Dumb networking question

Does the 16 port switch come before or after the wireless router?

Before would make running wire easier, which makes me think it's wrong.

Modem switch router, or modem router switch, or it doesn't matter?

RevRico said:

Does the 16 port switch come before or after the wireless router?

Before would make running wire easier, which makes me think it's wrong.

Is this a combo device, or do you have two boxes you're trying to figure out how to wire?

Assuming it's a combo home device, most likely it's a router with two interfaces on it.  One interface goes to a single ethernet port for the uplink (to cable or DSL modem), a second interface connects to the wifi hardware and the 16-port ethernet switch for downstream devices.

Edit:  Actually, the software is probably bridging the ethernet switch and the 16-port switch together into a single logical router interface so that the two interfaces expected to have downstream devices on them (16-port switch and wifi) can share a single IP network.

Second edit:  Are you trying to make the network do something in particular, or is this just general curiousity about how the networking gear works?

EDIT to nuke everything I said because Codrus covered my case better, but it raises the question of whether you've got a combo WiFi router/modem from your ISP, in which case... well, the switch still comes after that device in very much the same way it would if it were a separate router plugged into the uplink box/modem.

The router is taking care of routing traffic, assigning local addresses, etc... The switch is just allowing more things to connect to the router.

Jesse Ransom (FFS) said:

It's not filling me with confidence that I can't even recall the word or phrase for the job of mapping local computers out to the Internet, but I don't think I'm out in left field.

NAT/PAT (Network (or Port) Address Translation) is probably the term that you're looking for.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

Yes! Thank you!

No

 I'm getting rid of the broken since the month we got it combo unit this weekend and installing a Netgear CM1000 modem. It only has one output port on it, and most importantly no built in WiFi. 

I have an AC750 or something similar wireless router already that I'm moving upstairs where the wireless devices aren't separated from it by concrete. It's got 4 Ethernet outs on it, and moving it would mean running 2 lines to it instead of one if it had to go before the switch. 

I'm also getting a 16 port switch in the near future to hard wire the house. 2 to each bedroom, 6 to the downstairs living room, one to the shop, one for the pihole, probably one to the upstairs living room as a just in case. 

Networking cabinet is going to be in the basement under the steps. 

Eventually I'd like to setup a powerhouse of a server to store stuff on, but also access throughout the house to play PC games or watch movies. But that's a ways down the road

So unfortunately the answer is that you're probably going to have to run two wires (*).  Generally speaking you get one IP address from your ISP which needs to go to your router, so that it can use the NAT/PAT features mentioned earlier to share that address between all of the devices on your network which need to be connected to the downstream ports).

(*) Theoretically there's a way to share those two logical wires over one physical wire by using something called "vlans", but that's generally not a feature supported by most home networking gear.

Edit: one other solution to this problem would be to get a separate router+switch and wireless access point.  You put the router downstairs next to the cable/DSL modem and plug the wireless access point into one of the switch ports.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

Ok. 2 wires it is. It shouldn't be too bad, there's already a phone line going where I need to run those cables. Just make the hole bigger and attach a pull rope.

I'm planning on getting a 500 foot spool, measuring everything out and adding 10 feet, then labeling both sides before anything gets pulled. 

I never had to setup networks before, just patch and extend

Codrus is 100% right on everything he said but for anyone playing along who doesn't grok the jargon, the simple version with home networking gear is you want to have it go Modem --- > Router ---> Switch.

WonkoTheSane (FS) said:

Codrus is 100% right on everything he said but for anyone playing along who doesn't grok the jargon, the simple version with home networking gear is you want to have it go Modem --- > Router ---> Switch.

Yes, but of course it can get more complicated depending on the HW you are trying to use.  Usually the Modem (to connect to internet service provider) only has a single ethernet port.  That goes to the WAN port of the router.  Most routers include a built in switch for your local network (LAN) side, usually 4 or more ports.  The router may also include WiFi in which case your LAN/WiFi solution is pretty much solved, add repeaters and boosters as needed.  If you need more LAN ports, you can add a switch, or multiple switches to any of the router's LAN ports.  That will give you hardwired connections to your local network as needed.  Make sure you get switches and not a hub. If the router doesn't have WiFi, or you want more than one WiFi network, you add a WiFi access point device and it can go anywhere on the LAN, before or after switches.  The WiFi access point is usually a router in itself, so it will need to be configured appropriately to act as just an access point on a LAN.  Note though, that if you take a single LAN port from the router, and branch it out to multiple switches, and then have high bandwidth consuming devices on those switches, you might run into bandwidth limitations since all the switch traffic is going to be routed through that one LAN port on the router.  If your buying new equipment make sure your router and switches will run GigE, and aren't limited to 100K.

Rev,

You could also get a wired router that may have just a few ports and have it in the basement near the modem.  Then you could run a single Ethernet up to you AC750 wireless router.  Use it as an access point.  It may be a little more expensive, but then you can upgrade WiFi separately from your router and vice versa.  After having dealt with wifi-routers and houses with wifi transmission issues, I recommend separating the two.  It will also allow you to place more access points where you may need them in the future. 

So another dumb networking question has popped up.

I got my new WiFi router, tp link AX3000, and it's amazing. Speeds are just ridiculous now thanks to its gigabit in.

Could I use my old netgear router as a range extender? (Ac750 WiFi router, model R6020) 

Keep everything under one ssid and password, just plop the net gear upstairs for better coverage.

I'm sure hooking it up and digging through the software would show me, but thought I'd ask first. I still remember when separate brands wouldn't play nice together, and I have enough headaches that making a new one won't help. 

In reply to RevRico :

I'd be looking for the manual rather than digging in the interface, but I've had fine success with an Asus router playing nicely with a Tp-link as a range extender.

Once again my brain isn't dredging up the right terminology... But the Tp-link's manual covered the case concisely IIRC.

Yes, you can.  Will you be able to do router->router via ethernet?

WIFI extender is a bit more difficult to setup, and your pipe between the two will obviously get restricted quickly if you have multiple devices on the extended network.