Gigabit Switch + Router?

JonnyC

JonnyC

JonnyC

Associate
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
37
Hi

Im looking to upgrade my home network to gigabit with the arrival of 3 PS3's acting as media centers.

I will be hardwiring the 3 PS3's, media server and a couple of desktops using Cat6 but still want to retain a wireless network for laptops etc. Originally i was looking at the Netgear Range Max Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router, however, it struck me that i am going to require more than 4 ports.

Finding a relativily cost effective 8 port gigabit lan / wireless router is not easy so i am now opting for a typical Wireless N router and having a 8 port Netgear GS108 gigabit switch plugged into the router.

My question is this, if the hardwired devices plugged into the switch all obtain their IP from the DHCP on the wireless router, does that mean any traffic sent from one device on the gigabit switch to another will have to go through the switch first then onto the router and back out? If so i assume my network would not be full 10/100/1000?

I am hoping that a switch does not work in this manner and if a file is been sent from a device on the switch to another, the data just travels through and leave the router out of the equation?

Sorry if this is all a little confusing! Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
 
That's correct, devices connected to the switch will communicate directly with each other via the switch, they wont go through the router.

Even if you had say a NAS connected to one of the GigE ports on the router it sill won't make a difference as the packets are still just beings switched not routed so you shouldn't see any real performance issues, and the connection between the switch and router is GigE anyway.

Hope that makes sense :)
 
DHCP only gives out the settings to the computers that request them, so this only happens on startup usually when the pc needs an ip address.

any other time, the DHCP server wont be used.

internal traffic simple goes direct from computer to computer, and doesn't need to go via the router
 
As said, pretty much everyone runs gigabit through a switch and then the router handles the wireless. (At least, I have firewall router + wireless access point + switch)

Its the most cost effective solution!
 
If your router has a switch built in, which most do, there's no need for a separate switch. However, decent gigabit routers are expensive, so it's cheaper to buy a gigabit switch.
 
But offloading the switching to a dedicated switch is also good. Plus many people have more than x4 devices to connect :p
 
Khaaan! said:
But offloading the switching to a dedicated switch is also good. Plus many people have more than x4 devices to connect :p
Click to expand...
Definitely, I enquired about a combined router and gigabit switch in here a few weeks ago and was advised to go for a separate switch.

Now the happy owner of a NETGEAR GS108 :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom