later but have no immediate need / don't have the ability to alter the config then resetting it would be the quickest path to a working set of switches.

Tim... you are correct in that i don't have experience.

I've "reset" via the rear button to enable me to log into the switch.  I then, via a CLI command, reset the switch.

It appears that the switches, there are 4 of them, communicate if I wire each one to a hub (which kind of defeats the purpose of the switches I think).

So you think I need to make port 4 on switch 1 a truck port?  Same with port 3 on Switch 2?

All of them need to pass all VLANS. I believe that's considered a trunk port. Set all of them that you are using as uplink ports to other switches.  I'm surprised it's not working with just resetting them. Did to reset them all or just 1 of them?

I reset them all.  

They are not configured in such a way, I believe, that one of them is the switch manager...

Would you have to know the command to view/change the port configuration?

They would normally act as a unit if connected with the backplane connections.  The way you have them connected I doubt that one is acting as the master.  Most switches arrive out of the box with all ports passing all traffic, and in this configuration you would not be experiencing the issue you're describing.  With this particular switch, I'm sorry I don't have any specific knowledge of how to set them up, except to say that if you can successfully factory reset them all, and there's nothing wrong with any of them, or the cables, that you should achieve the desired result.

These were bought off of Ebay

Already configured I imagine.

How long did you hold the reset button in on each device?  I'd count to 30 on each one to be on the safe side.

Yes... exceeded 30.  Do you think I need to connect via a cross-over?

Yes... through CLI only.  Although Webview is enabled I cannot get it to work (I assume that webview was a webserver on the switch... much like working with a router).  They have IP addresses too.

Another thought...

Switch 1 connects to 2.  2 to 3 and 3 to 4 (via patch cables).

Should I connect 1 to 2, 1 to 3 and 1 to 4?

These are Enterasys SecureStack C3G124-48P switches.

Thank you for your help Tim... the dialog between us eventually lead to the answer.

Once in the switch, via CLI, I issued a "reset config" that set all the ports back to original settings... all is working great now.