Home Network - what is the best way to do this?

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Marshall70

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Dec 1, 2013
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Hello,

I would like to set up a home network and have a couple of questions.

Service Provider: Comcast
Cable Modem: Motorola SBG6580

I would like to hardwire cat 5 cables to about 5-6 rooms in my house. I have a utility closet in the center of my house where I would like to keep my components. In addition to the hardwiring, I would like to continue having my wireless network. I just bought a TP-Link TL-SG1016 10/100/1000 Unmanaged Switch as well.

I can’t keep my wireless modem in my utility closet because the signal isn’t strong enough when the door is shut. I was thinking that I could use another modem I have – a Motorola SB-6121, and leave that in the utility closet running the cable wire to that and then connecting that to my SBG6580 via Ethernet. I called Comcast and they said I could hook up two separate cable modems but they would have to bill me for each one separately.

What are my options? What is the best way to set this up?

Thank you for any help you can provide.
Marshall
 
Solution
B
The 6121 is only a modem you still need a router to run more than a single device. Since the 6580 can only take cable for input you can not use it as your router.

Problem will be if you plug the 6121 into the switch then some random PC will be the only one to get a IP and none of the others will.

You only option to not have the router in the closet would be to run 2 cables to the remote room you wanted the router in. You would hook the modem directly to one of those cables and plug it into the WAN interface of your new router. You would then hook a second cable to the lan interface going back to the room and THAT cable you would plug into the switch.

Depends how many new boxes you want to buy. You could use the 6121 and plug...
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bill001g

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Aug 9, 2012
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You are kinda stuck. You only have 1 device that can be a router and that is the 6580. Problem is the 6580 only takes cable signal for WAN not ethernet so you cannot put another modem in from of it.

From the sounds of it you cannot just place the 6580 someplace good for wireless and then run a lan cable back to your central switch location to connect everything else. That would be the easy way if it was possible.

Otherwise you are going to have to get another wireless device and hook it to one of the ethernet cables coming out of your central closet. Functionally you want a AP but you can buy a router and use it as AP if it is cheaper.
 
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Marshall70

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Dec 1, 2013
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Thanks for the reply Bill. I do want to put the 6580 in a central location for the wireless but I would rather not have to move the coaxial cable to that central location as well. I was hoping to run the coaxial cable directly to the closet containing the switch and then to run all of the Ethernet wires out from there. I'm open to a different way and open to buying something else if that is what I need to do.
 
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Marshall70

Honorable
Dec 1, 2013
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10,510
could I use my SB-6121 cable modem then run that into my switch, then from there send out the Ethernet cable to a wireless router? Sorry for the newbie questions - I'm trying to learn!
 
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bill001g

Titan
Aug 9, 2012
28,319
2,754
125,640
The 6121 is only a modem you still need a router to run more than a single device. Since the 6580 can only take cable for input you can not use it as your router.

Problem will be if you plug the 6121 into the switch then some random PC will be the only one to get a IP and none of the others will.

You only option to not have the router in the closet would be to run 2 cables to the remote room you wanted the router in. You would hook the modem directly to one of those cables and plug it into the WAN interface of your new router. You would then hook a second cable to the lan interface going back to the room and THAT cable you would plug into the switch.

Depends how many new boxes you want to buy. You could use the 6121 and plug that into a router in the closet and plug the switch into a lan port, then put in another router/ap in a remote room to provide the wireless. I still would use the 6580 in the closet as a router and a modem and then buy just a inexpensive router to use as a AP.
 
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