Will an unmanaged GbE switch work for me?

[Bobsy]

Hello. I would like to know if a $25 unmanaged Ethernet switch will help me to increase the connection speed between my main PC (which has GbE) and my NAS (DS214se).

My wired network/equipment consists of the following two "groups":

At one end of the apartment, I have a modem-router (Alcatel Cellpipe 7130):
- connected to ISP via RJ11 (WAN)
- connected to Motorola VIP1232 PVR (Lan1)
- connected to Smart TV (Lan2)
- connected to HTPC (Lan3)

At the other end, I have an old SMC Barricade router (has one WAN port and 4 LAN ports, so I guess it's a router?). It has got three devices connected to it, all in LAN ports:
1. Motorola VIP1200 HD receiver
2. NAS DS214se
3. Main PC

The two ends of my network are connected via a coax connection between the two Motorola TV receivers. I understand this is called "HPNA". It was like magic when I discovered I could do this.

I remember having to fiddle with the SMC router config to make this work (since it connects to another router via the receivers.)

I would like to increase the transfer speed between my main PC and my NAS. If I replace the SMC router with, let's say, TRENDnet TEG-S50G unmanaged GbE switch, will this work?

I can (and probably should have) draw a picture if needed. Thanks!

 

[JackMDS]

In General Network component that their Network card supports Giga has to be plugged into Giga Switch.

So you can get a Giga switch plug into it all the devices that support Giga.

That said it might not improve dramatically the NAS. Most of them are rated at Giga but they perform rather slow to begin with.

 

[azazel1024]

Jack, key take away here is that the link between the two sides of the network is bridged with HPNA.

In this case, it is unlikely to increase your network speed. HPNA, like MoCA, is not terribly fast. So if you are getting less than 11MB/sec right now, the limitation is on the HPNA connection, not the ethernet connections. If you are getting >11MB/sec right now, than upgrading that old barracade router to a gigabit switch and chucking it possibly will increase speeds...but maybe not by much.

The other question is...what does the VIP1200 have on it? If it is a 10/100 port, then no, there will be no speed increase at all as you are still limited by the ethernet port on your bridging device.

 

[Bobsy]

Thank you for the feedback. I will do a speed test between the two PCs (connected via HPNA) and this will tell me how fast that is. I'll post back when I have some numbers.

 

[azazel1024]

Thank you for the feedback. I will do a speed test between the two PCs (connected via HPNA) and this will tell me how fast that is. I'll post back when I have some numbers.

Don't forget to check the Motorolas. If they only have fast ethernet ports (10/100) then upgrading to a gigabit switch anywhere will not improve performance.

 

[JackMDS]

Jack, key take away here is that the link between the two sides of the network is bridged with HPNA..

Hmm.... according to this the NAS and the PC are plugged into an old 10/100 switch of a SMC Router.

At the other end, I have an old SMC Barricade router (has one WAN port and 4 LAN ports, so I guess it's a router?). It has got three devices connected to it, all in LAN ports:
1. Motorola VIP1200 HD receiver
2. NAS DS214se
3. Main PC

Thus replacing it with Giga switch would improve the Bandwidth between the Main PC and NAS.

I would like to increase the transfer speed between my main PC and my NAS. If I replace the SMC router with, let's say, TRENDnet TEG-S50G unmanaged GbE switch, will this work?

 

[Bobsy]

I have just checked the spec sheet for the Motorola VIP boxes: the network adapter is "Ethernet 10/100Base-T RJ-45 port for IP video output."

This however does not definitively answer my original question. The sole purpose of my SMC Barricade router is that I can share the network connection on my VIP1200 with my main PC and my NAS. When exchanging data between each other, the main PC and the NAS don't theoretically go through the VIP1200. I wish for a fast connection between these two - so would the GbE switch help?

Separately from that, the relative slowness of the VIP1200 makes me wonder if I should just build myself a complete 802.11AC wireless network...

 

[Bobsy]

Sorry, I had not seen the latest response from JackMDS when I responded two minutes ago. This answers my question.

Thank you all!

 

[azazel1024]

DOH. There goes my reading comprehension.

Yes, it will deffinitely improve throughput between the two. For whatever reason I was reading that as between the HTPC and the NAS, which would be limited probably by the HPNA link.

Yes, get a cheap gigabit dump switch, it'll improve things a lot.

 

[Blue Bill]

Get an 8 port GigE switch, any decent brand will do.
Connect LAN1 on your router to the switch (leave LAN2-4 unconnected), use the switch exclusively with your other devices. Chuck the SMC Barricade in the rubbish bin, get another 4 port GigE switch to replace it.