Router suggestions

[tazmonger99]

Hi All!

Great site!

I recently have remodeled our basement and have wired with cat 6 cable throughout. My question is what router would best suit my needs. I want to setup a network for the cat 6 ports I have (5) installed and I also will be installing a few more ports upstairs for cat 6 as well. I also have a need for wireless connection for laptops. Currently I want to have my hd/dvr's (3) and xbox 360 wired to the network. I also want to add a simple NAS to the network as well to share music, photos and video on with all devices. How hard are the ethernet switches I have seen to install? Currently I have a linksys WR54TG router but I have been told that upgrading to a gigabit router would be a wise idea.

Wow, that sounds very confusing. Any help or suggestions are welcome!

thanks
kevin

 

[jam3ohio]

Cat6 Network: What Router?

Like you, I recently installed a Cat 6 network (17 ports in use on the switch). I connected all jacks to a 24 port smart gigabit switch to handle the gigabit traffic. I have the exact same router as you connected to my cable modem and to the switch. In my setup, since all of the gigabit traffic is confined to the switch, I have not seen performance issues from the switch built into that router. The wireless performance is a bit slow, but that is for another time!

Since you need at least 5 ports, I'd look at an 8 or 16 port gigabit switch. As long as no gigabit traffic is being serviced by the router (i.e., all the clients are hooked to the switch), the router being 10/100 should not matter. As long as the wireless coverage and performance is workable, I'd leave well enough alone with your current router.

If you run out of ports on the switch and need to use the router's switch, then having 10/100 only on the router might cause you some issues. Of course, you could add another switch or upgrade the router then.

As far as installing the switch, they are pretty easy to handle. If you can handle setting up a router and know how to set static addressing, you should be fine.

 

[thiggins]

jam3ohio's advice is spot on. Use a Gigabit switch. The only advantage a "Gigabit" router has over one with 10/100 ports is the convenience of having the Gigabit switch in the router.

The downside is that Gigabit switches run hotter and can cause routers to be flaky if they are not properly thermally designed.

The router doesn't run at Gigabit speed anyway since your Internet connection isn't that fast.

 

[tazmonger99]

Thanks! I think I will go the switch route instead of buying a new router at this point. One last question, if I buy an 8 port switch and in the future I need to expand again. Can I purchase a second 8 port switch and plug it in to the router (or should it be plugged into the first switch?) and it will still communicate with everything that is plugged into the first switch?

 

[thiggins]

Yes, you can add another switch. I'd plug it into the router instead of the second switch, but you can do it either way.

And everything will be on the same subnet, yes.

 

[gimper48]

On a side note. If you feel at some point you will need 16 ports then buy them now. The reason is simple. If all your connnections reside on the same switch it will be much faster than if you have a router inbetween. If you do it the way that was suggested earlier then all the traffic between your two 8 port gig e switches will be 10/100 speed (and actually slower due to the router processing the request). So I would suggest overbuy the number of ports you think you need. Say you think ehh I only need 7 ports right now. OK buy at least a 16 port switch. Machines connected to the same swith are going to have MUCH better throughput than switches separated by any other device.