Reddit reviews TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Plug and Play | Fanless | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged | Lifetime Protection (TL-SG108)

>$200

>$305

I appreciate the importance of network security but... Just get an old PC and install a wifi card and use a network switch for ethernet ports. You'll save at least $100 if not more, at the cost of only a bit of space, and can use the same software.

$400.

What $400 could get you instead:

• A gigabit ethernet router without Wi-Fi and PoE $169
  
  
• A gigabit switch for mooooooooore ports (optional)!!! $25
  
  
• 500 feet of Cat5e. If you're running cable for access points, then you'll need this. If not, it's still nice to have and cheap. $32
  
  
• Get a wireless access point! Now your wireless isn't stuck next to your modem/router! $63.67
  
  
• Have a bigger house? get another access point. $63.67
  
  We spent $353.34. We got: 2 Wireless-N access points for different points in our house, a router with all of the same features (minus automatic DDNS, which you don't need your router to do), and more (gigabit) ports.
  
  And we spent less. Obviously this requires a lot more work: you have to run cables (which includes measuring, cutting, and crimping cables, installing wall ports, running cable up walls and through your attic if youw ant to do it correctly), configure your router (at least a little bit),
  
  And I'm not saying that this solution is for everyone. Or even for very many people, but I am trying to show that we are able to get a gigabit PoE router with the same features, a small gigabit switch, and two access points for less than this thing. These expensive routers are getting ridiculous.
  
  
  Edit: I'm just saying guys, consider your options. These big routers don't really solve most problems people have. It's buying a Ferrari to drive your 4 kids to school.

If you get all those devices in one box, they're going to all be inferior to discrete solutions. And if one breaks, you're throwing away several perfectly functioning devices.

Edgerouter Lite 3-port: $95

Unifi AC-Lite: $86

TP-Link Gigabit Switch: $25

If you want to do cheap NAS, you might as well just share a drive on a desktop over the network.

Haven't found one that doesn't work.

​

Currently using this one... https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=8+port+gigabit+hub&qid=1568396764&sr=8-3

Don't go with repeaters. What you should get is a wireless bridge. This will act just like a wire, allowing you to install an access point in the Hall with the same SSID and password (for roaming).

Repeaters cut the speed in half. Having several in succession means there will be nothing left at the other end.

Have a look at Ubiquiti Nanobeam AC. These will act just like if it was a long wire. You will be able to get a very good connection and the speed won't suffer. They are rated up to 15km, so 450 ft is nothing for them.

Install one on the church, one on the hall, and then get a nice access point for the hall, like the Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite.

They aren't too expensive and should fit well in your budget. Amazon.com has them for $90 each. For the AP, Amazon.com has them for $82. If the hall is large, you could get a switch and 2-3 APs to get a good coverage.

Total cost for 2 nanobeam and an AP : $262
Total cost for 2 nanobeam, a switch and 3 APs : $454

There are APs that have some switch capability, but most of them are enterprise level. You can put a router into AP mode and it may also switch locally, or you can install an open source OS on a router and set it up that way - but it's going to have more poor performance than a stand-alone switch or AP.

• Ubiquiti AC-LITE $80
  
• TP-Link 8-port switch $30
  
• 1ft Ethernet $1.50
  
• Power strip $6
  
  Total: $117.50 which is less than most routers and with better wifi and switching.

To add some details for OP. All they need is a simple cheap unmanaged switch. They should be able to get that for under $25. Here's one at Amazon for $20: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

At my house I have the following at the moment:

• Fios ONT
  
  
• Ubiquiti Edgerouter-X, connecting to the following things via Cat5e cable:
  
  

1. UAC LR (to cover most of my house)
   
   
2. UAC Lite (on a cable run up to the top floor of my house to cover the upstairs)
   
   
3. Google Voice VOIP box
   
   
4. 12 port unmanaged switch to go to all the other ethernet jacks around my house
   
   Now some of those ethernet jacks are in locations where I have multiple wired devices (like my office or home entertainment center). In each of those places I have a second $20 unmanaged switch that I use to turn that single jack into multiple wired spots.
   
   Unmanaged switches are cheap, incredibly easy to setup (literally just plug them in) and high performance, you can basically use them as an ethernet splitter. You do NOT want to use a router in place of them for no reason, as the router's going to bring a bunch of network complexity and isolation that you neither need nor want.
   
   TL;DR Unmanaged switches are neat

Yes and no. What you think of a "wireless router" is three devices in one: router, switch, and access point. The router moves data between different networks (routing), allows multiple devices to share a single public IP address (NAT), blocks unwanted internet traffic from reaching the local network (firewall), and assigns local IP addresses to devices on the network (DHCP). The access point does Wi-Fi, and the switch connects everything together and gives you multiple LAN ports. There is no ultimate device that does all this, because these jobs are so different and specialized.

Instead, you should to look for dedicated devices that each handle ONE of these three jobs and does it really well. For example, this is a dedicated router. It does not do switching or Wi-Fi. You'd connect the WAN1 port to your modem or ONT and the LAN1 port to a switch. This is a dedicated switch, you connect one port to your router and connect any number of devices, APs, and even other switches to it. This is a dedicated AP. You connect it to a switch, and it only does Wi-Fi and does it really well.

You can add any number of switches and APs, so that you've got Ethernet ports and Wi-Fi coverage available wherever they're needed. Of course, everything needs to be connected with Ethernet cable, but this is the price of the best performance.

So, no, there is no ultimate "wireless router", but what you're really looking for is the ultimate network.

Edit: Part of having the ultimate network is only using Wi-Fi where necessary. Anything that stays put should use Ethernet whenever possible. And it's possible more often than you think, this adapter can connect lots of devices that you'd think are Wi-Fi only to Ethernet.

Try this one: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG108-8-Port-1000Mbps-Desktop/dp/B00A121WN6/

Picked up this 8 port unmanaged switch from TP-Link for 14.99 instead of the normal 39.99.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zImlDbAH101TG

Get this:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

or the cheaper 5 port option if money is an issue. You do not want a hub, you want an unmanaged gigabit switch. Run a cable from your router to the switch and then you can run multiple LAN connections off this switch and your router will give out IP's just like it being plugged into the router.

You don't have to do top tier everything for a homelab.

Most people will never need managed switches, much less Cisco branded stuff. TP-Link makes competent and reasonably priced dumb switches.

For the router, I used to run pfSense on a custom PC build (~$300 about 6 years ago) but I'm already familiar with enterprise router settings and found all the features I could want in a consumer grade Asus router. At the end of the day, port forwarding, WiFi and OpenVPN are everything I'd ever want it to do. I can offload any heavy lifting or advanced features to my server.

If you're not looking to be super fancy, here's a simple homelab setup:

• Asus AC86U Router: $170.14
  
• 24 port TP-Link Switch: $89.99
  
• 8 port TP-Link Switch: $19.99
  
• 2 Bay Synology Diskstation: $166.87
  
• Dell PowerEdge R710 Server: $209.95
  
  You can swap up or down based on needs but the router does all the basic stuff most people will need it to do. The 24 port switch should be more than enough as the primary switch for most people. The 8 port switch is great for secondary locations. The diskstation can handle your backups and cloud storage and is a nice balance of convenience and price. The R710 server can handle Plex, NAS duties and probably some light duty VMs.
  
  The big add-on expense will be the hard drives, of course. You could probably get by shucking the 10TB easystore drives to save a bit.
  
  I use a custom built server (Xeon E3-1231 v3 @ 3.4GHz, 16 GB RAM, built around 2012 and upgraded the CPU a few years ago) and have never owned a R710 myself, so I can't say much on the actual limits of what you can do with it. That said, I'm suddenly really tempted to grab a R710 to use as network storage because I've reached the limit of my current server. The biggest weakness I see in the R710 is the CPU isn't too beefy but its still decent given the sheer number of (8)cores/(16)threads. Plex and less demanding game servers are probably the limit of what it can handle but it should easily handle a number of less demanding VMs.
  
  Anyways, as a starter setup, this should more than satisfy most people.

If you want a affordable gigabit setup with Ubiquiti just run this setup.

• USG $110
  
• Unifi AP AC Lite $80
  
• TP-Link 8 Port Unmanaged Switch $25
  
• 1000' cat 5e $85
  
• 24 port patch panel $19
  
  If you don't have a gigabit connection you can swap out the USG for an ER-X which will knock off $50 but if you have the $50 to spend I would suggest staying with the USG so all your managed products are on the Unifi admin interface. You can also save some money by going with 500' of cat 5e if you don't need the full 1k foot spool.

Eh, without knowing the router, I can't tell you that. The quickest and easiest, plus best performance, would be to just slap in a Gig switch, plug that into the actiontec, and plug your clients into the switch. Then the wired clients get Gig lan amongst themselves, and only drop to 10/100 when going wired-to-wireless or wired-to-internet.

Something like this would be fine for you http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00006RVPW&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Z8KMTZGGRKVQ055QS7G

I can't tell for sure from the photos, but that cable is probably at least CAT5e or better, which is just fine for 1GB ethernet in the house.

You need to cut off the phone jacks and install CAT5e or better RJ-45 jacks with a punch down tool. Do this conversion at every place where you want network. Then in the basement you need to punch down the other end of each cable separately to a CAT5e or better patch panel. Then you need to run short CAT5e or better patch cords from the patch panel to an Ethernet switch. Finally you need to connect your router to the switch, either directly, or through one of the network jacks you installed in the house.

Get an unmanaged switch. That's the only way I've found to do it when I was there.
https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=unmanaged+switch&qid=1571187194&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-3

Uhm, none of the above? Yeah none of the above. It looks like you are looking to spend around $200-230 for your networking gear, which is fine, we can work with that!

• Router: Ubiquiti Edgerouter X normally $50 but appears to be $60 right now. Get fucked I guess.
  
• Switch: TP-Link switch $25
  
• Access Point: Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-Pro $130
  
  Total is around $210
  
  Now here is the thing with this setup. You will mount your access point on the ceiling as close to the center of your home as you can. It will give you much better coverage than the netgear setups, as well as a far more mature and stable access point. If in the future you decide you need better coverage still you can just buy a second one and hook it up, make sure to wire it back into the switch as well. The access point comes with a PoE injector so you only need to run a single line to it.
  
  You are buying gear for your business, buy business grade gear :) Especially because it costs you the same anyway.
  
  

Assuming you don't need PoE (as you didn't mention it), the two 'best' for your situation are likely the TP-Link SG108 or Netgear ProSafe GS108UK. Both are unmanaged 8 port gigabit switches with metal enclosures (for longevity and passive heat transfer).

They perform similarly - that is, very well with full 8x 2Gbps = 16Gbps backplane. Personally, although I do have the TP-Link due to a special offer I took advantage of, I'd actually recommend the Netgear.

The TP-Link has cheap no-name capacitors on its board, which will give up sooner rather than later (all caps dry out eventually). Amazingly the Netgear has no caps at all. Literally there's nothing to go wrong on the thing; by rights it should last practically forever. I'll be replacing my TP-Links with them when the time comes.

You could do 3 sets of these to throw data around the park, for 6 units total. 3 would be mounted on your main building:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-NanoStation-Dedicated-Management-NS-5ACL-US/dp/B078NN1J4K

Then 4 of these, 1 in the main building, 3 in the corners of the park:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-M-US-Unifi-Access-Point/dp/B01N9FIELY

If you still have dead spots to fill in, you would add in more Unifi Mesh AP's, and use the wireless uplink mode. If you do that I'd suggest swapping in a Mesh Pro to improve capacity for that cell.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-M-PRO-US-Unifi-Access-Point/dp/B01N1VMBUR

The idea is to avoid using the Unifi wireless uplink mode as it cuts down the capacity of that cell. Uplinking multiple times really hurts a lot, especially with many hungry clients. Start with a solid foundation, and stretch out the installation only where necessary.

I'd top it all off with a USG and a cheap 8 port switch

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Security-Gateway-USG/dp/B00LV8YZLK

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

You'll also want a cloudkey to manage the Unifi computers, or consider loading the controller software on a PC. And don't forget to buy 6 gigabit 24v PoE injectors for the nanostations, or 3 of these and a 4 port 24v gigabit midspan injector:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-POE-24-0-5A-Gigabit-Port/dp/B00NAENDX4

Please just buy one of these for $18 and avoid the hassle

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My system is

Modem -> Google Wifi -> switch - > (multiple computers/tv/game systems) -> switch -> (more computers) -> Google Wifi puck #2

And this works great

This switch:

TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_05sRDbSE5KCBN

a lot of /u/mz-s s information is incorrect.

first, 5e will do gigabit all day, every day. though price isnt a significant factor between 6a and 5e, 5e is going to be less expensive and easier to terminate. 6a is primarily used for 10GigE in datacenters, and you are unlikely to see any benefit from it in your home.

second, to set up multiple devices you need one run for gigabit (over 5e) to all of them. set up a cheap gigabit switch that /u/arizonalad suggests (should be <40$, ex: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG108-1000Mbps-Desktop-Gigabit/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1450427438&sr=1-4&keywords=gigabit+switch) in your media center and you can provide data to basically as many devices as youd like.

none of the devices you mentioned require anything more than gigabit (most of them would be perfectly happy with 100mbit).

one of OPs points is right - dont run only what you need. run at least one more, with an accompanying string if possible. youre not likely to need it, but youd rather have it than not.

Thanks! It's a TP-Link TL-SG108 unmamaged 8 port gigabit switch ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-SG1024D-24-Port-Rackmount-Unmanaged/dp/B00A121WN6/ ) it's a fairly good cheap gigabit switch. I have a few unmanaged gigabit switches from different companies and I've found them to all be fairly similar I usually just go for whatever recognisable brand is the cheapest on Amazon at the time

This is the one I'm using -- works great. :)

My solution to the PS4's lackluster wireless card is one of these and about 100ft of Cat6 cable.

I'd recommend getting an unmanaged switch because you still want the eero to be the brains.

This one works great:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nope! They use Zigbee. You can find one of the threads with handlers and pairing instructions here. Although poke around a bit to make sure it's the most current, it's been a while since I loaded my handlers.

In several months I haven't seen any of my Xiaomi door sensors or motion detectors drop. I have seen 1 of my 2 Magic Cube's drop, however I think that may have been during a SmartThings outage and/or my doing.

If you get them connected and you do experience dropping, there's a good chance you may need to extend your Zigbee network with a repeater. The Iris Smart Plug works really well.

Also, you can add more LAN ports to your Google WiFi. Just purchase a 10/100/1000 Gigabit Switch and connect any port to any of the LAN ports on your Google WiFi. Move your Hue, ST or Energenie over to the switch and you'll have extra space.

Here is an example of a small cheap switch that would work well.

A switch is basically a port splitter. A decent dumb switch can be had for between $10-30 for 5 port options (depending on what you're looking for and if you get a good deal) and 15-35 for an 8 port version.


8 ports for 22 if you don't want to search. It won't do PoE but you might not need that.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/


At a high level, plug any free port on the ERX into the switch and the switch will then "give" the ERX more ports - though two devices, both attached to the switch don't necessarily need to push (most of their) data to the router since there'd be a direct path.

A switch and some cheap color coded cables! Made network setup a breeze.

Folding tables/chairs make setup and breakdown easy. Set up an extra for snacks/drinks.

Put a small cheap waste basket at each table to keep tables clean and clear.

Velcro Strips keep cables tidy at the lan or the battlestation as well as keeping them from tangling in your bag.

This is going to be very dependent on how deep into the weeds you want to be getting with your setup. We've got one key, being "needs to do gigabit internet". Another is you seem to be looking for gigabit/AC wireless. You also mention needing an AP on the far side of the house.

Do you expect that the router will have wifi capabilities on it's own? Some of the options that I know will handle gigabit throughput don't have built-in wireless.

The "easy" answer - meaning, if you just want good stuff that works well enough and don't want to learn all there is to know about networking before you get your LAN running - is to go with Ubiquiti gear. An EdgeRouter Lite will do gigabit for your router (as long as you don't get fancy, like trying to do QoS/rate shaping) for about $90.

You would then need at least one AP to handle the wireless, for which a UAP-AC-Lite would probably work okay - that's about $80.

For getting the ball rolling, just about any 8 port "dumb" switch would do, but you can get a TP-Link TL-SG108 gigabit switch for $30 on Amazon right now. You'd almost certainly want to replace that eventually, but it won't be useless and it's a good price.

Eventually you could look at getting a 16 port Ubiquiti switch and another AP or two if you have a large area to cover, and there's options for unified configuration setups I believe.

If you really want to get snazzy, spring for the Unifi Security Gateway which is the same hardware as the EdgeRouter Lite, but works with the Unifi controller software. Get that, as many APs as you need, and a Unifi switch and you can (eventually) run a VM for your Unifi controller to configure all of it through one, locally controlled web page.

Don't worry about the number of ports on the router. You should get a switch to provide the ethernet ports that you need. A perfectly good 8-port gigabit switch is like $20. example

For the router and APs, in your budget, you could get a Unifi security gateway ($140) and 2 Unifi UAP-AC-Lites ($70 each). That would be a super capable and very easy to manage set up. It's possible to go cheaper on the router, like using a EdgeRouter-X ($60) instead of the USG, which is perfectly capable for home use, but not as smooth to configure as the Unifi line.

http://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Cat-5e-Waterproof-Outdoor-Underground/dp/B0092TJ4K2/

http://www.amazon.com/EZ-Bridge-2-4GHz-Outdoor-Wireless-System/dp/B004EI0F0O

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG108-1000Mbps-Desktop-Gigabit/dp/B00A121WN6/

honestly you have a 5506 and you don't have a switch to attach to it? What is an unmanaged switch going to cost you that would have the same amount of ports that the 5506 is going to provide you, $25? What is 25 bux when you have already invested 400 or so into a firewall, you time researching and configuring will be worth more than that $25 switch. can't do etherchannel unless you have a switch/device on the other end that also supports etherchannel/lacp.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496271784&sr=8-3&keywords=10+port+switch

Agree with u/RedSyringe, the powerline adaptors will be the bottleneck. If you want the best setup for gaming replace the powerline adaptors with cable if possible.

Switches:
TPLink
Netgear

that is spot on your issue, two different subnets. You need to let one or the other device be "master" for simpler terms.

​

see if you can put the ISP modem/router combo into something called bridge mode. google your ISP and the model number of the unit along with "bridge mode" to get more detailed instructions. This will basically neuter the routing and DHCP that the ISP unit it trying to do right now. It should only get a WAN IP address from your ISP and pass that on to your Asus router. Now you just make sure that your Asus router is set to DHCP for the WAN. Now all clients will get their addresses from the Asus and will be on the same subnet.

​

You may need to unplug any devices from the ISP device and plug them into the Asus for them to work. If you don't have enough ports just pick up a cheap 8 port switch to take care of your wired clients.

if you just need more ports just get this.

full gigabit (vs 10/100 on the 3560s), 8 ports which is plenty for what most people do, doesn't use a fuck load of power, and it's like ~23 after shipping

I agree with getting a gigabit one (it used to be a premium option, but these days it's so cheap to get so you might as well spend an extra pound or two). That said, that particular netgear is kind of costly for what you get. You could just as well get this 8 port gigabit netgear for 21 GBP or this 8 port gigabit TP-Link model for 22 (18 if you get the plastic version).

Kudos on thinking ahead on this kind of stuff.

It's a more "advanced" router / firewall but the Mikrotik equipment is very powerful, especially for how much it costs. It's not a router common in a home setting, but lots of ISP's use the higher end models for the backbone of their networks.

This will outperform any off the shelf router you can buy at the stores:
https://www.amazon.com/Mikrotik-RB750Gr3-5-port-Ethernet-Gigabit/dp/B01MSUMVUB/

Since you have a month before the event this would give you time to get familiar with the router and make any changes you need.

The router doesn't have wireless, but my suggestion is to always use a separate AP for wireless anyways. Get a Unifi AP::

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/

Now your thinking "I said there's going to be 6-8 people, and that router only has 4 lan ports!" Correct, you should use a switch:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

The main benefit of running all these things separate from each other is you don't have to have them central to your gaming. The router can stay with the modem and just 1 cable has to run out to the switch.

Now if you are going to do this more often or want higher end gear, let me know and i'll offer up a different set of suggestions.

We use TP-Link metal cased switches for our smaller stuff and they work just fine and are pretty cheap. https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/

I have 5 machines all running simultaneously. Do you have a network switch? You'll need a network switch. This is the ONE I use.

They're pretty cheap here, and here.

If you need ethernet port space just get this. Bluetooth is 100% not intended to replace the hub. Bluetooth only has a certain range between you and the bulbs. When you use the hub the bulbs act as zigbee repeaters and create a mesh so they all keep working.

That guy is just trying to upsell you. Switches are designed exactly for that scenario, three switches are not too many. I have six and I have NEVER had an issue.

However, I would say that it is infinitely easier and cheaper to run lines before the drywall goes up. Run lines and ports to places you MAY think you want a port. In your case, I would put one on each end of each bedroom, two in the living room, and two in the lower level, then put the central wiring in your master closet. That's where it typically goes so you can hide the wiring in something like this and it will looks nice and tidy.

That's 10 ports, which may seem like a lot, but nothing is forcing you to connect them all at once. An 8 Port Switch like this one is extremely cheap and will keep everything nice and tidy.

Those adapters exist however they are for connecting to a computer USB port to allow computers without ethernet jacks the ability to be wired into a network, the computer itself would have a driver installed so it can understand what device is plugged in and what to do with the data its given.

A network switch would not lose you any speed at all, especially a gigabit one such as this from amazon

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-SG108-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502674051&sr=8-4&keywords=network+switch+gigabit

quite literally plug a cable from the switch to the routers ethernet port, then all your other wired devices go into the switch

as a side note 7ms ping is 7 milliseconds, it's something that isn't noticable unless you need a really low ping(competitive gaming, some voip usage etc)

Like this one?

I plug my main line into slot 1 and it goes across the others?

Asuming you are in the USA.

Something like this https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6 will help.

I've been using this one (as well as a smaller 4 port version) and has handled my gigabit service well.

Like u/washu_k mentioned, a patch panel would be the best solution so the cables don't get damaged from moving things around. If you do decide to crimp this ends into RJ-45 connectors you can use this image to determine how the wires should be placed. You'll also need to buy a crimping tool. They're fairly easy to use but you may want to practice on a small patch cable first.

​

https://showmecables-static.scdn3.secure.raxcdn.com/media/wysiwyg/RJ45-Pinout-T568A.jpg

​

If you're only goes to have a few devices connected to the switch a small 8 port switch would work. They're only slightly more than a 5 port switch and gives you 3 more ports for future expansion. Assuming you just want to connect all computers to the same network, an unmanaged switch is a good choice. The one below should be a good choice for simple home use.

​

https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=8+port+switch&qid=1551299690&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

Get a network switch and enjoy more ports.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG105/dp/B00A128S24/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=network+switch&qid=1551359221&s=gateway&sr=8-3

or

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG105/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=network%2Bswitch&qid=1551359221&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1

if you need more ports

It's possible not all 8 of the wires are making proper contact.

Networks try and be resilient: if there's a blockade, try and route around it, if there's a network cable problem, try and use what you do have left.

Cat 5e has 8 wires. To get full 1000mbit/s speeds, you need all 8 of those intact and working to spec. If you're missing one or several, the speed will fall down to 100mbit/s or slower.

A simple cable tester like this only costs a few bucks and is absolutely vital when running your own network cable.

More than once, I've dealt with contractors (I'm a sysadmin) who check to make sure that a network drop is working simply by plugging a laptop into one end and a switch (which is usually already present) on the other, and see if it connects. More than once, I've given them a simple cable tester like that, after showing them that the local network only supported 100mbit/s (instead of 1000mbit/s) because e.g. only 7 of the 8 wires were making proper contact.

Alternatively, it's possible that the "bridged router" (whatever the fuck that is) has issues. Why not just get a simple gigabit switch (like this) if you want to connect the cables?

By the way, if you're worried about the cable being too long (100m is the absolute hard limit, according to the spec), just put a simple switch halfway, that'll reset that limit, in this case giving you e.g. a 40m cable and a 60m cable, either of which are fine.

If there are no problems with your cables, you should have zero packet loss. If you're staying within spec (no cables longer than 100m) and your cable isn't broken anyway and the plugs are connected properly, you should have zero packet loss. Especially when staying on your own network (e.g. pinging the router or another (wired) computer in the same house.

You all need to get an ethernet switch. Most of you play near your computer or in a place where a computer is and "complain" about there not being any additional connections available. Now "switch" your fucking attitude and get a ethernet switch.

One Switch

Two Switch

Black Switch

White Switch

PS. I hate you all

hey, the gigabit switch is currently brand new going for $25 bucks on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EFGrzb9DSR7D4

good luck!

I bought this switch to go along with my OnHub: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6.

I have the Hue bridge plugged into it as well as some other Ethernet devices. Works great.

Got it - thanks.

Would something as simple as this TP-Link Gigabit Unmanaged Switch connected to the main WiFi router work just fine without causing any latency or lag for any of the other WiFi points? Or does it matter what kind of switch we get?

You want to use normal cables. You won't be using any crossover cables.

Do yourself a favor and dispose of that 10/100 switch. You cannot run multiple cables from your router to your switch to increase bandwidth. It doesn't work that way.

Get a cheap gigabit switch to start out. Here is a cheap unmanaged one: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1492988761&sr=1-4&keywords=gigabit+switch

Ensure your ASUS router is in AP mode, so that it won't be doing routing.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-8-Port-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B07PFYM5MZ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=NETGEAR+8-Port+Gigabit+Ethernet+Unmanaged+Switch+%28GS308%29+-+Desktop%2C+Sturdy+Metal+Fanless+Housing&qid=1568396836&s=gateway&sr=8-1

​

I use this

​

edit: I use this one as well: https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=TP-Link+TL-SG108+8-Port+10%2F100%2F1000Mbps+Desktop+Gigabit+Steel+Cased+Switch%2C+IEEE+802.1p+QoS%2C+Up+to+72%25+Power+Saving&qid=1568396966&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Another user posted a 5-port,bbut i would recommend an 8-port since you lose a port to the cable linking back to your router and you don't want to daisy chain a bunch of these if you run out of ports again

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3dwIDbYY32K6K

Here are a few options. Any basic gigabit switch should be fine. I am not sure how many ports you want, but all of the options come in different versions with different number of ports.

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Unmanaged-Gigabit-GREENnet-TEG-S80g/dp/B001QUA6RA/

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG1008D/dp/B001EVGIYG/

Why not get a 8 port switch [like this DLink](TP-Link 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Desktop Switch (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_p69JybQ01JRN6) that would give you more ports and possibly take stuff off wifi that doesn't need to be

Need a 8 port switch since my router doesn't have enough ports. Will I have any problems with this?

I am using this switch as a central point in my smart box for all the ethernet connections. It should be gigabit.

The ATT modem is wired directly to the switch and sits in the smart box. The Gateway Eero is connected to the switch but in another room using the Cat5e wire the builders used.

Like I said in OP the Eero app is reporting 700-800Mbps internet speeds but it seems like the eero itself isn't pushing that out.

My next test is to completely remove Eero from the network and test wired performance around the house.

So as an update, my USG came in, and I ran to the local store and bought the following 8 port gigabit switch:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A121WN6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493831549&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=tp+link+8+port+gigabit+switch&dpPl=1&dpID=41bzptIAXoL&ref=plSrch

At this point over Ethernet I'm getting ~650mbps down and ~900mbps up.

~250 down / ~300 up over wifi in close proximity

The up seems fine over Ethernet but the down seems low. Assuming it's probably configuration somewhere, any suggestions on steps to troubleshoot ?

Great, thanks!

What is the point of the 5 dangling coax cables in the panel?

​

So, I'm thinking of.. having one of the coax cables run into a modem.

And the ethernet from the modem goes to this router:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0144R449W/

And from that router, I have wires that connect to each of those black ethernet plugs (refer to panel in original post) corresponding to the outlets in each of the different rooms I have.

Then, from the living room media center room, I can have a switch from that port:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6

Which will then connect to all my devices and a wireless access point.

​

Would that work? The router and switch part is a bit confusing to me, so I might be thinking of this totally wrong.

The 8 port is on sale for $16 when you click the little coupon thing. Might just grab one for the heck of it.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A121WN6/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In my case, I have the main AT&T Modem plugged into my OnHub (or GWifi puck in your case) to one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This switch feeds all the machines in my office.

I also have another one connected to the farthest OnHub (in your case GWifi puck) in my bonus room to connect my Smart 4K TV, my XBox 360 S, PS3, etc.

Unfortunately I don't have the pre-wired "hardware points" to leverage the ethernet backhaul, but it still will let me get 250/300mbps speeds just via the mesh network to anything connected to the switch in the bonus room.

This one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00A121WN6

This doesn't have an upload, so any 1-8 is fine I'm guessing.

I think we will try doing a setup similar to this one. Our house is a way more spread out single floor house, with a room above the garage. As much as I want to do a plug and play consumer "router", I think this will honestly work out better for us in the long run as far as coverage goes. I thought the AP AC Pro would be better though for throughput on the AC band, according to their site.
What are your thoughts on that?

Also, this is the switch I was looking at: [Switch] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER)

Edit: We have gotten as far as running Cat6 to all the walls that will have need for Ethernet. It is [pure copper cable] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F7UV0GK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
Also, when you said not to put RJ45 plugs in them, you were talking about going into a coupler in the wall? We were planning on keystone jacks already, just didn't know what you meant by that part. :D

OP needs one that passes ethernet as well for his desktop. Alternatively you could connect a switch to the wall and then both the desktop and wireless AP to the switch.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6?pldnSite=1

EDIT: His first link doubles as a wired AP so that's also a solution. Tagging /u/theyra54 so you see

I used this one - same thing, similar vendor, more ports. You always need one more port than you have.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a XB6 modem from Comcast. I haven't been able to find specs on it, but there's no external power brick and it says on the bottom 115v ~ 1.1A

TP Link Archer C9 and 8 Port Switch

It'd be nice to be able to get at least 2-3 hours with wifi on just so it would work without having to go and turn off the wifi, but the main thing is keeping the modem up so the phone works, so it depends how much battery time the wifi uses. If it's unrealistic to get that kind of run time with wifi on then I'd only use it to back-up the modem.

Nope, the other orientation is just too short.
It's sounds stupid but I think that needs to be the course of action. I'm just worried about the overheating when I stack them on top
Also, I wouldn't worry about tv cables, come to think of it, as tv comes over the network anyway for me.

So my shopping list is something like that:

https://www.amazon.com/Eleidgs-5-5x2-1mm-Female-Lights-Camera/dp/B01N05C85K/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=dc+y+cable&qid=1556370092&s=gateway&sr=8-3

2 x https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=TL-SG1008D&qid=1556370937&s=gateway&sr=8-3

plus some mounting equipment. I would assume something U-shape like this |____| where two switches fit inside of the sides and on top of eachother sideways

well that is another problem you probably don't want to get into either (re: double natting).

A simple Ethernet Switch is what you want, but somehow you managed to get a "pro" unmanaged/managed switch.

This other model from TP-Link would be just fine:

https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/8-port-switch/tl-sg108/

and it's only $20 on Amazon

https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?crid=35QIR5NGP8QFB&keywords=8+port+gigabit+switch&qid=1555474439&s=gateway&sprefix=8+port%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-3

Why is that switch so expensive compared to, say, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_aJYWzbZZC4CYV ?

This is the switch that I use https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6 TP-Link is a great brand. This link allows you to select between 8, 16, and 24 ports. Choose the one with enough ports for your house (I recommend rounding up if unsure).

For a router, get something with 5.0 GHz AC capability. Here's a good TP-Link one: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Gigabit-Archer-C3150/dp/B01AK9TC0Y

By the way, we're not supposed to recommend products on this sub, but I'm doing it anyway.

You mention occasionally losing zones. I have over a dozen speakers and I almost never lose a speaker. Like maybe once a year, one speaker will stop responding and drop off of the network necessitating a power cycle. Like you, I have a single Playbar hard wired with the rest all running in SonosNet/Boost mode (I don't actually have a Boost, it's just what they call it now.) Because of the number of speakers I've got, I think I've got a pretty good mesh going on which might explain the relative stability I experience.

I'm thinking you may want to consider using the Boost but placing it somewhere central to the device(s) that drop and the Playbar, if possible.

Also, if your router is out of ports, you can just add an unmanaged switch to add more. They're fairly inexpensive. https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Lifetime-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/

Any recommendations? I see a couple in the $20-25 range. Are those acceptable


Edit: like this https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-SG108-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502674051&sr=8-4&keywords=network+switch+gigabit

Fair enough. If you can't wait until then you should be able to find a good Gigabit switch for around $20. Here's a switch similar to the one I'm using.

Do you recommend this one?
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG105/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1481837142&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=gigabit%2Bswitch&th=1

Since I already would use one port for the ethernet cable I already have running through my TWC router, I would have 7 ports left..there is also a 5 gigabit switch from the same company
There is also this one
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG1005D/dp/B000N99BBC/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1481837142&sr=1-6&keywords=gigabit+switch
Now as far as the ethernet cables I will need to get for the TV/Consoles..is Cat 6 recommended right now I only have super old ones

TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fisQAbGDCJHZ2

As the others are saying, get a pic of the terminations and ensure that they are all RJ45 if they are smaller, they are RJ11 (phone).

Once that is validated, you can get something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=twister_B06XDLVVF6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 to connect all your cables and 1 port remaining for you to use as "uplink " to your ISP.

Good find. They also have a 8 port gigabit switch for $20. Had to pick one up at that price.

Can't you just keep your current router and a switch?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A121WN6/

Each cable is for each room would this work You need to cut off the phone jacks and install CAT5e or better RJ-45 jacks with a punch down tool. Do this conversion at every place where you want network. Then in the basement you need to punch down the other end of each cable separately to a CAT5e or better patch panel. Then you need to run short CAT5e or better patch cords from the patch panel to an Ethernet switch. Finally you need to connect your router to the switch, either directly, or through one of the network jacks you installed in the house.

I'm using this as a switch and this as an AP. Yeah the modem is connected to the WAN/Internet port of the router. And for Twitch streaming, I use an application called OBS Studio that lets me see frames lost during a stream. Sometimes it will be 5-10% frames dropped, sometimes more. It also shows me the bitrate during the stream and I have it set to 3500 bitrate right now, but sometimes it drops to 1000-2000 and has either really bad quality or drops frames.

• Switch wise, any gigabit port is fine - try this, or this which is what i have. They're unmanaged so no config is needed, just plug and play. Try to ensure your PC is using a gigabit port if possible. a card is only a tenner or so if not, and its worth the upgrade from 100meg.
  
• For the storage system, a good bet is a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device. You can make one from a spare PC and using software like FreeNAS (I do), or you can buy a dedicate one (something like this )
  
• Does your telly support upnp? if so, that might be all you need. If not you might want to buy a low power tiny PC like this, and install Kodi on it. Its a Linux OS thats based around an old Xbox media player, and its excellent. Failing that, you could buy a chromecast to stream from your PC to your telly.
  

You don't need another router, what you need is a switch. Get an 8-port unmanaged switch, they go for less than half of that router..

modem, router, both which I have purchased. Switch I have not purchased yet. I am not 100% sure on the capabilities of them all.

About the switch, it does seem to not be supposed to last long. I found this comparison but I'm not sure how trustworthy it is, the guy seems to know what he's talking about http://www.michaelstechtips.com/three-8-port-gigabit-unmanaged-switches-reviewed-netgear-prosafe-gs108-vs-netgear-gs308-vs-tp-link-tl-sg108/ he recommends the TP-Link SG108 over the GS108 for home use, and says the design of the GS308 will probably make the capacitors break pretty fast. This is the one he recommends [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6] and it's well reviewed and cheaper than the 308. What do you think? The AP was plugged into the edgerouter because I wanted to set up a guest wifi (still password protected of course) on a vlan, but i'm not going to get a managed switch with vlans. How much impact do you think it could have? I read somewhere, and it may be completely wrong, that the ER-X is a switch with routing added rather than a router with a switch added, which is why it's so cheap for its performance.

Get an HP NC364T and install it in the server for more ports, and/or get a switch like this one and connect it to your server to convert one LAN port into 7 (you can get a used larger/rackmount switch from eBay for cheap if you need even more ports)

The post from /u/dcwrite has a link to BestBuy for a switch.

When buying a switch, get anything, just look for something that says "gigabit" or "10/100/1000". Count the number of connections you have in the closet and get a switch that has the same number or greater ports.

Here is one on amazon for a nice price -> https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/

> an ethernet cable running from the router to the wall

Is that the only cable connected to your router? What make/model is your router?

The HDMI extender will likely use one of the cat6 cables. It may have terminals for 1 cat6 (8 conductors) cable on a terminal strip, or it may have an 8p8c socket to receive an RJ-45 connector.

If it has an RJ-45 socket, terminate one of the cat6 cables using an RJ-45 connector on each end appropriate to the conductor type (stranded like speaker wire vs. solid like Romex). The conductor type will be written on the cable jacket, or will be visible if you strip a bit of insulator from one of the eight conductors inside. You'll need a crimping tool. Using the wrong type of RJ-45 connector (solid vs stranded) may lead to reliability issues.

The order of the solid/striped coloured conductors matters. You'll probably want to terminate the cable as a straight through ethernet cable (pick one of the two standards, T-568A or T-568B and stick with it), but check the extender's manual to see if it expects something odd, like a cross-over cable. If the extender did not come with a printed manual, Google the model number for a manual for configuration and other details.

One of the two parts of the extender might be labelled as needing to be connected to the HDMI source (your receiver in the closet), even though HDMI is supposed to be bi-directional. The extender ends will likely also need power.

In your closet, connect the receiver to the transmitting end of the extender using an HDMI cable of the required specifications. Behind your TV, connect the TV to the receiving end of the extender using another HDMI cable.

The other cat6 cable will be to deliver Internet access to your TV via ethernet to your wired home network. Terminate each end using an RJ-45 connector as above, as a straight through ethernet cable. Connect the TV end to the TV, and the other end to your broadband router, DSL/cable modem, or network switch. The broadband router might be located in a different area of your home (through some in-wall cat6). There may be a network switch in your closet which also distributes Internet access to your receiver, Xbox, etc. If your TV has Wi-Fi and your signal is strong, you may not need to use this second ethernet cable for smart TV functions, but a wired connection tends to be more reliable than a wireless connection.

Find where all the ethernet wall terminations come together. Once you find that put a switch (8 port, or 16 port) there and patch each one in. If they aren't currently terminated or patched, you may need to hire someone to come and do it for you. Then it's just a matter of plugging on of the ports on your router to one of the ports on the switch. After that all ethernet ports throughout the house would become live.

> Why metal chassis?

Aside from the fact that you don't have to worry about this yellowing issue, you mean?

Well, there's also the fact that, because it's a pain in the ass to work with, electronic devices with metal chassis tend to be more similar to rectangular prisms, which is better industrial design because then you can stack things on top of them. Compare this metal ethernet switch to the equivalent plastic one, for example. (I would have preferred to use a router as an example instead of a switch because there's even more gratuitous bullshit, including ones you can't even wall-mount or put flat against a surface(!!!), but it's too hard to find a metal-chassis one to compare against.)

Not to mention, it's often the case that I just like the aesthetic of metal better (e.g. in the case of electronics, metal is often more professional/industrial looking). And not just for electronics: I'm also generally a fan of mid-century-modern design, and since most kinds of plastics hadn't been developed commercially yet (except for Bakelite), most products back then were metal. Because design is subject to the limitations (and advantages) of the medium, today's plastic products would have a hard time replicating that look/feel even if they tried.

Consider a Radio Flyer stamped-steel wagon, for instance: the rolled edge of the body was easy to grip tightly for a kid riding in it (or an adult picking it up), the steel made a satisfying clang when you dumped rocks into it, and it had a strongly-horizontal, lithe look. In comparison, a plastic wagon has convex sides that are probably easier to manufacture but harder to grip, surely makes a dull thud when stuff is dumped in it, and just looks thick and bulky compared to the metal version. (Note: I suspect that the difference in noise is not only due to the material properties of steel vs. plastic, but also the geometric fact that stamped steel uses embossing or corrugation to increase the strength of panels, while injection-molded plastic uses ribs instead: the varying thickness of the latter probably deadens the reverb more.) Moreover, the versatility of plastic tempted the designer to add a bunch of extraneous bullshit like a big depression/footwell in the middle, fold-down seat backs, and even fucking cupholders (which you can see in this photo)! The result is that the horizontalness is destroyed and it just looks like a bulbous mess.

Granted, that plastic wagon is probably objectively superior to the classic steel design, in the sense that it won't rust (give or take the axles) when left out in the rain and appears safer and more comfortable for kids to sit in. But even then, the steel design is better because it's worse! The fact that the steel design affords not only the ability to grip the edge, but the need to as well because the sides are low and you're riding more on top of it than in it, creates the opportunity for experiences that the plastic design precludes. If I were a kid planning to ride one down a hill, I know which design I'd pick! In short, if all wagons were plastic, this would not exist.

Finally, I don't know why -- maybe its survivor bias, maybe it's the fact that steel has more heft than plastic, or maybe it's (as you mentioned) simply because it costs more -- but I feel like most products seem more high-quality if they're made out of metal. I guess it's probably mostly the latter reason, because the same phenomenon applies to e.g. hardwood floors in houses: they seem upscale now in comparison to cheap nylon carpet or vinyl laminate, but the reason oak strip flooring is so common in old houses is because it was the cheapest flooring available at the time. Heck, maybe it isn't even the higher-cost itself, but merely the signal that picking a higher-cost material conveys: implying that the designer is optimizing for quality instead of cheapness.

Normal unmanaged or "dumb" switches are pretty much interchangeable regardless of brand. Here is a link to a basic TP-LINK 8 port. If you have more than 8 cables to connect you can get the 16 port on the same page. You can also get another brand if you don't like TP-LINK.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/

> How do I make sure which one goes where?

Unless the cables are labeled you pretty much need to use trial and error or get a tone kit. However for a home setup like yours just get a switch with enough ports and plug them all in, then they should all work even if you don't use them.

you mean like....just hooking 8 switch to an 8 port gigabit switch?

Like this one: https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-TL-SG108-1000Mbps-Desktop-Gigabit/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486851039&sr=8-3&keywords=8+port+gigabit+switch

Trendnet one /u/wiburgess suggested is good; I'm using these as I have two locations that have my house wiring https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

One switch, three Ethernet cables. One from wall to switch (sometimes there is a dedicated and labeled “uplink” port, usually any port will do.), and one each from the switch to the tv and the computer.

This one is decent and is overkill with 8 ports, but is cheaper than the 5 port version right now.

So as others have said, 1000 Mbps is 125 MBps (realistically less, around 105 MBps). 100Mbps switches can only transfer a little over 10MBps which isn't much and can be exceeded by large 1080p files (not evening mentioning large 4K). If you are streaming files and plex files I would recommend 1000 Mbps. Even if a single item isn't saturating it, if you have more than one device or are streaming a 1080p while gaming or moving a file, downloading from the web, etc, you are screwed. Also your internet might be faster than 100 Mbps. Another reality check: a 10GB file (lets say a medium grade 1080p movie rip) would take over 16 minutes with 100 Mbps while it would take 1000 Mbps less than 2 minutes.

​

I see a lot of recommendations here for good grade, managed switches but unless you are needing a managed switch, you can get small, cheap gigabit switches for $15-40 for 5-8 port. Here's a well rated TP Link for $16. TP Link and other brands also has a soft managed switches for cheap if you need a couple of managed features (not sure of the specifics but a few features like VLAN).

Pretty much anything 8 or more port and gigabit for unmanaged will work

This would be fine

TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/Shielded Ports |Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zwQCCb7KA0MQ7

doubt it. phones can plug into cat5 jacks. they're backwards compatible so to speak. you can't run internet on them, but you can run voice. it's rapidly becoming the standard to simply use cat5 jacks everywhere. can you unscrew one and take a picture? i would be willing to bet all of your wires are punched down to those 2splitters and bridged together. You could easily replace them with a couple of these and use some of these to connect to one of these and rewire the jacks in using RJ 45 T568-b standard or follow this video a quick toolkit will cost about 20-35 and since you've already got the wiring and parts should be pretty cheap. make sure that if you're no longer using the landline to pull the wire from the box to the Network interface for the phones. (unless it's DSL). may want to add a shelf underneath the media panel, although i've seen some creative people tuck a shitload of stuff into those media panels and it look quite nice. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions.

Edit: you can use one of these to quickly and easily trace out if all of those wires end in that cabinet or if some of them ARE going somewhere else. If they are I would check attic areas and other panels around the house. POSSIBLY they terminate outside, but doubt it since your Network interface box is in the basement.

Something like this:

TP-Link 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Steel Desktop Switch (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RfXfzbYQS2FC6

> what's the solution to modem only having one Ethernet slot for the router?

Buy a simple Ethernet switch (also much cheaper models available but that one's a classic).

>was also wondering if a Power Network Adapter is what I'm looking for?

Absolutely. Plug one adapter into power socket near modem and connect via Ethernet cable to modem. Plug other adapter into power socket near PC and connect via Ethernet cable to PC. You now have a much better connection.

I use this $20 8 port switch with my Eero and have 0 issues:

TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XnUCDbHNE8TZG

These are cheap and decent. Or for $16 more get a 48 port switch.

Regarding your hub, it sounds broken. But, as stated, you should not have a hub on your network in 2018. They essentially have a "fabric" of 100Mbps, and good lord the collisions...

The only somewhat reasonable use for a hub at this point is for poor man's port mirroring or maybe a very expensive ethernet coupler.

I have no idea if it will fix the problem, but you should definitely upgrade your switch to something like a TL-SG108 considering how cheap it is, and if you have a SHIELD you can definitely afford it.

Beyond this, I would check your windows machine and see if it there is some kind of firewall or networking issue on that machine causing this.

does this one work? https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-TL-SG108-1000Mbps-Desktop-Gigabit/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=gigabit+switch&qid=1566402593&s=gateway&sr=8-4

I kinda do have a switch on both ends... The modem/router has a built in 5 port switch. Then I have this switch upstairs. My file server/general purpose server is upstairs, but I'd like if there was a 2 Gb connection to it downstairs when I have lans at my house. The problem I'm running in to is that if I connect both ports to my router downstairs and my switch upstairs my computer, which is only using 1 port on the switch upstairs can't access the network at all. I can't access the internet and I can't see any of the other pcs on my network. Is this a problem with my router or switch? Is it something I can fix without spending much money?

Get a cable tester first! Verify which cable goes to reach room and then verify the integrity of the cable/connection.

https://www.amazon.com/HUACAM-HCT08-Network-Cable-Tester-RJ45/dp/B0734SRM1D/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511375085&sr=1-3&keywords=cat+cable+tester

Then get a gigabit switch to plug all of those Ethernet cables into.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511375121&sr=1-3&keywords=gigabit+switch (Unless you want to use VLANs you dont need a managed switch. Check how many ports you need too.)

From there plug one of the ports from the switch into your ISP router and voila!

TP-Link is a good choice: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511513050&sr=1-3&keywords=gigabit+switch

Also get 6 copies of ts2

You need 6 ps2's just make sure theres a ethernet port in the back of them heres a picture example:


You also need 6 long ethernet cords: https://www.amazon.com/Cables-Direct-ETHERNET-INTERNET-ROUTERS/dp/B001BJTDH0

You need to use a ethernet splitter so you can connect all the consoles together to play with one or another: https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6?SubscriptionId=AKIAJIHYZLYWAGQWSMGQ&tag=blazlist-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00A121WN6&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/

Can't go wrong for $18. I have one of these downstairs, and one of the Netgear Prosafe GS108 upstairs. Both work great.

I see. You could always buy a mini switch to carry of the connection. This way you won't lose the signal and be able to plug in more devices. Also if you're a 100ft from the modem/router you will definitely have a weak signal and frame drops.

This one would do:

TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG108)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jfkvDbK1TH64G

You can get an TP-Link 8 port unmanaged gigabit switch for all of $20 on Amazon right now. And if you want a dedicated wifi AP to go with it, here's a TP-Link Access Point for all of $30.

This will give you your own wifi and 6 usable ethernet ports after 1 is used for uplink to router, and 1 used for AP for all of $50+tax out the door, solving any and all router issues at the same time.

I'm a fan of the GS108E of the TP-LINK of the same never had problems with either.

TP-LINK of the 308

Switches have more than one port. I would still recommend a switch even if most of your devices are wireless.

This is the one that I have. It's $19.99 from amazon. http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6?ie=UTF8&keywords=switch&qid=1465416816&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4

I had 4 Xbox ones(day 1 Xbox, Halo 5 Xbox, and Xbox Scorpio edition, and my fathers old Xbox one) my brother brought his Xbox one and so did my father.

So 6 xbox, 6 tv, 6 eithernet cords and [a network switch](http://www.TP-Link.com/ 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZjGpDb9WABXXC) you can buy one with less ports or more depending on how many systems you hooking up.

Connect Ethernet cables from each system to that switch and that's it.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=12K-008X-00026&cm_re=switches-_-12K-008X-00026-_-Product

Should do fine, and comes with lifetime warranty.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1485343901&sr=8-4&keywords=switches

For a more economical route.

Switches are pretty simple devices that you can pick up for a decent price. I wouldn't really say their are any bad switches.

If you have one ethernet port and you want to wire everything, dont get a router! It will mess with the schools internal DHCP. Get a switch instead.