Using a gigabit switch

[Guest]

So, I've been disapointed with my 100mbit home network speed for a while and haven't been able to afford a gigabit router.

It's just come to my attention that gigabit switches exist though, and how cheap they are

So, whats the setup? Cable from the router to the switch and then from the switch to my PCs?

[FiB3R]

Yep, the switch will have a dedicated port for the router/modem, and the rest of the ports are for pc's, consoles, other switches. Think you'll want cat5e cable if you are not using that already.

[PsyOpWarlord]

How many ports are you needing on the switch? You can find them for under $30 for a basic gigabit switch.

I recently ordered this 8 port for $29.99

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16833320047

This 5 port has some really good reviews and is $19.99

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16833156250

EDIT: Odd it showed one price during the search but after you click on it it had a different price.

[Guest]

Only 3 computers, I found a super cheap one on eBuyer that seems to do the job:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/225791

Not sure if this one is better though:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132466

I wish that sort of stuff was so cheap over here in the UK, I'm looking at about 35 quid for the same Asus Switch here.

[John.D]

Yup I'm using a GB switch here. Just plugged the cable from the nic on this into it. And connected the other PC into another port, on the switch (since both have GB nics). And connected a short cable (1-1.5m), from the switch to the router (so both of us get on the net).

[Guest]

One of my cables is CAT5e for sure because it's printed right on it. Not sure about the other one though, it just seems to say 'catagory 5' with a bunch of numbers...

[ThePhoenix]

The only difference seems to be that the second one is Metal as opposed to plastic, personal choice really, both support the same specs and both are 5 Port Gigabit Switches.

Up to you which one you get m8, either would be fine.

As for the cabling Cat 5 will not support it as it 10/100 Cabling only, Cat 5e is just the more updated standard which includes GigaBit, with Cat 6 being the newest stuff. See the below info:

The Original Cat 5 Cable

An old standard in the industry, Cat 5 cable is able to perform up to 100MHz and is still widely used for a variety of applications, although most new installations will use Cat 5e or higher.

Able to support 10/100 Ethernet and fast Ethernet, Cat 5 cable is upwardly compatible with the Cat 5e version. However, do keep in mind that your network connections will only be as fast and reliable as its slowest component, not its fastest, unless, of course, they are all equal in this area.

The Improved Cat 5e Cable

With improved durability over Cat 5, the protective outer covering of Cat 5e cable is thicker and therefore more suitable and reliable for more situations than its earlier counterpart. There are several other differences between this version and its predecessor including its backwards compatibility, as it will work along with either 10BaseT or 100Base T networking hubs and cards. There is also less cross talk or electronic interference with Cat 5e as opposed to Cat 5 cable thanks to improved signal capabilities.

In terms of bandwidth, Cat 5e supports gigabit Ethernet connections of up to 350MHz, more than trebling the 100MHz of a Cat 5 cable.

Remember that Cat 5e cable is not rated for use outdoors, although many people do without incident. If you must use this cable outside, add a conduit such as one made from PVC to keep moisture away. The safe operating temperature for Cat 5e cable is anywhere from 10 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius.

Also, with this particular category cable, 100 meters is the maximum length you will be able to use the cable without the benefit of either a network bridge, hub, or amplification to strengthen the signal.

As a general rule of thumb, if you are ever unsure as to which type you should purchase either Cat 5 or Cat 5e, opt for the latter choice because of its backwards compatibility and overall performance improvements.

The Newer Cat 6 Cable

Certified and designed specifically for gigabit use, Cat 6 cable reduces cross talk even more than its predecessors by improving upon the original Cat 5 version with wires featuring extra twists.

The use of Cat 6 cable does not guarantee that the network will be a full gigabit network, for this to be achieved each and every one of the components must be gigabit certified. Unless your network meets this criteria, opt for Cat 5e which will provide high quality speeds while saving money in the process.

Jamie

[John.D]

Cat5 should be OK, but I've read depending on the distance between the PC's you wont get the max speed. Unless you use Cat6

[ThePhoenix]

Just to clarify, Cat 5 is technically capable of doing Gigabit speed, but only over short distances and it will be unreliable. This is because it's not spec'd to take it, gigabit ethernet was not around with Cat5 which was the point of the new 5e standard.

[Guest]

Well, the standard cat5 cable is about 12m long I think. Not sure if that meets the requirement of short or not. Also, I guess its not too much just to get an extra cable but every saving helps :)

Thanks for all this info btw, its a great primer about this stuff that I usually don't pay much attention to :D

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

The categories just specify the minimum supported speed the cable is capable of handling, it might be rated at only 100Mbps, but might be easily capable of doing 1Gbps if the cable is built well.

It won't hurt to use Cat5e/Cat6 stuff though, it's fairly cheap (I got 5e cables years ago for like $10)

[sc302 Veteran]

Just pick up some cat 6 cables. they are cheap too.

here is a 5m cat6 just for example

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Max-Value-Shielded-Patch-Snagless/dp/B003UES4IS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1291038724&sr=8-3

[Nagisan]

Yep, the switch will have a dedicated port for the router/modem, and the rest of the ports are for pc's, consoles, other switches. Think you'll want cat5e cable if you are not using that already.

I might be misunderstanding the way you worded that, but to clarify, you can plug the cable from the router/modem into ANY port on the switch (with most standard switches, at least), then the left over ports go to your PCs or another switch if need be.

[+BudMan MVC]

Again with the Cat 6 and 5e..??

"Cat 5 will not support it as it 10/100 Cabling only"

Nonsense --- the 1000Base-T clearly states that CAT 5 can be used.. The whole point was to be able to run gig over existing cabling..

This thread has been going on an on about it..

https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/956354-help-with-gigabit-network-cabling/

Here direct from the 803.11ab standard summary.

UTP CAT5 cable was chosen because it represents the majority of all existing horizontally installed UTP cable. The designation for this physical layer interface is 1000BASE-T. It supports distances up to 100 meters.

And before someone chimes in that is good for only short distances again - I highlighted where it states up to 100 meters ;)

And here

http://ieeexplore.ie...arnumber=798775

Physical Layer Parameters and Specifications for 1000 Mb/s Operation Over 4-Pair of Category 5 Balanced Copper Cabling, Type 1000BASE-T

[sc302 Veteran]

I just took a 5ft cat 5 cable and plugged into my gig blade and my 10/100 blade in my 6509. Windows is telling me that it is connected at 10Mb/s. Lol....either windows is very wrong, the 3 patch cables that I tried are of bad quality or that the cat 5 cable can't handle squat. Again 3 cables 3ft of different brand, connecting at a whopping 10Mb/s to a cisco backbone switch. Priceless. If I had my flip I would record it. Cat5e of same length connects at 100 and 1000Mb/s respectively according to windows. Must be the switch because Cat 5 can support 1GB up to 100 feet, it can't be the pos cat5 cable.

[ThePhoenix]

Exactly my point as I clarified in my post which you chose not to highlight. Cat 5 is TECHNICALLY capable of gigabit speed but is not actually officially spec'd to handle it. If you want to get Gig speeds for certain then go for either Cat5e or Cat 6, as with normal Cat 5 you would need a really good quality cable to get the speeds, and even then they will be unstable and inconsistent.

[Nagisan]

Exactly my point as I clarified in my post which you chose not to highlight. Cat 5 is TECHNICALLY capable of gigabit speed but is not actually officially spec'd to handle it. If you want to get Gig speeds for certain then go for either Cat5e or Cat 6, as with normal Cat 5 you would need a really good quality cable to get the speeds, and even then they will be unstable and inconsistent.

Re-read BudMan's post, he specifically points out and proves that Cat5 is the minimum specification for gig ethernet speeds, not cat5e or higher....

Not only is cat 5 technically capable of gigabit speeds, it is also the minimum specification for gigabit speeds.

[sc302 Veteran]

Re-read BudMan's post, he specifically points out and proves that Cat5 is the minimum specification for gig ethernet speeds, not cat5e or higher....

Not only is cat 5 technically capable of gigabit speeds, it is also the minimum specification for gigabit speeds.

read my post under budmans. physical connections, not theory or what someone says. man I wish I had my flip. camera on bb is too crappy, category ranking is too crappy on the cable. stupid crappy phone camera.

[Dan~]

I recently upgraded my LAN at home from 100 to 1000.

Bought a gigabit switch and 305m of cat6 and loving it so far.

[Nagisan]

read my post under budmans. physical connections, not theory or what someone says. man I wish I had my flip.

Already read your post, Cat5 can handle 100x more than 10Mb/s, the issue is not with the cable unless you have really horrible quality cables.

EDIT: I just checked my own network, running Cat 5 cables that have been installed for probably 8 years or so, I get gigabit speeds both in what Windows reports and actual testing of raw network speeds.

[sc302 Veteran]

Already read your post, Cat5 can handle 100x more than 10Mb/s, the issue is not with the cable unless you have really horrible quality cables.

So the issue is with the 6509 switch, thats rich.

Just so you have an idea of what kind of switch I am talking about.

http://www.shopricom.com/items/www.shopricom.com/photos/Imagei455aw1WD7_full.jpg

[De.Bug]

I'm just wondering here, how much does it cost a month to get gigabit internet speeds? Also what hardware do you need and how much does it cost?

[Nagisan]

So the issue is with the 6509 switch, thats rich.

Just so you have an idea of what kind of switch I am talking about.

http://www.shopricom.com/items/www.shopricom.com/photos/Imagei455aw1WD7_full.jpg

I never said the switch was the issue, I only said the cable is not the issue assuming they meet the proper specifications. On my own network, I am running cat 5 cables (not cat 5e) and am getting gigabit speeds without an issue, most of the cables are 50 foot cables as well....one of them in fact is 100 foot and it goes through two 50 foot cables connected through a small inline coupler. The coupler itself is only rated at 100Mbit (more specifically it's only rated for cat 5 specifications) but I STILL get gigabit speeds on that system to any other system on my network.

I'm just wondering here, how much does it cost a month to get gigabit internet speeds? Also what hardware do you need and how much does it cost?

It depends on where you live, in the US, I do not think there are any gigabit speed ISPs (there might be, but I am unaware of them). Most of what people use gigabit ethernet for is transferring on their local network, from one computer to another. To do so, you need gigabit network cards on both computers (pretty common on motherboards now, much less common on older systems), and everything between the computers need to be gigabit (if you go modem -> router -> switch -> computers then only the switch needs to be gigabit to transfer between other computers on the switch at gigabit speeds, if you transfer to the router or above, then the router also needs to be gigabit compatible).

[sc302 Veteran]

I never said the switch was the issue, I only said the cable is not the issue assuming they meet the proper specifications. On my own network, I am running cat 5 cables (not cat 5e) and am getting gigabit speeds without an issue, most of the cables are 50 foot cables as well.

so if it isn't the switch and it isn't the cable so long as they meet the proper specs then what is it? is it the magic jelly bean between the switch and the cable or maybe it is the windows computer or drivers that don't like the cable/the switch it is plugged into.

I have had 10/100 speeds on a cat5, but I have never seen gig speeds. Kind of funny actually that I plug in the crappy cat5 cables and get crap, and the same results out of 3 of them. It is like the computer knows I am attaching crap to it and it doesn't want to get the right speeds, but when I plug in cat5e it gets the right speeds.

[De.Bug]

It depends on where you live, in the US, I do not think there are any gigabit speed ISPs (there might be, but I am unaware of them). Most of what people use gigabit ethernet for is transferring on their local network, from one computer to another. To do so, you need gigabit network cards on both computers (pretty common on motherboards now, much less common on older systems), and everything between the computers need to be gigabit (if you go modem -> router -> switch -> computers then only the switch needs to be gigabit to transfer between other computers on the switch at gigabit speeds, if you transfer to the router or above, then the router also needs to be gigabit compatible).

Ahh ok. Maybe they'll get gigabit speeds soon, that would be awesome.