Guys,
I'm about to move house, hopefully, at the end of January.
We're moving into a smaller house, but having some work done to expand it.
I'm hoping to install a wired network when the building work is being done, to replace my current home plugs with a proper permanent wired gigabit network. My wife, sadly, fears this idea for some reason i've not been able to fully fathom. It might be cost. But I wouldn't have thought it'd add much to the build cost, especially if I buy the cables, faceplates, etc, myself.
Anyway... at the moment, we have
1. Desktop PC
2. Laptop
3. Wii
4. Server
5. HTPC
all connected to a standard O2 broadband router. The wii and laptop connect wirelessly.
What I want to do is put in network connections for my kids rooms (future proofing), and I'm going to get a Wii USB Wired network adapter. That will result in a total of 6 wired connections, and one wireless.
So far so good. I think I'm going to get a nice gig ethernet switch for this, as the router only has 4 ports.
Now, I recall reading somewhere that to connect the switch to the router will take two ports on each. Is that right? And will either of them require any set up, typically, for the internet connection to be available to the PCs on the network swtich, or should it just work once the router is connected to the switch?
I've not used a switch before. I assume that they normally have an IP address like a router, and one can log on to configure as one would with a router?
At the moment, with the home plugs, I'm getting 6 meg a second transfer rate (i.e. one mp3 a second. I've never got the hang of mb or Mb or MB or whatever). Can I expect a boost with a wired network, if all PCs have gig ethernet connections on board? Can anyone give me an idea of a realistic speed?
And finally, if anyone has any general hints and tips I should bear in mind, please let me know.
Someone has recently suggested to me that I should look to lay 2 - 4 connections to each room, to totally future proof, even if I don't actually connect the wires to the face plate yet. I'm bearing that in mind.


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