Broadband Booster with two or more Ethernet sockets. 19 January at 4:04PM in Techie Stuff 5 replies 148 views

Belenus

We need a Broadband Booster or other device with two or more Ethernet sockets to replace a Sky SE210 booster with only one Ethernet socket.

Alternatively, is there a wireless dongle with better performance than a very old Sky dongle for use with a Sky+ box?

Or would a network switch work?

For many years our master socket and BT (FTTC) broadband router was in the corner of our living room at the rear of our house. It had 6 Ethernet sockets. We used 2 of them for Sky+ and a music server. There are two Ethernet cables buried in the floor running from the router in the corner to the Sky+ and music server about nine feet away.

A year ago we switched to Sky FTTP. Openreach installed the required new equipment at the front door at the front of the house. This meant that we now had no Ethernet sockets in the living room and the router at the front door is more than thirty feet away.

Sky sent me a Sky SE210 booster which has one Ethernet socket. We placed that in the corner of the living room where the old master socket and router was. We used the single Ethernet socket for the music server. Years ago Sky had sent us a wireless dongle that we never used so we connected that to the Sky+ box to replace the previous Ethernet cable connection.

It works but the download speed appears to be a lot slower than Ethernet. That was adequate but now that we are downloading a lot more we would prefer to revert to Ethernet.

We could just swap the Ethernet cables at the booster end depending on what we are doing but that requires rebooting the Sky+ box every time.

Is there a booster with two or more Ethernet sockets that I can buy to replace the SE210?

Alternatively, is there a wireless dongle with better performance than a very old Sky dongle for use with a Sky+ box?

Or would a network switch work?

Thanks

Neil_Jones

Wireless will always be slower than wired.

You can get network switches that will connect to the Sky box and then you just connect devices via cable to the switch.

oldernonethewiser

If you want everything wired then a network switch would be the easiest option

Something like https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8495459?clickPR=plp:1:4

Belenus

Thanks both.

If I bought a network switch, should I put it at the booster end or the Sky+ box end?

Does it automatically switch between the Sky+ and the music server or does it need manual intervention?

wongataa

Belenus said:

Thanks both.

If I bought a network switch, should I put it at the booster end or the Sky+ box end?

Put it wherever is suitable for your wiring setup.

Belenus said:

Does it automatically switch between the Sky+ and the music server or does it need manual intervention?

No intervention is required

oldernonethewiser

Think of it like a mains extension lead with four outlets

You plug it into the mains and it gives you four separate independant sockets that you can plug anything you want into. They will all work with no intervention from you.

Ethernet switch is the same.  Input from the router then gets split to wherever you want.