Owing to the expanding family of networked devices, my router isn;t up to the job anymore.

I currently have a wireless-G ADSL Home Gateway (Linksys) with four ethernet ports.

I now have 5 network devices:
1. A NAS device
2. Observatory PC
3. Study PC
4. Fiona's Laptop
5. A network printer

Before you come up with the obvious... The wireless connection to the laptop is great for surfing, email etc. But downloading large files, it sucks. So I'd prefer to be able to hardwire all five devices.

The NAS device is networked to allow network backups - though it can be USB attached. Of course, that would not make it possible to do network backups... So that has to be hardwired too.

The printer can be attached to a standalone machine, but again, I want it networked so Fiona can use it.

1. Is it possible to use my existing Gateway and buy some additional kit to give me the extra port without too much cost/messing around
2. Would I be better buying a 5 port device (same as what I have but with an extra port) and does such a beast exist
3. Or something else that I haven't thought of.

Cheers
Dave

Hi Dave,

I use a ethernet switch which gives me 24 ports.

Just plug you wireless router into it and away you go.

I had the same problem, before I got the switch.

Check out www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/MFR/Group....upID=4&SupplierID=45.

I dont know how reliable the website is, I picked it just for reference.

Mine is the Dynamode SW240010-R and works great.

Gary

Sorry Dave the link does not work.

Try google "dynamode ethernet switch"

Gary

Most switches come in 4,8,16 and so on ports.
Your best bet is to do what Tony suggests, I had the same problem a while back and got a lynksys 16 port switch off ebay.

Dave_Lillis wrote:

Most switches come in 4,8,16 and so on ports.
Your best bet is to do what Tony suggests, I have the same problem a while back and got a lynksys 16 port switch off ebay.

Yep, just get a wired switch. Keep the existing router you have, and just connect the new switch into that.

Or if you were considering getting a new printer get a wireless one

Forgive my ignorance folks...

What does "unmanaged" mean? Presumably its no big deal...

For such a switch - where do I plug it into my router? The router has the ADSL socket and four ethernet ports - is it a router-ethernet-port to a switch-ethernet-port connection?? If so, any special kind of cable? And can I assume it'll figure out what I'm playing at without me having to do anything (e.g. software settings etc)

Oh yes, I forgot....

I inherited a "3COM SuperStack II baseline dual speed hub" - it has 24 ethernet-look-a-like ports on the front. Is that what ye guys are referring to? The only issue I have is that when first plugged in, the fan noise would wake the dead. It seems to quieten down after a bit. Would this bit of kit do the trick?

Cheers
Dave

Duh - just worked it out folks. Works like a kind of expansion box...

One genuine question though, on the SuperStack hub, there's a toggle switch with a choice of MDI or MDIX. I'll assume the "X" means "better/faster" - but which is the most approriate setting?

Cheers - and I appreciate all your replies!
Dave

Dave,
I think the X stands for "can deal with crossover", its a type of network cable, a type you wouldn't have, so I'd imagine your cables are all standard ethernet straight through cables, so I'd leave it on MDI, although I think straight through cables will work on both settings.

dmcdona wrote:

Forgive my ignorance folks...

What does "unmanaged" mean? Presumably its no big deal...

Thats probably what you want actually. Managed switches allow you to control the traffic though them at a detailed level, join several together and get information on traffic usage etc. Its something that is useful in an large network but not really for home.

For such a switch - where do I plug it into my router? The router has the ADSL socket and four ethernet ports - is it a router-ethernet-port to a switch-ethernet-port connection?? If so, any special kind of cable? And can I assume it'll figure out what I'm playing at without me having to do anything (e.g. software settings etc)

I guess you worked it out Basically plug one of the ethernet cables out of the router, the printer say, then connect the new switch to the router using a regular ethernet cable. then plug the printer into the new switch. The MDIX as Dave says relates to crossover cables, basically the RX and TX wires are switched, its for connecting two devices together rather than for a device to switch. You dont see that so much anymore as most newer switches can work out what kind of cable/connection they are getting and deal with it. If there is a switch then flick it until you get blinking lights on the ethernet ports and your computers can talk to each other.

Oh yes, I forgot....
I inherited a "3COM SuperStack II baseline dual speed hub" - it has 24 ethernet-look-a-like ports on the front. Is that what ye guys are referring to? The only issue I have is that when first plugged in, the fan noise would wake the dead. It seems to quieten down after a bit. Would this bit of kit do the trick?

I used to have a similar switch to that at home. Noisy as hell. Though I just disconnected the fan! I was only using about 4 ports on it and it never seemed to heat up enough to cause problems even with the fan disconnected.

Thanks Al - its working perfectly!

I think I'll disconnect the fan though - I'm only using the five ports. If it goes belly up, no harm - I got it for nothing... Alternatively, I could go out and buy 19 more network devices...

Thanks for all the help from everyone!
Dave