My Home Network

[ChristopherP]

Right.

So internet is up and running in my new student house

What i thought were phone sockets in each room appear to be, upon closer inspection, network ports in all of the rooms.

They all terminate under the stairs (or will do when someone can whack the ends on for me) but the problem is that the BT master socket is in room 1.

Is it OK to run one cable from the 4 port modem router to an 8 port router/hub/switch whatever its called and run all 7 rooms from the 1 port on the modem?

See picture:

Cheers

 

[Me__2001]

i dont see why not, even if its a 100meg network i doubt there will be ay bottlenecks unless someone decides to move data from one PC to another

 

[ChristopherP]

Excellent, thanks.

What kind of hardware would be idea for this - Router? Hub? Switch? whats the difference?!

 

[muckshifter]

Don't use two Routers ... they will conflict & be a bugger to setup.


Just use a hub/switch (Yanks call 'em switches) ... get one that has more ports than you need.

I have a cheap no name from Maplins 8 port hub ... have all five PCs connected to this ... then run an "uplink" to the Router. Actually, although some have a port marked "uplink" it is, as in my case, not a necessity, but can make life a little easier.

A word, if you wanna keep some privacy between all the attached PCs, install a good software Firewall ... nowt like "friends" for getting one into trouble.

 

[floppybootstomp]

That should work ok. You need an 8 way hub.

To fit 8 x network plugs on you'll need to check colour coding by opening up a socket and noting which color goes where, 8 x plugs; 8 x shrouds (they normally come together) and a crimp tool. Maplins do a cheap crimp tool.

It's relatively easy to do, albeit a little fiddly.

 

[ChristopherP]

That should work ok. You need an 8 way hub.

To fit 8 x network plugs on you'll need to check colour coding by opening up a socket and noting which color goes where, 8 x plugs; 8 x shrouds (they normally come together) and a crimp tool. Maplins do a cheap crimp tool.

It's relatively easy to do, albeit a little fiddly.

Ace, thanks.

Its a private rented property - so these things should be done anyway. My letting agent should be getting it sorted out for me through the guy who ran the cables originally. Am i just thick or is there absolutely no point in installing network ports in every room of a house unless you are actually going to terminate the other end of all said cables!

What i'll probably do is run a cable from the router to the network port of room 1 which should then plug into the uplink port of the hub. Room 1 would get their internet access directly from the router so that saves having to run a cable from room 1 to the cupboard under the stairs.

 

[ChristopherP]

Don't use two Routers ... they will conflict & be a bugger to setup.


Just use a hub/switch (Yanks call 'em switches) ... get one that has more ports than you need.

I have a cheap no name from Maplins 8 port hub ... have all five PCs connected to this ... then run an "uplink" to the Router. Actually, although some have a port marked "uplink" it is, as in my case, not a necessity, but can make life a little easier.

A word, if you wanna keep some privacy between all the attached PCs, install a good software Firewall ... nowt like "friends" for getting one into trouble.

Is there really any difference between a no name one and a netgear or other branded one?

I want one that wont burst into flames under the stairs and take out the fire alarm control unit...! It has to be really reliable too.

Sugegstions?

 

[Me__2001]

having a look round dabs and aria they dont seem to be excessively expensive so its basically however much you want to spend

i'd use the same make router and switch though, it would probably set itself up automaticallyhttp://www.dabs.com/productview.asp...ode=1&NavigationKey=11176,4294960298,41770000

 

[ChristopherP]

Modem router is a free BT Voyager 2110 (i think) that was supplied with plusnet account...

I'll have a look on Aria, and might order another helicopter while i'm at it!!

 

[ChristopherP]

Netgear FS108 looks good...

 

[Me__2001]

looks good to me and for £20 i'd say its a bargain

 

[ChristopherP]

Just ordered the new version of the FS108

Aswell as a crimping tool and 15 RJ45 plugs...

I figured i'll have some spare time on Saturday up in Cambs so i'll have a crack at it then!

I might have also ordered another big remote control helicopter for £14.95 to replace the one that got a bit broken