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NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Silent Operation, Desktop or Wall Mount?
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As the other posts suggested, buy a cheap netgear swtich on amazon and some patch cables. If money is tight (not sure how old you are) i'd say it would be fair for everyone to pitch in 5 bucks.
That'll be plenty for a switch like this and some patch cables to go with it.
This is a simple use case - go cheap!
An unmanaged Gigabit D Link, Netgear or TP Link switch from Amazon would work fine.
Expect to pay $20-$25 USD at most
If I had to guess, each dorm room will have limited bandwidth speed. It will probably be a lot faster than the WiFi but might not be best for gaming. I doubt the school is blocking gaming unless it’s a super strict school. I would buy a net gear 5 or 8 port switch, plug that into the wall port and then you can plug your pc, ps4, etc into that. Hardwire is always the route to go whenever possible imo.
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Fanless Metal Housing, Desktop or Wall Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lCxoFb8GA40W3
That "MDC8T8RJ" is a telephone distribution module, so if you want to use any of RJ45 ports in the various rooms, need to unplug the port you want to use from the MDC8T8RJ and instead patch cable it into an actual "Ethernet Switch", then also connect one port on the switch into one of the LAN ports on your router.
Buy what you want, but I can't say enough good things about Netgear's metal switches. I dealt with thousands of the older FS-105 and FS-108 models in the 90s. They're just bulletproof, even moreso than some of those HP JetDirect boxes or 90s laser printers that will survive a nuclear war. I once had a client move, and found an old FS-105 under a huge pile of fabric, still plugged in and doing its job. The pile of fabric predated all the existing employyes, and none of them even knew it was there.
Anyway, time moved on. Netgear upgraded them to gigabit, and for basic home\small office networking, they're still bulletproof. Look for GS-105 for the 5 port and GS-308 for the 8-port switch:
You still need a switch, even with a patch panel.
Well, unless you are only connecting ONE device, to ONE other device.
But as soon as you want to connect three or more devices together (eg, router and two PC's) you need a switch. Switches are cheap - you can get an 8 port switch for like twenty bucks on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/r?th=1
> Supports WAN Aggregation
Most modern Asus routers support Dual WAN. The ports themselves aren't always marked as WAN, but you can generally go into the settings and change any one of the LAN ports into a second WAN port. Heck, it looks like if the router has a USB port, it can even support the second WAN over a USB>Ethernet adapter. Supports both load balancing and fail-over modes.
> At least 4 LAN ports coming out
I wouldn't get hung up about this one personally. You'll be hard pressed to find a router with 6 ports total. Almost everything is 5 (1WAN + 4LAN). Gigabit ethernet switches are cheap and easy to install downstream and will give you as many ports as you need anywhere you need them.
Hello there.
- No reason, you can connect it to the 10Gb port if you wish.
- You can purchase an ethernet switch if you require additional ethernet ports.
Try enabling “Optimize for Conferencing & Gaming” under eero Labs in the app. That should help keep the ping stable while gaming.
As for the eero not having enough Ethernet ports, you can get a 5 or 8 port unmanaged switch for pretty cheap. https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=1TUNMI5YNK7IF&keywords=network+switch&qid=1654062201&sprefix=network+switch%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-4
you don't need a router, to add ports to the tp-link deco's.
you need a gigabit switch, which is just a way to add Ethernet ports. one in, many out. and you don't have to worry about extra antennas, or turning off the wireless on the router.
Another even cheaper recommendation (the one I use)
Buy something like this. plug active internet into any port, devices you want to connect into any other port. All devices will have an active internet connection, that simple. You can buy a 5 port version as well but it's only like $2 cheaper.. unless space is a constraint
Depends on your tastes. I personally like the industrial look of that TP-Link. It's in a tough metal housing, not plastic.
I have a couple of these Netgear switches and they're also in a metal case.
seriously just get any gigabit speed Ethernet Switch off amazon, they're dirt cheap, plug it in and never think about it again :-)
switch it connects to your router and splits the signal into more devices via ethernet
Yea, NetOps is going to charge you a butt ton just to perform that. You wanna get an Eithernet switch (not to be confused with a Ethernet Hub). There are different ones with different number of ports.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ?psc=1
This is what I use below. Nothing fancy and works great.
Limited-time deal: NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Silent Operation, Desktop or Wall Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_dl_5VJW3Y4GPNZPSN567Z7A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Buy another switch as a precaution. Also ... Do a ping from the machines to your pool. The L3's have a ping tool built in.
For option 1.: Coupler will work, but best would be to get an unmanaged switch, e.g. this one. This will allow you to have Ethernet working in every room (unless you have more than 8 rooms 🙂) and, if you decide later, get a nice WiFi router/mesh, put the ISP modem+router in bridge mode, move it in the basement and place the (main) WiFi router in an optimal location in the house.
For option 2.: See above.
Hope this helps.
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Silent Operation, Desktop or Wall Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_SJ5B4BBNQCDM8TZZEHXH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Yes. If you run out of ports on the Modem/router, then buy a switch to expand it. Something like this would do
Just get new gigabit switch for $20
It’s only $1-$3 more than a 5 port..
You can get this at Amazon. There's a $2.00 coupon that brings it to the same price as NewEgg.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yhoKFbH93K6BQ
You could ask at&t to put the modem in the panel. It's designed for that. Double check the waal plates for termination color pattern. The standard for homes with structured wiring is t568a.
I just did some more research on switches and in laymans terms its similar to a power strip but for ethernet. I should be able to get max speed right? I'll only be keeping the house for a few years so I'm thinking an 8 port unmanaged switch. In the picture it shows 8 ports but I"m assuming one will be used for the ethernet from the ONT? so 7 remaining ports for my use?
I can think of 5 ports off the top of my head (4x google wifi, 1x plex desktop) leaving 2 for a some other use. Does this seem feasible? Should I get more or less ports or do you recommend a different switch?
Anything else you can recommend to do for a home or what you would do for your home?
You have mesh, guessing your renting a modem/router combo. Get a modem that works with your ISP and basic switch. The modem plugs into the switch as does the mesh system. This should work fine:
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Fanless Metal Housing, Desktop or Wall Mount
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_y2oFFb8NTW0S3
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Fanless Metal Housing, Desktop or Wall Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
Switches won’t interfere with anything. They just add extra ports. QoS is only done in the main router, not at every AP.
With little to no neighboring interference, you stand a chance of Eero working pretty well.
Regarding wired ports, each Eero Pro unit has 2 total. The simplest way to add more wired ports at any node is to wire in an unmanaged switch, of however many ports you need, such as this $20 Netgear GS308.
In terms of getting a wired signal to any other remote point in the house using another technology alongside Eero, you can certainly do so, but I'd prefer you go with MoCa over powerline, as it's WAY more reliable. But yes, if you absolutely had to, you could try powerline as a last resort. I'm still not endorsing it, though. Basically, the fatal flaw with powerline is low operational certainty -- it may work; it may not work at all; it may start out working, then degrade at random, or over time, or whenever mom plugs in her hair dryer, etc. That is why I don't recommend it. Hope that helps to clarify.
Routers haven't changed much besides getting faster. Plug things in the same as your current setup and it should work.
I wouldn't bother with "fast ethernet" because it's not much cheaper than gigabit. I prefer ones with metal cases over plastic. There simple devices, anything from a reputable brand should work, like Netgear, TP-Link, D-Link, Linksys
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
Both Eero Pro tri-band (the "saucers") and regular Eero dual-band (the "cubes") only have 2 ethernet ports on each unit.
For multiple wired devices, that is correct; all you'd need is a simple unmanaged switch, with however many ports you need. The 8-port, all-metal, lifetime-warranty Netgear GS308 is $19 on Amazon. Can't get much more bang for the buck than that.
Your ESXI is most likely using DHCP. If is can’t find a DHCP server it will not be able to get an IP.just go buy a switch. NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Desktop, Sturdy Metal Fanless Housing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HfT8DbJCSP6H6
$20 for a switch is pennies compared to the power consumption of that 1950.
You're welcome. Here is a decent switch, buy two of them and twelve sufficiently long Cat6 Ethernet Cable and you should be all set.
No issues with my unmanaged switch. Got a few computers connected to it and connected to aux port with cat 6 patch cable. Netgeat GS308 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PFYM5MZ/
8 port one seems to only be $6 more for 3 more ports here
Well, usually, a physical switch. Or a virtual one contained inside a single hypervisor server. I’m not sure why you’d want to build a server to act as a switch.
You can get an unmanaged gigabit switch with 4-8 ports on Amazon for $20. It ranges all the way up to enterprise switches with multiple power supplies, PoE, fiber ports...etc.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
Sometimes Cat5e is used for telephone (RJ11) wired in serial i.e. daisy-chained. Phone lines work in serial, but Ethernet does not. There should be a network or demarc box where all of the cables converge. Does there seem to be a Cat5e cable for each port in the house?
If they are wired to allow Ethernet, however, here is my equipment recommendation:
- People tend to like the Monoprice patch cables, but I don't really like the boots they use. If you are comfortable terminating 8P8C/RJ45, you can make your own with Monoprice bulk stranded Cat6
- I use an older punchdown tool that I don't really know where it came from, but you should be fine with a tool that allows you to adjust how hard it punches and also cuts the cable for you
- Netgear and TP-Link dumb gigabit switches are great and inexpensive. It's a good idea to get a few more ports than you think you'll need for expansion.
- There are wall-mountable racks that work for tight spaces, but are typically shallower than racks that sit on the ground, so keep that in mind if you are planning on adding more than just a switch, patch panel, and maybe a UPS. I use these screwed into an old audio cabinet and they work great.
- Monoprice Cat6 patch panel
- Monoprice basic tester. This won't give you much more information other than that the wires are all in the correct configuration and communicating, but if you aren't a massive bonehead when making cables, this should be more than enough.
- Anything at your local hardware store will work.
- I've been using these with no issue, and I really like how the boot fits on, compared to softer, bulkier boots that you see many people using. FS.com has some similar boots that I've been meaning to try out once my stash of the ones from Amazon have depleted.
Hope this helps.
Yes it would work, and no it doesn't slow down your network connection, though I would recommend spending a little more for a gigabit switch.
Scenario: I can only have 1 Ethernet cable run from the router to my working area. There I have my computer and the NAS. I would like the NAS to act as a network switch.
RPELY - NO NO NO. You go out and you purchase a nice little 1G switch
here is a little Netgear 1G 8 port for $22 dollars - is that cheap enough ?
This is the GS-308. You take your 1 ethernet cable coming from your router, and stick it into this switch. Now one port goes to your computer ethernet port, and one port goes to QNAP Ethernet port 2 or Ethernet port 3 (the 1G ports).
Now take your thunderbolt cable from your computer, stick it into the QNAP T3 port, and we are done. $22 dollars. Is that acceptable to you ?
​
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The NAS is configured to have a static IP. I also configure my computer to have a static IP. But the computer can’t get online. I can access my files from the NAS but no internet. So I figure I need to set up a VNS (virtual switch) but I don’t know what I’m doing wrong and want to know how to set it up. To learn.
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REPLY -
you will follow my instructions. I expect you to place an order with Amazon as soon as you read this. In your next reply you can say "I bought the switch, and everything is DHCP , and now it's working great" - or you can say "I bought the switch, and I can get internet on the computer and on the QNAP, but I can't get the QNAP to connect via T3. -" - then I will help you . However, if you refuse to spend $22 dollars to solve this problem, - well, I will hunt you down, and kill you.
Bob Zelin
To start, get an 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switch for the central cabinet. (example
You probably should also grab one of the following basic wire continuity testers (or the tone tracer on the same page), to assist with wire identification and verifying that all 8 wires are mapped straight-through.
It's likely that the yellow cables are networking cables and terminated as such in-room to their associated RJ45 wall jacks. The cables appear to be labeled with their locations, so you could use the continuity tester to verify or just try connecting them to the switch and to a computer in-room and checking for link status.
The blue lines, though, are for telephone, so it's likely that you'll need to re-terminate them in-room to RJ45 jacks. When doing so, review the RJ45 male connectors to determine the wiring standard used for termination, and then use the same wiring standard for the RJ45 wall jacks. Once terminated, verify using the continuity tester and then connect them to the network switch at the central panel.
Once you have the jack at the router location properly terminated and linked to the switch, you can use an Ethernet patch cable to connect a router LAN port to the RJ45 wall jack, and the router LAN will be available through any of the cables connected to the switch.
Networking professional here (as deemed by a piece of paper), let me explain why the WiFi system in the Nokia 5G21 shouldn't be overlooked right away:
To answer your question about WiFi 6E support, which includes a new 6GHz band and usually 160MHz wide channels (which means faster throughput), no T-Mobile fixed wireless modems currently support it, however, all 5G modems support WiFi 6. The Nokia modem specifically is in a 3-band configuration, with an asterisk. It emits a 2.4GHz signal, as well as a low-band and high band 5GHz band, with all of them being combined under one SSID ("WiFi name") during setup, and if using the default settings (you can also set it up so that all three frequencies are separated if you want). The 5GHz bands specifically cap out at 5GHz with up to 80MHz wide channels.
Here's an important note, the Nokia modem, and other T-Mobile 5G modems from what I can uncover, have a WiFi antenna configuration of 4x4, which means that the modem can transmit and receive over 4 antennas; this is called MIMO (multiple input, multiple output). The more antennas your device has, the faster it can communicate with the gateway, in addition to the WiFi generation being used.
Here's some context. My PC was connected to the modem through ethernet, and it was running a program that acts like a speed server. My iPhone (which has a 2x2 antenna arrangement) was connected to the high-frequency 5GHz band from the Nokia modem which was set up to use WiFi 6 with a 80MHz wide channel. When using a speed testing app on the iPhone, it was able to pull over 700Mb (megabits) per second consistently, with peaks up to 800Mb! This was from the PC, through the Nokia gateway, to the iPhone, not through the T-Mobile network. This type of test stresses networking equipment to see how fast it can go, and in this case, when it was using multiple speed test streams to make the most out of the connection, it can go really fast. And remember, this is a 2x2 device, connected to a modem with a 4x4 configuration, and it's not even using 6E's 6GHz band or 120MHz wide channels!
My point is that the WiFi hardware in the Nokia modem is hecking good, and if anything, the T-Mobile 5G network itself is the bottleneck here. Simply put, even if you got a WiFi 6E access point / router, you'd still be bound by the speed that the 5G network can provide, so you may be leaving performance on the table, unless you do a lot of wireless file / data transfers on your local network.
Here's where a WiFi 6E router might make more sense though. Say for example you want to extend your network; 6E routers in pairs can sometimes use the 6GHz band to act as a backhaul, leaving the other 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands free for your devices, as in most cases, using those bands for the backhaul and your devices usually means some bandwidth gets compromised. 6E routers and the new 6GHz band, along with devices that can connect to the 6E's 6GHz band can also help with interference issues, since that 6GHz band is basically free real estate, with 2.4 & 5GHz being absolutely crowded right now.
Now, I saw a few concerns regarding ethernet with your configuration, where it seems like you want more ethernet ports to connect things to the Nokia gateway. I would suggest purchasing a cheap gigabit ethernet switch, which will essentially act like an expansion hub. I say this, because you could use the great WiFi hardware that's built into the gateway, while still having a lot of ethernet ports to mess with. They hardly go over $20 new, usually for 4-8 port models. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/. Or, if your current router can enable a bridge mode, or if the WiFi system can be disabled, it can essentially turn it into an ethernet switch as well. Support for this can be hit or miss sometimes, so I'd look in the router's settings to see if it can be modified.
I also saw a concern regarding reduced performance if you connect another router to your T-Mobile gateway, while still using the T-Mobile gateway's wireless network. As long as the WiFi channels don't overlap, which may cause interference, you should be just fine, especially if you're able to disable the WiFi broadcasts from your other router.
I know this was a lot of text, but I wanted to make sure I addressed everything in one go, and if you have any other curiosities that you want to ask about, let me know and I'd be glad to answer them! (I know I sound like a support rep, but I'm just another T-Mobile Internet user like you, haha)
From the pictures you provided so far, things are looking very hopeful for you. Those look to be proper data jacks wired correctly. But it's an incomplete set of pictures to help you completely.
It's more important for us to see the "other end" of all these cables. The ones in the pictures and the two others in the other rooms should all have their other ends pulled to a centrally located area where they all come together. It should be obvious where this location is once you see it, and it's very likely to be near where your current router is located if your ISP is competent at all. Look for this bundle in your Master Bedroom, or Garage, or some other place you've probably seen before.
From there, you'll need to do two things: 1) connect all these cables into a switch, and then 2) connect that switch into your home router. How you achieve #1 will be determined by what we see once you've located the central pull location and how those wires are terminated there. That's why pictures of the other ends is more important now.
Here is a switch mentioned above that you will be connected the other ends into. This model has 8 ports, which is exactly the amount you need - 5 ports for the living room, and then one port each for the other 2 rooms. That uses up 7 ports, leaving you exactly one port to connect the switch into one 9f the 4 LAN ports on your home router. You can also use the other 3 LAN ports on the router to connect more things, including another 8 port switch if you discover a lot more cables in other rooms:
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
If you do find that central location and take pictures of it, it might be better to delete this post and post a new one with those pictures as the central focus, as that side can be more complicated (but still easily DIY). This sub has excellent cable advice people on it who can tell you exactly what you need to do to get that side ready.
I'd be ultra cool if you can do this all yourself without involving the husband. You can up your nerd and gamer credibility immensely in their eyes if you pretend you knew how to do this all along and roll your eyes at how easy it is (and it's easy, just some knowledge and a few tools and it can be done in an hour).
Just 5 ports? How about these?
- https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
- https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/
I've mentioned the yellow cables connected to the telephone block, but what are all those gray cables at the bottom of the photo? Do they have any markings?
I'm going to save you a lot of $. Find where all the ethernet is routed. buy one of these for $20 https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ and plug everything into it.
I'm getting the Nest Wifi Pro as well! Really looking forward to it...as to your question, I bought this for the main point by my ONT, which is also where my main entertainment hub is located - can't go wrong with 18k 4.8 reviews. Can attest, 1 year later, never an issue. And I use all 8 ports! $19.99 is worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
>With that setup, what exactly do I need to link the BBAs? A router with enough ports?
A router would work but your better option would be a switch. You could also go with a slower one (not going to matter with Gamecubes) with more ports if you want to dream about hooking up 16 Gamecubes at once.
I keep hoping someone will make a modern BBA solution for the GC that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Maybe something based on a Raspberry Pi Pico W that allows us to use both ethernet and Wi-Fi.
Cheap unmanaged switches are perfectly fine in both locations (closet and room). I use Netgear switches for these tasks:
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
or:
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-5-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07S98YLHM/
Just fyi, for switch which a lot of people mentioned- an unmanaged switch like this would work- https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
My spectrum modem doesn't have wifi capabilities, I am assuming yours does not either?
If that is the case, you could get a basic switch, so the modem would plug into the switch, then you would have an ethernet cable out to both computers (one for each)
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
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If you already have some sort of Wifi (either your spectrum modem or an additional device), there is likely extra ports to run patch cables to each. you can get a long one to run to the second room.
I like the netgear small unmanaged switches. The GS308 is probably what I'd go with now for a low budget switch.
Edit: Reposting, automod didn't like my links.
You would have a few options. If you can get a cable there, you could plug it into an unmanaged switch, which would let you run additional cables throughout the basement. Your other option is to run a cable to an access point, this would allow you to access the same network as the other floors but would provide MUCH better WiFi coverage/reliability than a mesh-router setup. I'm not super familiar with consumer access points, this is just the first one I saw on Amazon that included a power adapter.
What router/modem do you currently have? /u/WhiteEyeGuy
How are the eero's 2 ethernet ports causing problems? Are there not enough? If that's the case you can get cheap TP-Link unmanaged switches and plug them into one of the ports to give yourself more room.
Also if you wanted to attempt to link them together via ethernet but don't have ethernet drops throughout the house but you do have coax I'd look at getting a MOCA adapters.
You have some different options, depending on how much time/money you want to spend. But you are on the home networking subreddit, so I assume you want to do this yourself, and that you want to do it right (ish). Here’s what I would do:
Buy a switch. This will allow you to connect all of the ethernet cables to the same network. For your purpose, I’d recommend an unmanaged non-Poe 8 port switch:
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Silent Operation, Desktop or Wall Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8J0GC6ZGP4ZZSF12RZDS
Buy a patch panel. This will be used to terminate the blue cables so that you can plug them into the switch:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=7304
Buy a 110 punch down tool. This will allow you to punch down the 8 little cables inside of each of the blue wires onto the patch panel:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=7041
Buy patch cables. These will connect the patch panel to the switch. For your purpose I’d recommend 3ft long cables, and I would buy 8 of them. Pick your favorite color:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=2113
You will also need a utility knife.
Total cost: $75
Next, build a shelf below your electrical box. Foot deep with some scrap plywood is what I would do.
Unplug your cable modem and bring it downstairs. Plug it into the white cable (coaxial) junction. Wait a few minutes for it to connect - your wifi should work as normal. Also plug it into the switch using a patch cable. Turn on the switch.
Plug a laptop with an Ethernet port into the switch using a patch cable. Turn off wifi on said laptop. Ensure that you can access internet.
Attach one of the cable runs to the patch panel. Which one is an interesting question - are any of the cables labeled? Do you know where any of them go by following the cable as it heads up? Basically you want one that you can test after you punch it down. If you cannot identify, then you will have to walk around to each wall jack in turn to test.
This is super easy, and there are a million tutorials out there, but here is mine:
Using the utility knife, strip the jacket (the blue stuff) about an inch and a half off of the the blue cables without damaging the little cables inside.
You should see 4 pairs of cables and some insulation (plastic and/or hair-like material). Cut the insulation off of the exposed section.
Untwist the 4 pairs of wires, lightly straightening each wire. You should now have separated 8 wires.
Go to your patch panel, there will be a diagram on the back telling you which wires go where. There are two ways of doing this: A and B. Follow the directions for B.
For each of the 8 wires, put it into position and use the punch down tool to punch it into the socket. Critical - the punch down tool has one side that cuts, you want this to be oriented so that you cut the tip of the wire.
It should look like this:
Plug the jack that you just punched down the blue cable to into the switch using a patch cable. Unplug the laptop from the switch. Bring laptop to the wall jack that you think/know corresponds to the cable you just punched down. Plug laptop into that jack using a patch cable. Ensure that internet works.
Repeat this process for all cables, ensuring that you test each. The reason you do this is it’s very easy to make a mistake when punching down. If the internet doesn’t work after, take a look at your punch downed wires - did you punch down a wire in the wrong spot? Did one of the connections not stay down? Is the little wire broken? You can always chop the exposed wires off and try again.
Assuming you get all of your cables punched down, the question is - what do you do with the cable modem/router? The reason the technician said that you wouldn’t want it in the basement is likely for wifi coverage reasons. If it were me, I would test that theory and leave it in the basement for awhile and see how it goes. Depending on how big your house is, how many levels, materials, etc, it may very well be the case that you want it upstairs. To move it upstairs, unplug from switch and coaxial cable junction, plug it in where the technician installed it, and plug it’s Ethernet port into the wall switch that you terminated downstairs.
Regarding poe cameras, I recommended a non-poe switch because it’s super cheap to start with and if/when you want to do cameras down the road, you can buy a separate poe switch later.
I've got three of these, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PFYM5MZ/. Unmanaged, but super simple and perfectly effective. 8-port.
Would an unmanaged ethernet switch like this work for my setup (either in the metal box or directly connected to my router)?
Some examples:
NON-PoE switches:
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Litewave-Unshielded-Unmanaged-LS1008G/dp/B086384H7C/
PoE switch (4 PoE ports, 4 non-PoE ports):
https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Switching-Capacity-Protection-TPE-TG44G/dp/B008VK2XXS/
16 ports (all PoE):
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-16-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07DNT7JCT/
Installing this switch between my router and pc fixed the issue. It has to be a newer switch that the new intel chipset can establish a handshake with. I used this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
8-port version on Amazon for $20 https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-5-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
Get a gigabit switch.
This one will do just fine: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
An 8 port gigabit dumb switch? They are dirt cheap. $20 will get you one with a nice metal case. Most switches will have a mounting holes.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch… | $24.97 | $24.97 | 4.8/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
You really can't go wrong with this Netgear 8-port switch:
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
3 - I’m trying to see if theres any advantage to running multiple cables versus just having a wall plate connected to a switch at the other end. Don’t see any, but open to Ideas.
4 (reusing this for cable rating) - So what happens if the distance is 500ft? You need to add like a physical repeater or another switch?
5 - These are the switches I have. I guess I don’t need to upgrade now, since everything is 1gbps nowadays, but maybe in the future get the one you said? The only place I can see myself using a 10GB port is when I build a new Alder lake computer this winter and from Computer -> Room switch -> NAS.
These are the switches I have right now:
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Home Network Hub, Office Ethernet Splitter, Plug-and-Play, Silent Operation, Desktop or Wal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_41OKVDpog4Vbl
TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
TP-Link 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EVGIYG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
6 - Managed vs unmanaged. I guess managed allows more nitty gritty. But I haven’t noticed any difference in an actual use case so far, both are plug and play?
https://planetechusa.com/do-i-need-a-managed-switch-for-my-smart-home-network/
As /u/laurentrm said, these are currently wired for phone. This is common in older construction (and probably even new stuff). They use cat5/6 cables but terminate them to be used as telephone jacks. It's really kinda stupid builder stuff.
Given you don't own the place I'm not sure what changes you can make but here's kinda what you would want to do...
Pick up a little patch panel.
Pick up a punch down tool
Pick up some keystone jacks. One for every place in your home.
Don't forget wall plates.
Might as well buy some sexy ass slim patch cables too.
Might want a cable tester too to save yourself headaches.
Watch a bunch of youtube videos like this one. That's just one I picked but there's a zillion out there.
Install your patch panel and rewire your jacks. It should look something like this. Sexy AF right???
Head out to your big box store, or amazon and buy yourself an appropriately sized network switch. Like this one I guess.
Hook shit up.
Have a beer.
Note. I don't work for monoprice. In fact I rarely order from there since I'm not in the USA. Monoprice is a good cheap vendor for folks living in the USA though I think.
I brought a Netgear GS308 on Amazon (link here) and I'm worried this upper panel might not offer enough ventilation for the switch - is there a way to determine if that is the case?
I brought a Netgear GS308 on Amazon (link here) and I'm worried this upper panel might not offer enough ventilation for the switch - is there a way to determine if that is the case?
Unmanaged, non-green Netgear switches work for me.
Suggestion: Netgear GS308. Eight gigabit ports, $18 from Amazon.
everything needs to be wired back to the routers LAN ports (usually yellow and in a group of 4) with an ethernet cable. If you run out of ports, or depending on if your router only has one LAN port, you can add an ethernet switch, which takes up 1 port on the router and gives you more ports. (4-47 more ports)
​
- shield to router
- gaming PC to router
- ideally tv also to router, but technically unnecessary as its just acting as a display when using the shield.
Chuck the modules. Buy a switch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_WK1WZG1EX2GZ2X96J3CM
Connect one port of this $20 switch to one of the LAN ports on you router using your one existing cable, then you can connect up to 7 other devices to the LAN through it.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_RC95BGAJR69DWXDJAFZN
Try a factory reset on your Sonos. I have found having one speaker hardwired and not using WiFi on the Sonos system works the best
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Thanks for the help. I saw this switch recommended in this subreddit.(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/?coliid=I3229CAIFPV1HP&colid)
If I put it after the router, it might be trickier to send it through the office. The garage is connects through a crawl space close enough to the office. I don't know. Not looking forward to wire anything. Maybe I don't need it.
Today I connected all devices to ziply to really test it. Results are not bad: my Linux box (downloads: in the high 300's), the work Linix which is busy computing non-stop (in the low 300's); my macbook pro just gave me a nice 437 download, and my wife is working upstairs on ziply too, and so far no interference. It's still slower than the xfinity wi-fi, so it's a hard call. The one really weird thing. Is the windows laptop that has a lower speed wired than wirelessly. But still I did get wifi speeds in the low 300s. Thus, this is not that bad or unexpected for wifi at least. Wired I got a weird 92 Mbps on that laptop, that is still weird. It has gig hardware so it's a mystery. That one also has faster speed on xfinity wifi, which is consistently in the 500's range. Just putting all this into out there for the benefit of people thinking about switching one way or another and for the benefit of all companies.
Got it. Eero supports wired backhaul, so it would still work. Other systems like Deco, Orbi, Zen, etc. are also competent if you have wired backhaul. If you need more wired ports at any node location, simply wire in a $20 unmanaged switch to an open port on the mesh node, then wire your devices to the switch.
Consumer mesh aside, an even more robust option would be traditional wired access points (APs), a PoE switch and a wired router. It would be about double the cost and a bit more complex to setup, but you'll get higher total wifi capacity, more advanced features like VLANs (for segmenting Private, Guest, etc.), and overall your network will run more like an appliance and less like a toy. If that interests you, I'd look at TP-Link Omada: a TL-R605 router ($60), TL-SG2008P switch ($90) and two EAP225v3 (ceiling) or EAP235 (wall-plate) APs, whichever form-factor works better for you ($60 ea, $120 total), then run them all via the free Omada cloud controller.
Otherwise, consumer mesh will probably be a "good enough" solution if you just want something that is cheap and "just works" straight out of the box.
Thanks for the reply - yeah, that's what I had gathered based on the other reply. Hadn't even considered it could be for a home phone line since they were ethernet connections... but that's why I'm not a networking guy ha.
Anyway, I can confirm that they are cat5e cables which is good. I posted this picture above but I'm considering putting in a little network shelf back where the white outline is. The problem is that the current pulled cables for KIT/MBR would be too short so after doing a bit of research I think I could just extend those connections into the phone plate with either a junction box or a RJ45 couplers.
I think the only other thing besides doing that would be to pull the coax line over and I should be good to go... in theory. Also, I'm sure this gets asked 5 million times a day, but any preference on a network switch or would something like this work just fine?
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ
Bridge mode basically disables things on the router like routing and firewall. Connectivity stays the same. You don't want to do this if you are still using the ethernet ports on the century link. You would basically be plugging those devices directly into the internet without a firewall.
You are currently running a "double nat". It's possible to do it, but you need to be careful in how you set it up. It would be easier to bridge one of the devices.
The simplest thing is probably to put the eero into bridge mode. This would let you still use the eero for wifi and let the century link manage everything else. You would still use the SSID/Network on the eero. The devices would just use the century link for a firewall /routing and dhcp. It's a simple change.
The other choice is to put the century into bridge mode. You would want to only have the eero plugged into the century. You could get an ethernet switch for more ports. You would connect them like this. centrury LAN port ---> eero (either port) ---> ethernet switch (on the other eero port). Any other devices can plug into the ethernet switch as long as the century is only connected directly to the eero. I don't think it matters anymore, but I would plug the eero into port 1 on the switch. Everything else can use the other ports. You might need a few extra cables too.
Like the other user mentioned, you will need to run the cable to either a router or an ethernet switch. If your router is out of ports, then you'll need an ethernet switch to extend the number of ports it has. Here is an example of a simple and cheap ethernet switch: https://www.amazon.com//dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
If Fios only ran one ethernet cable to your wife's office, then that would be just an ethernet cable at her office, not the router. Seems like your router is in your garage.
Also note that if you wanted more ethernet ports in your wife's office, you can always add an ethernet switch to have more ports in her office.
If you don't need any advanced features, you'll probably want something that says unmanaged. Managed switches to tend cost a little more so if you're not going to use the features, stick with something basic like:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_MNNZ2HVGTYM70AVDZKWJ
or
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_09WMZSF74BMP1YKPM45R
Typically, a consumer grade managed switch can be used unmanaged (you just won't be utilizing their advanced features), but an unmanaged switch can never be used as managed switch. That is... you can opt not use features of a more advanced device but you can't upgrade a basic device to have more advanced features later.
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Is your reddit feed getting flooded with deals for products you are not interested in? Below are our category-wise subreddits where I crosspost from the main sub.
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Switch: NETGEAR GS308 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
AP: NETGEAR WAC104 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LFSDZCU/
Zero issues with either so far.
Turn the spectrum router into bridge mode if possible. Your ISP can help you with this. Then, use the Google WiFi as the router. Everything that is wired needs to be connected AFTER the Google WiFi unit.
You can do this with a cheap unmanaged switch.
https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/6274262?hl=en
It will go Spectrum (in bridge mode or a modem only unit) > Ethernet > Google Wifi > Ethernet > Switch >>> all wired devices.
A sample switch you can buy for $20 that will get this done (adding the ports to your Google WiFi so there is no double routing and everything is on the same network): https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
Yeah. I think you’re fine with everything you bought.
“Atlantic Broadband Digital Phone uses a broadband connection rather than a traditional analog line to make local and long distance calls placed in the U.S. and Canada”
Keep in mind - an eero only has 2 ports for hard wired connections and one is used to connect to the modem. You have to use the ports after the eero (even if you have multiple ports on your modem). So it must go modem > 1x Ethernet cable > Eero router. If you need more ports then must go AFTER the eero by adding an unmanaged switch. This is cheap and will give you extra ports for hard wired items connected to your eero (so if you need the phone from Atlantic plugged in plus your husband’s computer). This is fully plug and play - just power on and plug in.
NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
More details: https://support.eero.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005502286-How-do-I-add-more-Ethernet-ports-
*note: this won’t interfere with the wireless router ))) satellite connection at all. Still set that up as normal
I have this one, which I use for 2 laptops, apple tv, playstation and xbox. No issues whatsoever and the speed on my laptop is pretty much the same as the speed my eero is detecting within the app. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1&fpw=alm
On the wall is an Ethernet port, this makes me think this is where the old owner had their router installed, the port would go to 1 other point in the house, have a look where else you find that wall port, if there is a lot of them the old owner must have had an Ethernet switch. This would be somewhere out of the way but accessible (maybe attic?) Have a look for ends like these if you do find lots of plugs. Alternatively they may have left the switch, so you wouldn't need to buy one if you plan on using them for consoles, laptops, smart TV (helps ease congestion on WiFi and is more reliable)
IMHO, only if you absolutely cannot hardwire most nodes should you entertain consumer mesh. If you have enough ethernet throughout the house, or TV coaxial that could be used with MoCa, I'd go with hardwired, SMB-grade, discrete components (wired router, switch and APs -- example: Cisco RV-series router, SG-series switch and CBW-series APs); you're network will run more like an appliance and less like a toy.
That being said, if you have to deploy all-wirelessly, or mostly so, then Eero is the only consumer product you should be looking at. Why? 1) It's actual mesh, 2) it has QoS that actually works, both between nodes and out to the internet and 3) it automatically adjusts radio roles for traffic needs and channel usage (mesh-wide) to compensate for wifi interference, all in real time. No other consumer product does any one of those nearly as well, let alone all of them, and added together they make a huge difference in the "it just works" factor, especially for an all-wireless setup. If you're internet is on the slower side (<500Mb), make sure to enable "Optimize for Conferencing & Gaming" during setup. If you need more ports at any Eero location (they only have 2 ports per unit), simply wire in a $20 8-port switch at any location.
Current-gen Eero would probably function well enough, either a dual-band 3-pack or 3-pack of Pros, but Eero 6 does release tomorrow (11/2), with near-gigabit link rate between nodes; again, both regular Eero or Pro would probably suffice, Pro give you the most throughput for clients connected to remote nodes.
Any questions, free free.
i guess i forgot to clarify, but this would be the switch i plan on using https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=8+port+switch&qid=1603238076&sr=8-3
but yeah i see what your saying
Ok, so here's what I use. My internet is through my cable company, and the internet modem is a part of the cable box on the other side of the house.
To minimize spikes in lag I got these. Which even though my speeds are great, it being on the other side of the house caused my ping go spike at very inconvenient times a lot. Wired connections are always better.
They're power line adapters that use the wiring in your walls as internet lines. 10/10 highly recommend. You can probably find cheaper ones.
I also got a network splitter thing so I could plug both my desktop, laptop (when I need to) AND xbox into it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ay1JFb6Q20F1P?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Eero 3-pack, hands down. Eero Pro ($500-600) will give all devices the best throughput possible, while regular dual-band Eero will likely still be sufficient enough for any normal internet traffic, including multiple HD streams, conferencing and gaming all at once. If you really need/want bleeding-edge, wait until November 2 for Eero 6 / Eero 6 Pro, for even faster backhaul links (6 Pro will be near-gigabit, almost wire-like Eero-to-Eero connections).
Wire the base Eero unit into the Xfinity modem/gateway. Place each of the remaining two on the two other floors, staggered north-south-east-west for optimal coverage overlap. During setup, enable "Optimize for Conferencing & Gaming". If you need more wired ports at any Eero location (your dad's office, for example), simply wire in a $20 unmanaged switch to the Eero, then wire the devices to the switch.
Problems solved. Any questions, feel free.
The connection is likely fine. I have a 100/10 cable link and can handle Teams, Zoom, etc. just fine. What you need is proper QoS.
What you're likely experiencing is called bufferbloat (on the WAN interface Vodafone's gateway). To fix, you want to put that Vodafone unit into bridge or IP pass-through mode and drop in a router behind it that supports SQM-based QoS, which, in layman's terms, is a method of ensuring all devices maintain consistently-low ping and adequate bandwidth, regardless of what anyone else is doing on the network, at all times.
Since I presume you're in the UK, the best novice-friendly solution would be Eero, specifically Eero or Eero Pro (no Beacons) so you can add more wired ports to any unit you require via a switch. Just make sure to enable "Optimize for Conferencing and Gaming", then allow up to 24 hours for it to auto-adjust to your ISP line speed, and you're good to go.
If you're more skilled in networking, there are also other options available to you (anything that can run OpenWRT, Ubiquiti EdgeRouters or UniFi gateways, x86 running pfSense, OPNsense or Untangle, etc.).
Any more questions, feel free.
Got it. Honestly, I wouldn't both monkeying around with your current router. Just replace it with Eero; however many units make sense for the size of your place (if it's under 1500 square feet, a singe $99 Eero or $199 Eero Pro base unit should suffice). During setup, make sure to enable "Optimize for Conferencing and Gaming" (their layperson-friendly name for SQM QoS). Give Eero 24 hours or so to auto-adjust for your ISP speed and you'll be set. If you need more wired ports, just wire a $20 unmanaged switch to the second port on the Eero base unit.
Problems solved. :)
Nope, modem - PC - switch - ALL DEVICES (APs and additional switches if you want)
Here's the switch I got - it's on sale now. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Would I be able to set it up to use for the devices connect to this ?
I'm not sure I've ever seen it before, someone posts their cabinet and it is wired for data and has a power outlet. Magnificent.
Get an 8 port switch and some ethernet cables, plug all of your wired ports there into the switch. Then, you can either put the modem right in there and plug the switch into it's lan port, or if the modem is in the living room with a wall port nearby you can plug the wall port into the modem's lan port, which will connect it to the switch.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/
This one I bought recently is half the price and more ports.
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