N router not enough ports

sjpkgp

Hello all,

I know the folk on here are good with non-techies, please be gentle. I am not completely without knowledge (as the below set up will testify)

A while ago I upgraded to a wireless Belkin N router for our broadband. I have since upgraded to Virgin media's XL package and they gave me a free N router (which I never installed as the other one was working perfectly well). We are heavy internet browsers - family of 6 with 3 wired PCs on the go most of the time on wired, I use the wireless for a PC upstairs and my work PC, and there is one other PC on the wireless. Son got an Xbox last Christmas and he seems to need one of the ports for that, and now I have bought a networked laser printer and that also needs a port, and we are one short. It has four, we need 5. Husband has refused to come off wired, and I am of the same mind for main PC (wireless flaky, long distances, thick walls)

I announced confidentally to the family that "what we needed was a network hub" so we could add the xbox/printer. At the moment, I am climbing up on a chair to re-arrange the wires every time anyone needs to print something.

Now I have come to buy it off ebay and have seen this "8 Port 10/100 Fast Ethernet Network LAN Switch hub RJ45" - just about to buy it but got cold feet due to the amount of technical bits and bobs that I have bought in the past that "don't seem to solve the problem"(husband). Can someone please just tell me that I am buying the right thing.

I have searched LAN hubs but the results seem really specific to certain routers

Thank you for your help, sal xxx

pcombo

Wow, For someone who is not "techie" you just resolved the issue your self.

8 Port 10/100 Fast Ethernet Network LAN Switch hub RJ45 - Will be fine for what you need it to do.

p.s switches are the way forward, Hubs are abit old.

Way i would setup is. Run 1 network cable from router to switch then plug all devices into the switch. Should work fine.

[Deleted User]

I'd suggest something like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Netgear-GS608-Gigabit-Desktop-Switch/dp/B0007SQEPU/ref=pd_ts_computers_14?ie=UTF8&s=computers

Or a cheaper option:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GetNet-GS-115P-100Mbps-Ethernet-Switch/dp/B002TADTP2/ref=pd_ts_computers_4?ie=UTF8&s=computers

Nilrem

As has been said, you've pretty much sorted it out yourself


A simple switch should do it, virtually any 8 port switch should be fine, gigabit (10/100/1000) may be overkill given what has been described, a fast one at 10/100 should be fine.
Literally all you should need to do is hook the switch up to the router (you may need to buy a suitable network cable to connect them - it should be a couple of pounds max), then connect up devices to it (the biggest problem in my experience with doing this, is finding a spare socket for the mains adaptor:p).

The only thing I would say, is definitely go for an 8 port switch, as when you connect the Switch to the Router you normally lose 1 port on each for that connection, so a 4 port switch will only give you 2 extra usable ports, which an 8 port one will give you 6 "new" ports which gives some leeway for further devices* (and the price difference between 4 and 8 ports is usually very small).

*As the number of networked devices seems to be increasing a lot, when I set our network up 8 years ago the 8 port switch was overkill as we only had 3 devices (PC's), now everything from Games Consoles and Blu-ray players to TV's seems to want a port.


P.S.
As mentioned, make sure it states it's a "switch" or "switching hub", not just "Hub", as Hubs are very old tech and their only advantage used to be that they were much cheaper than a switch as they were pretty dumb and just sent the data to everything connected to them at once, whilst a Switch/Switched hub sends it only to the correct device. These days you won't find a network hub new, as the cost of Switches dropped to the point where they were as cheap as Hubs.

sjpkgp

Thank you pcombo, davidmt, and nilrem - thought I knew what I was doing but always worth a check - i've made some expensive mistakes in the past. I've gone for the 8 port amazon one - and also the cable, which I would have forgotton ! Thanks again, Sal x

Hammyman

Best thing is switches are dirt cheap so its not that expensive a mistake, lol.

Nilrem

Aye, switches these days are cheap as chips (literally, I've seen 5 port switches cheaper than a large cod and chips:p), a far cry from when a hub cost £50+ and a switch nearly double that (although the SMC 8port switch I bought back in ~2000 from Jungle is still going strong despite being in use all day every day since then).