Switch Versus Router (Again!)

[JMEvrard]

Let me first of all say, I've been at this for weeks... This forum is certainly one of the best, but there are many more out there, and between this one and the many others, I grow more confused every day. Thus far, I have read, and even been told by tech support personnel, totally different takes (contradictions) on the subject. I thought perhaps that if I word my question VERY specifically, I might get a simple (correct) answer.

I have recently (at long last) been diagnosed with the disorder called Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS); often simply stated as being “RF Sensitive”.
Because of this fact, I have chosen to eliminate whatever sources of Radio Frequencies (RF) and Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMF) that I can. Since having been diagnosed, we have no longer used our wireless router, using instead patch cords & couplers when needing internet connections other than in the office. It’s cumbersome, tacky, and inefficient, but my health problems have so vastly improved, that I’m ‘in it for the long haul’. I’ve now decided to hard wire various rooms of our house with ethernet cable and receptacles; more rooms than I am presently capable of connecting to, hence the problem...

I have a Cable Modem: ‘Motorola SURFboard Cable Modem’ Model: SB5101 (Time Warner Roadrunner Internet and TV)
From the Cable Modem I go to my router: (CISCO Linksys T Mobil HotSpot@Home) 0092000-04171 - WRTU54G-TM V.1 Reman Wireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone lines.
From there I’d like to go to numerous locations throughout our house.
My router has only 4 Ethernet sockets (outlets/receptacles). I want to go to more than four (4) locations. So I bought what I thought (after days of research) was the correct device to facilitate that situation. I bought a TRENDnet 8-Port Gigabit GREENnet Switch -TEG-S80g.
MY QUESTION: With what little instruction came in the box, I’m beginning to ‘think’ that I can not use it for that purpose? If that is true, what then should I have bought? Or if indeed I CAN use it, where do I place it in relationship to the Modem & Router?

Clarification: When I say ‘CAN use it’, I’m meaning, ‘to have the capability of ‘receiving/transmitting internet’ at EVERY ONE of the RJ45 Receptacles’
‘Sorry for the wordiness... I did it as simply as I could! ‘Thank you’ in advance, for any help, anyone can provide.

 

[bill001g]

You plug the switch into a lan port on the router. Pretty much just unplug your PC. Put the switch in that port and plug your pc into the switch and you have 7 more ports.

 

[choucove]

As bill001g stated, your switch is going to be connected directly off of your router, and you will connect computers to your switch to give you the number of device connections you need. Not only will you have the seven available ports on the switch to use, but you can also use the remaining 3 ports on the router to connect devices if you need more ports.

 

[JMEvrard]

Thank you choucove... and you as well bill00g. The answers you have both given me cause me to be willing to take a chance and attempt the configuration that you’ve described. The only reason that I hesitated (besides all the contradictions in various postings) was as I mentioned, information in the somewhat inadequate ‘manual’ or instruction booklet that gave with the TRENDnet Switch. In it I found, under ‘Troubleshooting’, an entry (#4) which reads: “After I connect my PCs to the switch, I can only get onto the internet from one computer.” and the reply/response (Which I assume is from the company) is as follows: “The Switch was not designed to share Internet between multiple computers. You need to get an internet router such as the TW100-S4W1CA.”
I don’t even understand what that all means, but ‘took it to mean’ that perhaps what I wanted to do, would not work... But, thanks to you, caution (and confusion) be damned, I’m going ahead with it! Thanks again.
PS – I’ve still not yet heard back from the company, having given them the same question. I’ll post again when/if I do.

 

[RealBeast]

“The Switch was not designed to share Internet between multiple computers. You need to get an internet router such as the TW100-S4W1CA.”

What they wrote is nonsense, that is exactly what I use one for and it works fine. I have run LAN speed tests on it and get around 820Mbps over my gigbit network from one SSD to another on the switch, which is about the limit when you consider network overhead. I think they actually mean that you must either already have a router that provides your DHCP and NAT needs OR buy one, namely one of theirs.

My Trendnet switch is attached by CAT5e to a gigbit LAN port of a DLink DIR-655 configured as a wireless AP that get its Internet from my main router upstairs LAN port to LAN port over CAT5e. My router gets the original WAN connection from a Motorola SB6121 modem.

Six devices, 4 computers and 2 network printers are on the Trendnet switch. All the computers have 50Mbps cable Internet access through that set up.

 

[JMEvrard]

Thanks to you as well Realbeast... I particularly like your part about, "What they wrote is nonsense, that is exactly what I use one for and it works fine."
Though liking it aside, I must admit, some of it bryond that is still way above my head!

I did hear back from TRENDnet. They sent a message saying: "Dear Customer, You should still be able to use the switch. You will connect it to one of the 4 ports on your router and the other end into one of the ports on the switch. You can then run your cables to the other devices/locations."
I've yet to ask them ‘why the mis-information’ in their 'instruction booklet'... Perhaps I'll bother tomorrow, just to hear the excuse.

It's been a month of this sort of thing for me... Time Warner, Bank of American, Humana Medicare Advantage, even the iSi Soda Siphon Company! Everyone seems to have lost their minds!

Thanks again for the validation... Thanks to all of you. As you can see, I'm new at this, and hope to do more. For instance, I need to know if I should bother to replace my Cat 5 cable with 5e or even 6... I only get the ‘Basic’ internet from Time Warner, and don’t think we can afford to upgrade... For my purposes perhaps the Cat 5 is sufficient? Though it seems that while doing the cable pulling, I might as well plan for the future (That of my Grand-kids at least).
Also, I'm not sure I replied to each person the correct way? Hopefully everyone knows how grateful I am...
‘Be well’ to all!

 

[RealBeast]

CAT5 cable is most likely fine for your uses and it would not be worth trying to pull 5e or 6 through the walls -- I've done a lot of old thinnet to CAT5 upgrades and it is painful. You can get at least 100Mbps over CAT5 and if it is good cable with good connections it will often support gigabit connections.

I've had a crazy November, and I look forward to December and a nice quiet Christmas with the dogs (three sisters from three litters in a row, 1 1/2, 2 1/2 and 3 years, Old English Sheepdogs as you see from my avatar) so it will be somewhat crazy anyway.

Happy Holidays!

 

[Kewlx25]

Your Cable/DSL modem, or whatever, acts as a gateway to the Internet. Because most ISPs only hand out one IP address, you need a router/NAT to share that IP because it is a hack/bandaid-fix/work-around to share an IP address with multiple computers.

So now you have a router. but probably has wifi, so disable that through settings.

Most routers have 4 ethernet ports on them. You can purchase a normal dumb switch and plug it into any of those 4 ports. Just think of it like a power strip. You can just daisy chaining power strips to your hearts content. The only difference here is you won't cause a fire.

Make sure you get an all gig-switch (1Gb ports). Example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704042

1Gb dumb switches are really cheap.