Router, Switch recomendation

[Scoobyd00]

This will be for a home network that consists of 6 computers. There are 3 which are online gamers, WOW, RVS, Guildwars. 2 are HTPC's, the other just a surf the net type computer and then 2 printers, HP4200N (laser) and a HP D6980 (inkJet) both networked.

I am currently running a Linksys bfsr41 hooked to a baystack 16 port mananged 10/100 switch. I would like to get a little better network speed for file transfers and the router is starting to get flakey. After 3 years without a single problem it is now starting to need to be reset pretty often.

Should I get just a plain router and a gigabyte switch (retiring the old baystack) or spend the money for a router gigabyte switch combo?

What would be good equipment to purchase for this type of network. Gaming being the biggest priority to me 🙂

Thanks in advance, because when it comes to networks equipment. I am a noob which you can probably tell by my current set up 🙂

Scoob

 

[EULA]

I was in a bit of a similar situation with six servers and seven wireless clients on a Linksys WRT54G, and performance was not very good (and I too had to power-cycle it frequently); that was with the Wireless router functioning as a DHCP server, router, and AP.

I off-loaded DHCP and routing functions to a Windows server, and performace was much better, however It would still cut out occasionally. Just recently, I installed IPCop (Linux routing) on an additional box, and so far I've had no problems.

My point pretty much being that you can probably get away with just converting an old box into a linux router/dhcp server, and just using the wireless router as an access point. I'm guessing you'll probably see an increase in performance. The gigabit switch will likely help a bit for file transfers, providing that you have gigabit NICs.