+chorpeac MVC Posted January 11, 2012 MVC Share Posted January 11, 2012 I am trying to complete some networking for the home network. My rooms have Ethernet connections. I have all the lines going into a networking box in the garage, where the internet connection comes into the house from the outside. The Verison Fios Router/Internet Gateway has 4 ports that are 10/100 mbps. I would like to get the fastest connection possible between my devices within the rooms. If I connect all the Ethernet connections in the networking box to a gigabit switch, and then have one connection from the switch going to the Verizon Router, would that get all my rooms connecting at gigabit speeds? Or does all the routing still have to go through the Verizon Router, where it will be slowed down? I'm just trying to understand better how the switch and router communicate in this instance. Basically, I am trying to get gigabit speeds across all my devices. Here is a network diagram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc302 Veteran Posted January 11, 2012 Veteran Share Posted January 11, 2012 yes what you have is the proper way to do it. If laptop1 is trying to connect to pc1 then it won't hit the router for anything, it will be a direct connection through the switch. unrelated, the printer can barely talk at 100 speed. You can have it on wireless and it will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+LogicalApex MVC Posted January 11, 2012 MVC Share Posted January 11, 2012 Your graph is correct for what you are intending. The Gigabit Switch will give you the fastest possible link speed between devices. The connection to the actiontec router will be a bottleneck when devices access the internet, but that isn't something that can be changed under any scenario. Between devices you'll get Gigabit speeds, as you intend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chorpeac MVC Posted January 11, 2012 Author MVC Share Posted January 11, 2012 Ok so even though the router is giving the IP addresses, the switch still knows that when data is going from object A to object B to go the fastest way without router interaction. I had the printer on wireless, but it was always dropping connection. As soon as I added it as a hardwired connection it has been flawless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc302 Veteran Posted January 11, 2012 Veteran Share Posted January 11, 2012 yes, the switch knows what address and what mac is at which port. It is called an arp table, every basic switch has this information and how it knows how to route traffic. too bad on the wireless, my wireless sits in the same room as my printer and it never drops off. printing is as fast as if it were wired, but I only have 2 or 3 devices on the wireless at any given time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted January 11, 2012 MVC Share Posted January 11, 2012 Yup -- that would be the correct setup for gig on your local network. I agree with sc302, I doubt the printer even has a gig interface -- but sure things are always more stable wired. Printing should not be a problem over wireless, but if your having issue with it - then yeah a wire is better. Sure not really going to make a difference in printing speed if it was 100 vs 1000mbit, etc. Have you purchased this switch yet? What ones are you looking at, smart switches are becoming more and more popular in the home and price is very reasonable.. Which would allow you to do quite a bit more going forward if your wanting to play and learn about networking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan R. Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I don't know if it could have to do with your wireless printing issue but I'll add a few cents to the conversation. Some network printers, when you go through wizards or guides to install them, end up using a proprietary TCP/IP port for the printer. I find it enormously more reliable to do the whole process manually and assign a static IP to the printer, and use a standard TCP/IP port in the printer configuration that points to that IP. These ports that HP uses find the printer by NetBIOS name. Another potentially helpful idea is the type of wireless security you have in place. If it's an older printer, it may have difficulty with your wireless network's security (WPA2 namely). I have had that with some in the past so you may want to rule that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srbeen Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 If your internet is not over 100Mbit then the built in router is fine to bridge to the switch. I suggest a smart/green switch, those things are HARD on power!! I picked up a netgear on eBay, 24 port gigabit unmanaged switch, for around $200US a year ago. Just when the green switches were coming out. something else you may wish to look for is big packet/large frame support... thats if any of your devices support that. If your house is wired with 5/5e you won't get true internet speeds - 40-60MB/s between devices. Still a far cry above 10MB/s your limited to a on 100Mbit. and personally I would wire the printer if possible. Wireless printer just seems like a bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H. Veteran Posted January 11, 2012 Veteran Share Posted January 11, 2012 As others have said, looks good to me. (Y) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chorpeac MVC Posted January 11, 2012 Author MVC Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks for the input everyone. Yup -- that would be the correct setup for gig on your local network. I agree with sc302, I doubt the printer even has a gig interface -- but sure things are always more stable wired. Printing should not be a problem over wireless, but if your having issue with it - then yeah a wire is better. Sure not really going to make a difference in printing speed if it was 100 vs 1000mbit, etc. Have you purchased this switch yet? What ones are you looking at, smart switches are becoming more and more popular in the home and price is very reasonable.. Which would allow you to do quite a bit more going forward if your wanting to play and learn about networking. Right right, the Canon Pixma mx870 just says Ethernet port, but I would hope it is at least 100mbps. I have not purchased the switch yet, because I wanted to make sure the solution was right first. I have had my eye on the D-Link DGS-1008G Gigabit Desktop Switch and the TRENDnet TEG-S80G Switch. I just need it to fit within the networking box in the garage. The eight ports should be enough for me. I haven't looked into the smart ones though, just the unmanaged. I don't know if it could have to do with your wireless printing issue but I'll add a few cents to the conversation. Some network printers, when you go through wizards or guides to install them, end up using a proprietary TCP/IP port for the printer. I find it enormously more reliable to do the whole process manually and assign a static IP to the printer, and use a standard TCP/IP port in the printer configuration that points to that IP. These ports that HP uses find the printer by NetBIOS name. Another potentially helpful idea is the type of wireless security you have in place. If it's an older printer, it may have difficulty with your wireless network's security (WPA2 namely). I have had that with some in the past so you may want to rule that out. Yeah the software is ridiculous. I believe the wireless security never fame me a problem. It would always connect to the network after I set the security up, but the computer to printer connection would drop after a day or two of not being used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chorpeac MVC Posted January 11, 2012 Author MVC Share Posted January 11, 2012 Here is an updated and more accurate diagram. Three floor townhouse, so lots of connection... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted January 11, 2012 MVC Share Posted January 11, 2012 "something else you may wish to look for is big packet/large frame support... thats if any of your devices support that." Problem is most of his devices from that diagram would not, and even if they did do they provide the same frame size? I highly doubt the wii and 360 do, so then we go just his nas and wired computer that could make use of them when they are talking to each other. Other than that he is going to have issues. Just have not really seen a point of jumbo frames in a home network, it way more trouble than its worth that is for damn sure. But sure if something he wanted to toy around with - then yeah a switch that supports it would be a must. Which if wanting to play with that sort of thing I would highly suggest a smart switch over dumb unmanaged one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts