Best way to "add" router ethernet ports?

Cuilean

I've run out of router ports on my Virgin Media Super Hub 3, and I need to add one more.

The joy of having a "connected home" means the router's ethernet ports are currently full with connections to wonderful gadgets like the Hive hub, our powerline system, and a couple of other wonderful gadgets I won't bore you with, but need to stay plugged in.

We're also using a Western Digital My Cloud for remote access storage and backups. This has been fine until recently, when it suddenly decided it was only going to work when plugged into the router, and not the powerline system. Western Digital's customer service has been useless, and unable to offer a solution other than "Plug it into the router and disconnect something temporarily", which is what we've been doing. Given that the router is not easily accessible, this is not the easy task they seem to think.

There has to be an easier way to keep everything plugged in, but I have no knowledge of network hardware. Do I need a splitter? Do I need a switch? I'm out of my depth here.

bob_a_builder

something like this will do the trick - i have one doing a similar job
LINK

artyclarty

Agreed, although I have Netgear variant. I have cat V routed around the house and then various switches placed where it is terminated. Generally a 5 way will do. I do however have a 10 way switch placed behind the tv, can't believe I have almost filled that up already!

fenlander_uk

Also prefer Netgear. Link. 8-ports only £3 more than 5-port.
I'm sure it's just me, but I've never had anything made by TPLink that worked or anything by Netgear that didn't. (Same goes for Fiat and Honda, but that's quite another story...)

ChuckMountain

Since you have Virgin Media I would recommend buying a gigabit (1000Mbps) switch. Virgin's Super Hub 3 has 4 gigabit ports.

The switch linked to earlier is only 100Mbps which can be a limiting factor. Particularly if your VM speed is 100Mbps or more which could well be the case.

I have had both Netgear and TP-Link, my Netgear power supply failed but was swapped under warranty. Here is an 8 port gigabit Netgear switch, for £14.99. (5 port is a bit cheaper still)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-GS205-100UKS-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop/dp/B00AFVB41S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1529318540&sr=8-3&keywords=5%2Bport%2Bgigabit%2Bswitch&th=1

Inner_Zone

fenlander_uk wrote: »

Also prefer Netgear. Link. 8-ports only £3 more than 5-port.
I'm sure it's just me, but I've never had anything made by TPLink that worked or anything by Netgear that didn't. (Same goes for Fiat and Honda, but that's quite another story...)

Have a 24 port TP-Link and an 8 port Netgear, both have been working fine for several years.

Gloomendoom

fenlander_uk wrote: »

I'm sure it's just me, but I've never had anything made by TPLink that worked or anything by Netgear that didn't.

I think it is just you. All my stuff is TPLink and it all works fine. That's seven routers and two switches plus several wifi adapters.

Also had a couple of Netgear routers in the past. They worked too.

esuhl

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Also had a couple of Netgear routers in the past. They worked too.

I had a Netgear router. Any strong radio signals nearby would cause it to reset to factory settings, enabling wifi with no security.

that

whatever you buy, remember to buy a network cable to connect one box to another, otherwise you will get the box home and still no go

If the ports are not Auto MDI / MDIX on the switch, you need a crossover cable, rather than the standard straight through cable

ChuckMountain

that wrote: »

whatever you buy, remember to buy a network cable to connect one box to another, otherwise you will get the box home and still no go

Yes agree

that wrote: »

If the ports are not Auto MDI / MDIX on the switch, you need a crossover cable, rather than the standard straight through cable

Switch ports would pretty much all be MDIX and not require a crossover cable if we are talking 100megabit switch.

However OP should be using a Gigabit switch in this case and all those will support MDIX for 100megabit connections and it is not used for Gigabit so any fully wired patch cable should work.

kwikbreaks

Switches should "just work" I've had TP-Link and Netgear and they always have. I had a Netgear VDSL router that was rubbish - https://www.digitalham.co.uk/router-woes/