what gigabit switch for home network?

skanky

skanky

skanky

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im looking for a reliable, silent, fairly inexpensive (dont need to rackmount it or anything!!) gigabit switch for a home network in a new house.

i'll need a 5 port GbE switch as i have a server which will be stored in the basement and i'll then need to run a single long run of cat6 upstairs to an 8 port GbE switch which will extend the network to the bedrooms upstairs.

any suggestions?

whats the maximum length of cat6 i can use for running from the 5 port down in the basement to connect to the 8 port which will be located upstairs? just trying to figure out how to route the cable and how much i have to work with.

im thinking i should go this route instead of a single 16port GbE switch in the basement as i would need to run lots of longer length cables to the upstairs machines which would be a hassle having them tucked away as opposed to a single (maybe an extra one for backup) cable.

if i have "server" and "pc1" on the 5port and "pc2" on the 8port. is there any speed hit on pc2 as i have to go through both switches to get to the server whereas pc1 will be connected to the same switch, if that makes sense?
 
Save yourself the time and money, go for 5e instead of 6, buy one switch and locate it upstairs running one cable to the server in the basement. 100m is the limit for 5e normally. Netgear do both 5 and 8 port home switches that support Jumbo frames (GS605/8)
 
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I have the Netgear 5-port Gig switch running over Cat5e with no problems. No idea what model it is, but it's the one in the blue metal case. Installed in my loft and runs perfectly 24/7.
 
right cat5e it is then.

the reason i spec'd a 5 port in the basement with the server is that i'll have consoles/htpc down there which will need connectivity too.

also my adsl router will plug in via the 5port in the basement, mainly to get wireless to the wii.

if i wanted wireless upstairs (and i will), what would i need and how would it integrate with my adsl router downstairs broadcasting a wireless network. i want the same wireless network to be available throughout the house.
 
Pah! Give us half the facts why don't you ;)

Right, upstairs put in a central switch and wire face plates to each room if that's what you need, one of my regrets is not doing this fully when I moved in - even if you never use the cable having it run and a faceplate mounted up is still worth it. Next do your run to the basement and put a switch in, again face plate it up. Now depending on what the distance from upstairs to downstairs is and what's in the way you should be ok with an AP downstairs covering the whole house, if not netstumbler and survey the place - you may be able to move the AP/client to a more optimum location or you can a) buy another AP for upstairs or b) use a parabolic/ariel.
 
would it matter if my adsl router is connected to the upstairs or basement switch?

doh never thought of using faceplates :) was just going to do it ghetto style having the cables fed to each room then laying around. i obviously hadnt thought this through enough!!

if i get another AP for upstairs, can i just configure it with the same SSID as the downstairs one, will that work?
 
Ghetto is fine but it's not much more effort/expensive to feed cat5 under the floor and onto a faceplate on the wall/skirting. ADSL router would ideally be plugged into master socket using a high quality filter but tbh it's not going to make that much of a difference unless your line stats are poor.

All the AP's can have the same SSID, but any AP that is near another AP should be on a different channel (at least +/- 2 chans removal ideally) or you're going to find it impossible to roam.
 
Avalon said:
ADSL router would ideally be plugged into master socket using a high quality filter but tbh it's not going to make that much of a difference unless your line stats are poor.
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i understand that master socket is idea, but does it matter where i plug the cat5e cable from the adsl router to the gigabit network is what i was supposed to be asking.

i figure the adsl router (netgear dg834g) can also act as a 100mb switch if and where gigabit speeds arent needed.
 
Cat5e length should be under 100m. Yes the 834 series has 4x100mbit ports built in, while it doesn't matter what switch you plug the patch lead into from the router but if it was me i'd connect to the downstairsgb switch,then from that run a cable to the upstairs switch so both can communicate at gb speeds - don't plug them both into the 834 or the link between them will be limited to 100mbit with only the clients on the same switch able to communicate at 1000mbit. The remaining 3x100mbit on the 834 are perfect for consoles as they won't make use of anything near that. Also remember to enable Jumbo frames or you will see very little benefit.
 
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yeah, i was planning on having the gigabit infrastructure set up first and then to "simply" plug the router in to a port on one of the gigabit switches to supply internet access to the network.

that sound like i know what i supposed to be doing, correctly? :)

jumbo frames, wheres that setting, on the router?
 
Sounds spot on, Jumbo Frames is supported by all good gigabit switches and needs enabling on each NIC (you also have the mine field of trying to find NIC's that will support the same frame size). It's got nowt to do with your router though :)
 
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