Home network set-up question

hornblower

I am wiring a house at present with plasterers expected within 2 weeks. I have a BT broadband Voyager ADSL 2110 wireless router which I will use for casual laptop use. However, I am running two cat6 cables to each of three bedrooms and the living room, one for computer and the other for internet television or whatever. I also need 3 desktop computers to use the same networked printer.

Can anyone tell me what hardware I need? Should the modem be upgraded? An ethernet hub or switch (gigabit)? Do I run an ethernet connection from the modem to the hub/swith and connect each room to that?

I have researched this to a degree and the more I read, the more confused that I get? A plain talk answer would be really appreciated.

Many thanks.

Spear

There's four LAN ports on the router, aren't they enough, or do you need more than that?

hornblower

Yes, I need 8 ports, 2 for each of three bedrooms and 2 for the living room. I'm guessing that internet TV will be a standard before too long and I'm hoping to be future proof.

Spear

hornblower wrote: »

Yes, I need 8 ports, 2 for each of three bedrooms and 2 for the living room. I'm guessing that internet TV will be a standard before too long and I'm hoping to be future proof.

Then a 100meg switch will do then and should be fairly cheap. Connect it through it's uplink port to the router and that should be it.

user1842

Stick the router in the attic and run your Cat6 cables and phone line to it. If the router has 4 ethernet ports then that should be enough.

Note that if you want a Gigabit network in your house via your Cat6 cables you will either need to upgrade your router or buy a gigabit switch and connect your router to it.

hornblower

I've decided to go with a gigabit switch (again for future-proofing) and thats why I'm using Cat6 cable. But in short, all I need is the ethernet switch box?

Many thanks for the prompt replies.

user1842

hornblower wrote: »

Yes, I need 8 ports, 2 for each of three bedrooms and 2 for the living room. I'm guessing that internet TV will be a standard before too long and I'm hoping to be future proof.

Why do you need two ports for each bedroom. Surely one per bedroom is fine?

user1842

hornblower wrote: »

I've decided to go with a gigabit switch (again for future-proofing) and thats why I'm using Cat6 cable. But in short, all I need is the ethernet switch box?

Many thanks for the prompt replies.

This switch is very good:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Netgear-GS108-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B0000E5SES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302104771&sr=8-1

Might be able to get it cheaper on ebay or adverts.ie

Just plug your router into one of the ports on the switch and that should be it.

vibe666

dixons in the UK have that netgear router for £35 if you know someone in the UK that could get it for you?

there's several more local options though if you're on a budget?

http://www.elara.ie/products/switches.asp?srch=gigabit&searchBtn=Search&offset=&tfm_order=ASC&tfm_orderby=price

i actually have the cheaper white box netgear switches and they're probably plenty good enough for your current needs i reckon as i get around 65MB/s sustained transfer from mine.

hornblower

dmclean1842 wrote: »

Why do you need two ports for each bedroom. Surely one per bedroom is fine?

one for computer connection and one for tv internet. Am I doing something wrong?

vibe666

hornblower wrote: »

one for computer connection and one for tv internet. Am I doing something wrong?

sounds good to me, if/when i'm doing it myself i'll expect to do the same. i'll probably go for 4 behind the main TV tho between the htpc, games consoles and (in the future) the tv itself.