• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

I think I know the answer to this

todpod

todpod

Golden Member
but I am going to ask anyhow. I have a router and the wired ports are 10/100mbs or whatever they are. If I add a gigabit switch would the devices connected communicate a gigabit speed if they are capable?

I am guessing no.
 
todpod said:
but I am going to ask anyhow. I have a router and the wired ports are 10/100mbs or whatever they are. If I add a gigabit switch would the devices connected communicate a gigabit speed if they are capable?

I am guessing no.
Click to expand...
Your question leaves out too much info to determine the answer.

All the devices hooked up to the gigabit switch that are gigabit capable will be able to "talk" to each other @ gigabit speeds.

Any devices hooked up to the old 10/100 router will only be able to "talk" @ 100 max.

Any of the devices that are trying to talk to the cloud will run @ whatever speed you pay your internet provider for.

Which devices are hooked up to what, and what speed is your internet connection?
 
Think of it this way... in your network, the slowest link in the chain will determine the speed of the network...
 
Smoove910 said:
Think of it this way... in your network, the slowest link in the chain will determine the speed of the network...
Click to expand...

except the traffic will not go up to the router unless the device is directly connected to it, it will see the mac it wants and send it to the correct device, so as long as all your gigabit devices ar eplugged to teh gigabit switch, you will get gigabit speeds between them.
 
Most folks don't even know they have a home network, they only know how to use their equipment to get on the internet. They never transfer files back and forth between computers. If this is you than Smoove is exactly right, the slowest link determines the speed.

If on the other hand you actually use your network to allow you computers to talk to one another then it totally depends on which computer is hooked up to what.
 
I will further explain.

Cable modem plugs into the router providing internet access. Into the 4 lan ports I have a PC thats gigabit compatible, WD live and live hub which are gigabit compatible. The intention is to add at least 2 more wired PCs to the mix, plus any wireless devices that need connected (wife's laptop, psp, etc).

I thought I would add a gigabit switch to plug the PCs and WD boxes into to transfer files around. The live hub acts as a media server to the WD Live and to any pc. My intention is as I add computers is to back up the live hub to different PCs. My son is building a PC with parts he is getting for xmas and it will have a 2tb hard drive, I will copy the media files to his PC.

So the PCs connected to the switch will get gigabit speeds (assuming they are capable of it themselves)? Its all wired Cat6. Thanks for the info
 
Yes, get an 8-port Gigabit switch (the TrendNet "green" ones with metal casing are often on sale for under $25). All of the PCs that are connected to the gigabit switch directly, will talk to each other at gig speeds. Connect that gig switch to a LAN port on the router, and then those devices will talk to the internet at whatever speed your ISP allows.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156251
 
Last edited:
todpod said:
probably go with a 8 port may never use them all. I could daisy chain them if i needed to right?
Click to expand...

Yes, you can daisy-chain switches if you like. But be aware that it will create a slight bottleneck.

Edit: Let me expand on that. Normally, good switches have enough "Switching fabric" in the chip, such that they support all ports at line rate (2Gbit/sec, if you consider that 1G ethernet is full-duplex). So that means that an 8port gig-e switch has a 16Gbit/sec switch fabric.

If you connect two 8-port GigE switches together, then that creates a 2Gbit link between the two 16Gbit switch fabrics. So if you have a lot of devices on one of the switches, that all need to talk to devices on the other switch, then there will be a bottleneck, and your effective switching fabric goes down to 2Gbit/sec, instead of 16Gbit/s. A "real" 16-port gigE switch will have 32Gbit/sec switching fabric inside.

So if you really think that you will need more ports in the future, it's better to "go big" early on.

But if you are only using, say, one device at a time, then daisy-chaining switches largely would not matter.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top