LAN Speed Questions

Gangster

Gangster

Gangster

Soldato
Joined
30 Dec 2004
Posts
3,386
Location
London
Hey all

I've just got some 'slightly' n00b questions but I feel after a Google I'm getting nothing concrete, so was wondering anyone here knowledgeable can input some info.

My network is currently running from a WRT54G which I believe is 10/100, which is then run to two 10/100 switches and then the computers are attatched to the 10/100 switches. I am using Cat5 cable.

1) If I want to have Gigabit speeds across my internal network, I would need to change the router to a Gigabit one, along with the switches needing to be changed also wouldn't I? Can Cat5 handle Gigabit speeds with no problem?

2) If I decided to upgrade one section of the house (one switch) to Gigabit Switch and left my router and the other switch as it is... I assume that it means anything running off the new Gigabit switch will transfer at 'Gigabit' speeds and anything transferred from the new switch to a PC on the old switch would be at the lower 10/100 speeds (due to the old 10/100 switch).

3) If I were to leave the network setup as it is, and detatch one pc off it... connect a gigabit switch and then connect two pc's to the Gigabit switch - the transfer between the 2 pcs would be at Gigabit speeds?

4) If using the PCs (say the entire network has been upgraded) to transfer files, will it impact my internet performance? Say I am transferring 10GB of photos to another computer at relativley high speeds across the network, will that bottleneck the internet speed for the other PCs as its in use?


Thanks
 
1) No you wouldnt need to change the router, just the switches. Cat5e is fine for gigabit speeds.

2) Correct

3) Correct

4) No it will not bottleneck the Internet speed for the other PCs.
 
Great, thanks for your help!

I've got Cat5 not Cat5e wired around the house, so I assume it cannot do Gigabit speeds?

Also, if I only changed the switches and not the router, wouldn't the commnucation for file transfer go something like PC (Gigabit) > Switch (Gigabit) > Router (10/100) > Switch (Gigabit) > PC (Gigabit) and therefore slow down at the Router Stage to 10/100 speeds? I thought it would all need to be Gigabit to be a decent speed across the network?

Thanks
 
pepp77 said:
1) No you wouldnt need to change the router, just the switches. Cat5e is fine for gigabit speeds.

2) Correct

3) Correct

4) No it will not bottleneck the Internet speed for the other PCs.
Click to expand...

100% agree with this.

What speed internet do you have?

I found my WRT54GL could handle around 20mbit internet, that's about the top end for it.
 
Gangster said:
Great, thanks for your help!

I've got Cat5 not Cat5e wired around the house, so I assume it cannot do Gigabit speeds?

Also, if I only changed the switches and not the router, wouldn't the commnucation for file transfer go something like PC (Gigabit) > Switch (Gigabit) > Router (10/100) > Switch (Gigabit) > PC (Gigabit) and therefore slow down at the Router Stage to 10/100 speeds? I thought it would all need to be Gigabit to be a decent speed across the network?

Thanks
Click to expand...

There's a reasonable chance that the Cat5 will be okay but there's no way of knowing without trying it.

Connecting as described via the router would slow things down. Either add a Gigabit switch next to the router or replace it with a Gigabit capable one.
 
bledd. said:
100% agree with this.

What speed internet do you have?

I found my WRT54GL could handle around 20mbit internet, that's about the top end for it.
Click to expand...

At the moment Sky 20mb, however I will be upgrading to Fibre within a few months. Shame Sky don't offer Gigabit routers as standard!

bremen1874 said:
There's a reasonable chance that the Cat5 will be okay but there's no way of knowing without trying it.

Connecting as described via the router would slow things down. Either add a Gigabit switch next to the router or replace it with a Gigabit capable one.
Click to expand...

Ok, looks like I'll need a Gigabit router too and I'll give it a go with Cat5.

Thanks for the help people :)
 
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