Router or Switch?

Most of the home routers, whether they have one, four or eight ports, can handle up to 255 devices connected to them. The four or eight ports on the router are actually on a switch that's in the same case as the router.

Buying another router to connect to your router adds a additional, unneeded complexity to your LAN. You *could* do it that way. It would isolate the computers coming off the second router from your LAN unless you configure the second router to act like a switch. (Of course that would raise the question as to why bother with a router if you're going to configure it to just act as a switch anyway?)

Or you could replace your 4 port router (actually a router with a built-in 4 port switch) with an 8 port router (actually a router with a built-in 8 port switch). But the only things you would accomplish by this would be you'd only have one power supply, and one case sitting on your desk. But you also loose a little flexibility. For example, if the computers are located in two clusters, with a separate router and switch you could run a single cable from one cluster to the other cluster. With a single 8 port router, you might have multiple cables running parallel to each other from that single router.

In general, I'd say that it's usually preferred to use both the router and the switch than it is to buy a new router.

Reply to
Warren
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I want to (hardwire) network 7 pcs to share a cable modem in my home. I already have a 4 port router and a 4 port switch. Both are 10/100 Mbps.

Even though there are 7 pcs, only 3 or 4 at the most are used at one time. Barely any activity happens between pcs; most are usually on the internet.

Does it make a difference if I connect the switch to the router to feed 3 of the pcs, or should I buy another router to feed these last 3 pcs?

Shannon

Reply to
Shannon

Which indicates you're bottlen ecked at the modem at 4 or 6 Mbps. :(

Put the least used pcs on the switch and connect it to the router. Everyone will still be still be throttled down at the modem.

Reply to
Bit Twister

"Warren" wrote in news:P snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Yes.

Those were my thoughts. I knew this would complicate the setup, and isolate the pcs on this branch, but I didn't know if there was some positive tradeoff.

Yes.

with an 8 port router (actually a router with

Currently, I have 3 ethernet lines going from the 4 port router through the walls to the pcs on the first floor, and one line going through the walls to the 2st floor of the house. This is the line I'd connnect a switch to, instead of getting an 8-port router and pulling three more line through the walls.

For example, if

Yes, I think this is what I'll do.

Thank you, Shannon

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Reply to
Shannon

You can use a switch or hub to expand the capacity of the firewall/router. Most, by default, can support up to 254 computers, even though they typically have only four Ethernet connectors.

Reply to
James Knott

The switch will do.

Reply to
Ron Hunter

Bit Twister wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@wb.home.invalid:

Yes, but 4 - 6 mbps is plenty of bandwidth for a small workgroup.

Reply to
Lucas Tam

True. Unless two or more try to download files at the same time, probably no one will see a noticeable slowdown. I have 3 computers on one 3mbps line and never notice a slowdown with normal browsing/mail use.

Reply to
Ron Hunter

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