Network switch selection

[Greenie9657]

Hi all

As I've been doing each room in my new house (1930s build) I've been putting in cat6 cabling and RJ45 points in every room. At the minute they are just collected together in the attic. What is the best way to connect them all to the Internet? I was thinking a network switch in the attic connected to one of my LAN points on my router downstairs. But what would happen if more than one device wanted to connect to the Internet?

Just wondering what the best way is to connect around 16 points around my house to the Internet.

Many thanks.

 

[socdesign]

I have a 2 U network cabinet with a 1U patch panel. A small network switch can then sit in the lower 1U space with patch leads from the panel sockets to the switch. You could just terminate all the cables with RJ45 connectors, then plug directly into the switch which would be cheaper. I like it all contained in a cabinet myself.

The switch then connects to the router and the router takes care of assigning IP addresses and network address translation so that all clients can route to the internet.

Something like these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2u-NETWOR...Instruments_Rack_Cases_MJ&hash=item1c3666beaf

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CONNEkT-P...UK_Computing_Patch_Panels&hash=item35c1552cf1

 

[Lectrician]

Your single link from switch to router will likely be a 100MB link, or even gigabit (if your router ports and switch ports supported it). This is AMPLE for connecting a bunch of PCs to a router for Internet access. Most Internet connections will be far less than 100mb in any case!

 

[Greenie9657]

Hi All

thanks for your replies. So the switch will connect to 1 lan port on the back of my modem. and then if more than one device wants to use the internet then the modem will take care of it? Is it worth upgrading my modem? Ive just got the standard wireless one with plusnet

 

[socdesign]

The MODEM will probably be an ADSL MODEM/Router/Switch/WiFi all in one. If it's reliable enough, then no need to swap out.

 

[Greenie9657]

thanks soc

The modem has got 4 LAN ports on the back of it. Would it be worth taking all four of those into the attic to use with the switch or would just the one be enough.

 

[socdesign]

It's unlikely that you will benefit from taking more than 1 link from the router to the attic. If the router/MODEM is only assigning addresses and supplying internet traffic, then as someone pointed out previously, it's unlikely that a single link will run at anywhere near its capacity.

 

[xr4x4]

thanks soc

The modem has got 4 LAN ports on the back of it. Would it be worth taking all four of those into the attic to use with the switch or would just the one be enough.

You only need the one, the dhcp in the router will take care of the rest.