| Author |
Message |
Shannon
Guest
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 Posted:
Sat Aug 27, 2005 4:20 pm Post subject:
Router or Switch? |
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I want to (hardwire) network 7 pcs to share a cable modem in my home. I
already have a 4 port router and a 4 port switch. Both are 10/100 Mbps.
Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one time.
Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on the internet.
Does it make a difference if I connect the switch to the router to feed 3
of the pcs, or should I buy another router to feed these last 3 pcs?
Shannon |
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Bit Twister
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Aug 27, 2005 4:20 pm Post subject:
Re: Router or Switch? |
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On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 10:36:43 -0500, Shannon wrote:
| Quote: | I want to (hardwire) network 7 pcs to share a cable modem in my home. I
already have a 4 port router and a 4 port switch. Both are 10/100 Mbps.
Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one time.
Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on the internet.
|
Which indicates you're bottlen ecked at the modem at 4 or 6 Mbps. :(
| Quote: | Does it make a difference if I connect the switch to the router to feed 3
of the pcs, or should I buy another router to feed these last 3 pcs?
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Put the least used pcs on the switch and connect it to the router.
Everyone will still be still be throttled down at the modem. |
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Warren
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:38 pm Post subject:
Re: Router or Switch? |
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Shannon wrote:
| Quote: | I want to (hardwire) network 7 pcs to share a cable modem in my home. I
already have a 4 port router and a 4 port switch. Both are 10/100 Mbps.
Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one time.
Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on the internet.
Does it make a difference if I connect the switch to the router to feed 3
of the pcs, or should I buy another router to feed these last 3 pcs?
|
Most of the home routers, whether they have one, four or eight ports, can
handle up to 255 devices connected to them. The four or eight ports on the
router are actually on a switch that's in the same case as the router.
Buying another router to connect to your router adds a additional, unneeded
complexity to your LAN. You *could* do it that way. It would isolate the
computers coming off the second router from your LAN unless you configure
the second router to act like a switch. (Of course that would raise the
question as to why bother with a router if you're going to configure it to
just act as a switch anyway?)
Or you could replace your 4 port router (actually a router with a built-in 4
port switch) with an 8 port router (actually a router with a built-in 8 port
switch). But the only things you would accomplish by this would be you'd
only have one power supply, and one case sitting on your desk. But you also
loose a little flexibility. For example, if the computers are located in two
clusters, with a separate router and switch you could run a single cable
from one cluster to the other cluster. With a single 8 port router, you
might have multiple cables running parallel to each other from that single
router.
In general, I'd say that it's usually preferred to use both the router and
the switch than it is to buy a new router.
--
Warren H.
==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Have an outdoor project? Get a Black & Decker power tool::
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/blackanddecker/ |
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James Knott
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:44 pm Post subject:
Re: Router or Switch? |
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Shannon wrote:
| Quote: | I want to (hardwire) network 7 pcs to share a cable modem in my home. I
already have a 4 port router and a 4 port switch. Both are 10/100 Mbps.
Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one time.
Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on the internet.
Does it make a difference if I connect the switch to the router to feed 3
of the pcs, or should I buy another router to feed these last 3 pcs?
|
You can use a switch or hub to expand the capacity of the firewall/router.
Most, by default, can support up to 254 computers, even though they
typically have only four Ethernet connectors. |
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Shannon
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Aug 27, 2005 11:38 pm Post subject:
Re: Router or Switch? |
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"Warren" <wholzem@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:P_udnZ0wL-OdCo3eRVn-sA@comcast.com:
| Quote: | Shannon wrote:
I want to (hardwire) network 7 pcs to share a cable modem in my home.
I
already have a 4 port router and a 4 port switch. Both are 10/100
Mbps.
Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one
time. Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on
the internet.
Does it make a difference if I connect the switch to the router to
feed 3 of the pcs, or should I buy another router to feed these last
3 pcs?
Most of the home routers, whether they have one, four or eight ports,
can handle up to 255 devices connected to them. The four or eight
ports on the router are actually on a switch that's in the same case
as the router.
|
Yes.
| Quote: |
Buying another router to connect to your router adds a additional,
unneeded complexity to your LAN. You *could* do it that way. It would
isolate the computers coming off the second router from your LAN
unless you configure the second router to act like a switch. (Of
course that would raise the question as to why bother with a router if
you're going to configure it to just act as a switch anyway?)
|
Those were my thoughts. I knew this would complicate the setup, and
isolate the pcs on this branch, but I didn't know if there was some
positive tradeoff.
| Quote: |
Or you could replace your 4 port router (actually a router with a
built-in 4 port switch)
|
Yes.
with an 8 port router (actually a router with
| Quote: | a built-in 8 port switch). But the only things you would accomplish by
this would be you'd only have one power supply, and one case sitting
on your desk. But you also loose a little flexibility.
|
Currently, I have 3 ethernet lines going from the 4 port router through
the walls to the pcs on the first floor, and one line going through the
walls to the 2st floor of the house. This is the line I'd connnect a
switch to, instead of getting an 8-port router and pulling three more
line through the walls.
For example, if
| Quote: | the computers are located in two clusters, with a separate router and
switch you could run a single cable from one cluster to the other
cluster. With a single 8 port router, you might have multiple cables
running parallel to each other from that single router.
In general, I'd say that it's usually preferred to use both the router
and the switch than it is to buy a new router.
|
Yes, I think this is what I'll do.
Thank you,
Shannon
> |
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Ron Hunter
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Aug 28, 2005 1:53 pm Post subject:
Re: Router or Switch? |
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Shannon wrote:
| Quote: | I want to (hardwire) network 7 pcs to share a cable modem in my home. I
already have a 4 port router and a 4 port switch. Both are 10/100 Mbps.
Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one time.
Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on the internet.
Does it make a difference if I connect the switch to the router to feed 3
of the pcs, or should I buy another router to feed these last 3 pcs?
Shannon
The switch will do. |
--
Ron Hunter rphunter@charter.net |
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Lucas Tam
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:53 am Post subject:
Re: Router or Switch? |
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Bit Twister <BitTwister@mouse-potato.com> wrote in
news:slrndh12l7.135.BitTwister@wb.home.invalid:
| Quote: | Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one
time. Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on
the internet.
Which indicates you're bottlen ecked at the modem at 4 or 6 Mbps. :(
|
Yes, but 4 - 6 mbps is plenty of bandwidth for a small workgroup.
--
Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
Horrible experience at Newmarket Volvo:
http://newmarketvolvo.tripod.com |
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Ron Hunter
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:20 am Post subject:
Re: Router or Switch? |
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Lucas Tam wrote:
| Quote: | Bit Twister <BitTwister@mouse-potato.com> wrote in
news:slrndh12l7.135.BitTwister@wb.home.invalid:
Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one
time. Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on
the internet.
Which indicates you're bottlen ecked at the modem at 4 or 6 Mbps. :(
Yes, but 4 - 6 mbps is plenty of bandwidth for a small workgroup.
True. Unless two or more try to download files at the same time, |
probably no one will see a noticeable slowdown. I have 3 computers on
one 3mbps line and never notice a slowdown with normal browsing/mail use.
--
Ron Hunter rphunter@charter.net |
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