Can I use an ethernet router as a hub?

[Carson Dyle]

So how would my desktop get gigabit performance when the router only has 10/100mbps performance?

If you have another gigabit device on your network and they're both plugged into the gigabit switch, then you'll have 1000 Mbps between the two. The traffic between them wouldn't go through the router. If you had something else plugged into the ports on the router, then the best you get between your desktop and that device would be 100 Mbps.

 

[JackMDS]

If all the computers that are Giga cable would be plugged to the same Giga Switch they would do Giga regardless of other switches s on the Network.

Any computer capable of Giga that would be plugged to a 100Mb/sec switch would not do Giga.

So in your case if a Giga switch is connected to the Buffalo and all the Giga computer would be connected to the TP-Link the LAN would do Giga.

 

[Muse]

Actually, to get 7 more ports, you'd need the 8 port version of that switch.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...tem=33-704-043

One thing to keep in mind... Your Buffalo router has only a 10/100 Mbps switch. You'd be best off connecting any computers or other devices capable of 1000 Mbps (gigabit ethernet) to the gigabit switch, so that you can potentially achieve faster data transfers between those gigabit devices.

Go ADSL -> router -> switch. All devices and computers need to be "behind" the router, so that they're all on the same local subnet controlled by the router. The router also functions as a firewall.

To take advantage of the gigabit ethernet you just need to make sure that all of your gigabit capable devices are connected to the ports on the switch and not to the router. Of course, any wiring to those devices will also have to be gigabit capable, but for those that are connected directly to the switch by only a patch cable, that should be fairly simple.

You can still use the router's ports, if you need them, but only connect 10 or 100 Mbps capable devices to these. You should end up with ten usable ethernet ports - seven of them 10/100/1000 and three of them 10/100.

Question (I'm just installing it now):

My desktop, for instance, does have gigabit LAN. Now my router, as stated, is a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 wireless router, which is not gigabit, just 10/100mbps. So, I assume I plug my DSL modem's output to the input of the router. I then plug one of the router's outputs into one of the eight connections on the switch (I have the TP-Link TL-SG1008D 8-Port Unmanaged Gigabit Desktop Switch). The eight connections on the switch are not differentiated except in being numbered 1-8, so I assume that any of these can be used as a connection with an ordinary ethernet cable from one of the ethernet outputs from the router. So how would my desktop get gigabit performance when the router only has 10/100mbps performance?

 

[Muse]

If you have another gigabit device on your network and they're both plugged into the gigabit switch, then you'll have 1000 Mbps between the two. The traffic between them wouldn't go through the router. If you had something else plugged into the ports on the router, then the best you get between your desktop and that device would be 100 Mbps.

OK, I think I get it... thanks! The router will provide 100mbps from the modem but gigabit devices plugged into the gigabit switch can get gigabit performance between one another... aha!

 

[Muse]

Just got it installed and it's working. I have two ports free, but am about to use one of them to setup one of my laptops via ethernet that just got a fresh install of Windows. The 5 port device wouldn't have had enough ports for me, much less if I'd used my other router as a hub.

 

[Muse]

My WinXP desktop didn't miss a beat, I didn't even have to reboot it and it was connected to the internet. However, my Windows 7 64bit Ultimate T61 laptop, normally connected by wifi but right now connected by ethernet to the same switch does not see the network or the internet. So far, I can't crack that nut. I've been asked for passwords, I tried the ones I know. It offered to show me the network password and it did. It then asked me for the password and that one didn't work! It asked me for the "new" network password, why would it do that? My other Windows 7 laptop, wifi connected sees the network fine. Didn't have to reboot that either. I've rebooted the T61 laptop, no help.

I disconnected the ethernet cable and tried to connect by wifi but Windows doesn't detect any wireless networks. There must by 1/2 dozen nearby including mine.

Ideas?

Edit: Windows fixed the problem preventing connecting wirelessly to my network. Why I couldn't connect by ethernet I don't know.

 

[Muse]

I'm fighting issues on two other computers right now, so I ignored the problem machine for a couple of hours. While waiting for SP3 to install on my T60 with raw Lenovo XP install, I check back on the problem T61 machine and see it's now connected to the internet and can download emails, etc.

 

[riahc3]

I'm told I can get a switch ("better than a hub"), but I'm wondering if I can just use my old D-Link DI-704P ethernet router as a hub.

I have a question: Why do you think you need a hub instead of a switch?

Like everyone has said, I dont think they even sell hubs anymore.

Yup, just checked: NewEgg has no RJ45 only hubs. All they do is switches...

I know you already bought it but my recommendation for a switch would be Netgear. Their wifi aps/routers/etc might suck but their switches are pretty damn good.

http://www.netgear.com/business/products/switches/

Check them out. They have a switch, a "semismart" switch (it has no web interface and you have configure everything thru a desktop app: VLANs, port mirroring, etc), and a smart switch line.

 

[Muse]

I have a question: Why do you think you need a hub instead of a switch?

I didn't. I didn't have any idea of what was out there I just knew I needed more ethernet connectivity. Thanks to this thread and the contributors I believe I got on the right path and bought what for me makes a lot of sense.

I seem to be good right now with the 8 port TP-Link. Am using all but one port at the moment, and I even have a second Blu-ray player I could plug into that. However, one of the laptops I'm servicing will go back to wifi usage as soon as I get all this straightened out. I have 5 computers plus a new smartphone (my first), my tech plate is pretty full. Next major project is upgrading my HTPC mid-tower, that machine can't even run Windows 7! I'll be motherboard/processor/RAM shopping...

I'm going to look into getting a wireless n network card for at least one of my laptops. I figure that would probably give me faster access to data stored on my ethernet connected server machine. Don't know this for a fact, ...JackMDS?

 

[Carson Dyle]

I seem to be good right now with the 8 port TP-Link. Am using all but one port at the moment, and I even have a second Blu-ray player I could plug into that.

Don't forget that you still have unused ethernet ports on the Buffalo router (three, I believe) that you can use for any 10/100 devices. You shouldn't need to do anything special to use them. They're on your network just like the ports on the TP-Link switch.

 

[JackMDS]

The Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 is an b/g Wireless device.

That means that an N Wireless card would not work as N but only at G.

If you are already upgrading your system.

Get a nice Dual Band Giga capable Wireless Router, that will give you four Giga Ports.

Skip the switch. Use the Buffalo as a switch with an Acess Point.

Using Wireless Cable/DSL Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

In sum you would have three Giga ports (one is lost in connecting the Buffalo) three 100 ports (on the buffalo).

Use the Wireless on the Buffalo as an additional Wireless.

set the old Wireless to channel 1 and the new to channel 11.

Set the old Wireless to do only G, and new Wireless to do only A/N (or whatever other combo suits you).

Security should be the same, or whatever is needed for your specific Wireless devices.

The result would be a sophistaced Network capable Giga Dual ban and ample of Wireless Bandwidth.






P.S. Dual band Wirless cards for laptops can be found on ebay for less than $20

 

[Muse]

JackMDS wrote (edited by networking stupid but English pretty good Muse BTW, I'd trade places with you!):
- -

The Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 is a b/g Wireless device.

That means that an N Wireless card would not work as N but only at G.

If you are already upgrading your system:

Get a nice Dual Band Giga capable Wireless Router, that will give you four Giga Ports.

Skip the switch. Use the Buffalo as a switch with an Access Point.

Using Wireless Cable/DSL Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

In sum you would have three Giga ports (one is lost in connecting the Buffalo) three 100 ports (on the buffalo).

Use the Wireless on the Buffalo as an additional Wireless.

set the old Wireless to channel 1 and the new to channel 11.

Set the old Wireless to do only G, and new Wireless to do only A/N (or whatever other combo suits you).

Security should be the same, or whatever is needed for your specific Wireless devices.

The result would be a sophisticated Network capable Giga Dual band and ample Wireless Bandwidth.
- -

P.S. Dual band Wireless cards for laptops can be found on ebay for less than $20
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ah... Well, I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Please tell me if I'm wrong, but my impression is that wireless isn't limited in the number of devices that can access it, or am I wrong? IOW, I could have 10 laptops wirelessly connected to my Buffalo? Or no???

I think I should try to assess the advantage I will gain by doing this. I can run my data hunger apps on my wirelessly connected machines and then run them when the machines are connected by ethernet to the switch (the data server is connected by ethernet to the switch). If I see a major difference I can consider this upgrade, otherwise I won't bother doing it.

The three Giga ports, that is for ethernet only I take it? Wireless N would be transmitted by the Wireless N device, Wireless G by the Buffalo. Using ethernet connectivity, I could connect my slow devices to the Buffalo, such as my old HP4M Plus printer. Do I have the ideas correctly or am I not understanding this? Thanks for the help!

 

[JackMDS]

Wireless Bandwidth is shared by all the computers that are connected to the same Access Point.

10 Wireless computers connected to the Buffalo will work if they are just do simple surfing.

The Bufflo usually yields about 20Mb/sec. if all 10 computers do simple sutfing each will get about 2Mb/sec. which is OK for simple surfing. If few or more computers do more demanding Wireless activities (like steaming HD movies) it will not work well.

 

[Muse]

Wireless Bandwidth is shared by all the computers that are connected to the same Access Point.

10 Wireless computers connected to the Buffalo will work if they are just do simple surfing.

The Bufflo usually yields about 20Mb/sec. if all 10 computers do simple sutfing each will get about 2Mb/sec. which is OK for simple surfing. If few or more computers do more demanding Wireless activities (like steaming HD movies) it will not work well.

I rarely have several systems accessing data, it's usually just one. So the issue with how many ports is just how many machines are connected by ethernet cable. I'm going to do some testing and see if the gigabit ethernet connection is much faster than the wireless G connection in my usage. Usually for me it's mostly my Visual Foxpro searching data tables that are provided by my server. It can be pretty slow at times, don't know what the issues are. Sometimes not very slow at all, sometimes takes a lot more time. Maybe moving to Wireless N would materially improve the performance. I suppose the gigabit ethernet connection's throughput would be similar to wireless N?

I suppose that if I wanted more giga capable ethernet connections I could get that by using one of the ports on the Wireless N router to the giga switch and using the switch for the extra connections? Or would that pose problems?

 

[JackMDS]

When using Well configured and Optimized Home Network Giga is x10 faster than 100 Mb/sec.

100 Mb/sec usually yields a Functional Transfer Speed of 8 - 11MB/sec. (B=Byte) file transfer.

Giga Network yields 80 - 110 Mb/sec. transfer.

 

[azazel1024]

When using Well configured and Optimized Home Network Giga is x10 faster than 100 Mb/sec.

100 Mb/sec usually yields a Functional Transfer Speed of 8 - 11MB/sec. (B=Byte) file transfer.

Giga Network yields 80 - 110 Mb/sec. transfer.

And also full duplex for ethernet. Which means gigabit ethernet is, generally, around 110MB/sec both directions simultaneously. 802.11n is going to have a hard time breaking 25MB/sec on a fast wireless connection in total.

 

[Muse]

In my testing so far I'm finding that what takes 25-30 seconds from my wirelessly connected laptops via the Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 802.11b/g wireless router takes a second or less from my ethernet connected machine through the gigabit switch. One of those laptops (Lenovo T61, 6465CTO) already has N wireless: Intel 4965 AGN -- Intel82566MM Gigabyte, the other I'll have to buy another card.

A search that took 35 seconds with my T60 with ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe took 23 seconds using the T61 AGN wireless and under 3 seconds from my ethernet connected desktop. I suppose the wireless card in the T61, although not being furnished N speeds is picking up the packets faster.

Can I get an answer to this:

JackMDS, you said to ditch the switch however I'm wondering if I wanted more giga capable ethernet connections I could get that by using one of the ports on the Wireless N router to the giga switch and using the switch for the extra connections? Or would that pose problems?

Can I get recommendation(s) for a Wireless N router? Thank you!

 

[JackMDS]

If all the computers that are Giga cable would be plugged to the same Giga Switch they would do Giga regardless of other switches on the Network.

 

[Muse]

Can I get recommendations for a wireless N router? I chose the Buffalo because of its strong range. I'm in a two story house, have the Buffalo upstairs and downstairs I get OK to Very Good connectivity. So strong range would be helpful. Thanks for recommendation(s). Is there any reason I can't still use my gigabit switch if I get a wireless N router:

JackMDS, you said to ditch the switch however I'm wondering if I wanted more giga capable ethernet connections I could get that by using one of the ports on the Wireless N router to the giga switch and using the switch for the extra connections? Or would that pose problems?

 

[JackMDS]

JackMDS, you said to ditch the switch however I'm wondering if I wanted more giga capable ethernet connections I could get that by using one of the ports on the Wireless N router to the giga switch and using the switch for the extra connections? Or would that pose problems?

Technology wise it does not matter. The need for additional Giga switch depends on how many ports you need and their location.

Giga and very Good Wireless.

Asus RT-N66U - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833320091

Very good inexpensive Giga swtich - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156449

 

[Muse]

Technology wise it does not matter. The need for additional Giga switch depends on how many ports you need and their location.

Giga and very Good Wireless.

Asus RT-N66U - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833320091

Very good inexpensive Giga swtich - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156449

I already have the TP-LINK TL-SG1008D 10/100/1000Mbps Unmanaged 8-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch, Power-Saving Am I OK with that instead of the TRENDnet TEG-S81g Unmanaged 10/100/1000Mbps 8-Port Gigabit GREENnet Switch?

 

[JackMDS]

Yeah you can stay with the TP-Link.

 

[Harlan211]

Yes, from the wireless router ethernet port -- connect to one of the ethernet ports on the old DLINK. The DLINK will just act as a switch/hub in this set up.

 

[Muse]

Asus RT-N66U - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833320091

I've been reading some reviews and wonder if the Asus RT-AC66U might not be a better choice for me. Seems to be significantly stronger. Maybe the feature set worth the difference (not that big if I get a refurb). What do you think?

 

[azazel1024]

Do you have any 802.11ac devices or think you will in the next couple of years? If not, there is no point in getting it.