Game Server

Okay. I play to run a counter strike source server. Though the help needed is through routers and switches.

As of right now, I have a 4 port D-Link Gaming ROUTER (DGL-400) with 4 computers connected. Mine/Brother/Mother/Father. The connection seems fast. I have the mid range Comcast at 8MB/768KB. My downloads rarely ever touch 1mb/s. Now when I run a server (east coast) on my current gaming rig I get decent results as far as registration. But it seems that Pings are lacking. They average about 50-70 depending on who joins. If its east coast and its east coast people joining, they should average about 20. (Based off servers you can buy from hosting company's).

Now here's where I get down with the questions. Would it be better to switch from a 4 port router to an 8 port switch and run all computers together off just that? Or should I keep my D-Link DGL-4000 and run a 4 port switch under my own connection?

On a side note we are going to buy the Verizon Fios 50mb/20mb home service soon. So I don't care about Comcast and its 300gig a month bandwidth limit. As of right now Comcast likes to throttle me whenever I download or run a server and download speeds and pings jump to insane slow levels. Even when I play games it seems like I get throttled at times. FIOS ToS says no permanent servers that make money. So with it I can run a server, but it has to be non-profit and legal. Running a source server is free to do so. So I'm not breaking any rules. Its just like running a server in a RTS game.

One a second side note. How do I know that I am using my full internet potential. I read somewhere for source servers that in WinXP Pro there is a way to make sure you use 100% potential internet capacity when doing things on the internet. Is there a way to do this in WinXP HOME. (please don't recommend I get vista. Vista is SLOWER than XP. If anything I'll wait for Win7.) When I hit ALT+CTRL+DEL and go to networking WHILE running a server. It says my uplink is 1GPS but network utilization never goes past .02%.

Any help and answers would be greatly appreciated.