Help me build a Top of the Line Setup

[coxhaus]

pfsense does not play well with a layer 3 switch or routing protocols. I ran it for over a year with a layer 3 switch. pfsense needs to be in control of the whole network so it is a limited player. It works OK for a small home network under these circumstances. So I would count out pfsense as being one of the best. I think Untangle could be added as it plays well with a big network.

The big thing with the RV345P router is you don't need to buy a large POE+ power switch. The RV345P has it built-in which saves the cost of the expensive POE+ powered switch so don't think of the RV345P as a $400 router but as a $400 router and POE+ powered switch. I guess you know POE+ is more expensive than POE power.

 

[Trip]

Fair enough re- pfSense. Untangle would be a solid substitute.

Re- the 345, while the included PoE could be accounted for as a savings versus including an L3 switch of higher port density, smaller options can be found (Adtran 1531P, Cisco SG350-10P) and discrete components are often more desirable (a dead router only kills WAN, switching scalability, etc.). At the end of the day, this is perhaps six-of-one, half-a-dozen and we're splitting hairs. But I still like discrete components if we're talking favored practices, so I'd roll a $200-300 Untangle box or ER-X or -4 and one of those switches, versus an RV345P. But to each their own.

 

[coxhaus]

I agree discrete components is the best way. I was just keeping the price down. I run discrete components. Since I came from working on a large network it makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Trip]

Indeed. A good debate on the matter. I hope @spiXel got some value out of it. I certainly did!

 

[spiXel]

Just an update for everyone who was kind enough to chime in and help me. I ended up getting everything for Black Friday for a good deal.

I ended up with:
-Netgear R7800 (159.99 + tax = 172.35)
-Eero 2nd gen (3 main units) (349.99 + tax = 377.11
-Cisco SG300-10MPP (279.99 no tax)
Grand total: 829.45

Thanks so much for all your help!

 

[CrystalLattice]

Looks like you specced out a great network!

 

[spiXel]

How should this network be set up?

I have the modem plugged into the router (wan port).

In port 1 of the router, It's plugged into the switch with all my ethernet jacks around my house.

In port 2 of the router, It's plugged into the eero in my network closet. Ports 3/4 of my router are empty.

I have one eero in my room thats plugged into the ethernet port, and the last eero is in my living room wireless.

As far as the software side of this all. I have the spectrum modem's wireless turned off. I have the eero set into bridge mode. And I have a 2.4g and 5g network I made on my router. Is this correct? Is there anything I should do differently?

On another note. I don't know what the switch can do or how to use it. Any advice or feedback on that?