KenK said:
Dynex 4 Port 10 Mbps 10BaseT Ethernet Hub
Just up to four computer ethernet lines in parallel.
Haven't tried the DSL yet. Works with its modem plugged into computer
ethernet jack. So no LAN. Backing up with a thumb druve to sneaker-net
the files.
The Dynex will be a bottleneck in your networking.
Some ADSL combo modem/routers, have four Ethernet ports on
the back, so you would not need the Dynex.
*******
We can use this as a basic setup for discussion.
Telco --- ADSL modem --- Router ----- Computer #1
|
Computer #2
You want the path from Telco, to one of the computers,
to not have anything which is slower than the ADSL rate.
Say you paid for 12Mbit/sec. Then sticking the Dynex 10Mbit/sec
in the path, would be a bottleneck.
Similarly, routers have a "WAN to LAN" performance figure.
My first router, this was only 3MB/sec or so. Each packet
was handled by a slow processor inside the router box.
The LAN to LAN path (#1 to #2) on the other hand, is
closer to wire speed. On my router, that happened
to be 12.5MB/sec (100BT). So the packet exchange
to the ISP, didn't run at wire speed.
If your ADSL modem is pint-sized, has one USB port and
one Ethernet port, then yes, you might benefit from
some newer networking box, right after the ADSL modem.
An excuse they can use, is their ADSL modem/router is focused
on Wifi, and only the Wifi interface is a good one. And less
emphasis is placed on the wired interface.
In my little home network, I have a "Dynex equivalent", only
it is GbE, and the home computers are GbE (gigabit Ethernet).
The boxes on the left have 10/100BT Ethernet. And can run
at 100Mbit/sec. I don't know the WAN to LAN limit on the
current router, but my ADSL is so slow, it doesn't matter :-(
100 100 1000
Telco --- ADSL modem --- Router --- Switch ----Computer #1
| 1000
Computer #2
That allows Windows file sharing between Computer #1 and
Computer #2 to run at a decent speed. And my ADSL cap,
is not even close to 100Mbit/sec, so the path back
to the Telco is also not an issue. If I believe your
description of the Dynex, it would look like this.
And your Windows file sharing from #1 to #2 would
be very slow.
100 100 10
Telco --- ADSL modem --- Router --- Dynex ----Computer #1
| 10
Computer #2
This is what I use as the "Switch" box - Netgear GS605.
There's nothing special about this one, just whatever
was on sale at the local computer store. People who wish
to do "Wake On LAN" with their computers, they study the
specifications carefully before buying. This box turns
off the GbE ports to save power, which can prevent WOL
from working. Which is why a "WOL person" would not want this one.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122140
The computers can be 10/100BT Ethernet, on the back panel.
Or some of them are GbE (gigabit) Ethernet. It's when you
have two GbE computers, that the Netgear box helps out.
(All the gear has to be GbE in the room, if you expect
a significant number of the paths to be GbE capable.)
Having a lot of these cheese boxes, isn't good for the power
bill. Modern ADSL wastes 5V @ 2A, average cheese box is at
least 5V @ 1A. When you get "combo" boxes that have
every feature you need, that cuts down on the number of wall
adapters. I have all my wall adapters on a switched power bar,
and at the end of the day, they all get switched off at the mains.
The advantage of having separate boxes, is when the internal
feature set of one cheese box isn't very good. You turn off
the feature, then use the same feature which is inside another
box. My ADSL modem for example, is actually a combo modem/router,
but I had to switch off the router portion because it was so
poorly done. I use a separate router box, which has a nice web
interface, you can do port forwarding and so on with it. I'm
wasting a little extra electricity, for the privilege.
*******
What is the model number of the box the ISP gave you
for the ADSL ? Do your computers have 10/100BT or GbE ?
Just to see what possibilities exist for your setup.
Paul
