I’ve got an Eero router that doesn’t have any extra ports for me to use to wire an Ethernet connection and a modem that doesn’t either. I’ve heard of “switches” that seem to provide extra ports (such as https://www.netgear.com/business/products/switches/unmanaged/gigabit-unmanaged-switch.aspx) but…what would you recommend as the best way of getting my computer on a separate, Ethernet-wired connection while I have these limitations? Any specific advice is appreciated!
Right, all you need is a simple 5 or 8 port SOHO switch. No need for POE which was what you pointed at
The 5 port version of what you want by that company would be a GS105 and shouldn’t really be any more than 20 £/€/$. You need a single port out of your existing gear into this and you can then plug 4 items into it.
Just to confirm you would connect the modem into the switch and the router and other items out of the switch.
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Thank you, Henry. Looking to buy one right now. “Unmanaged,” I believe, not “smart.” Smart always gets a person in trouble…
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Switches work fine. I have multiple eero modules. The main one (wired) feeds a 16 port netgear business grade unmanaged switch. My media center (on the other side of the house) is also hardwired from that main eero, and it feeds another 8 port switch.
Have never had any issues with them and they are inexpensive.
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Thank you; that’s just what I bought!
Hey.
I used solutions from various companies. There have always been problems. I changed everything to ubiquiti and forgot about the problems : https://www.ui.com/products/#unifi
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Hallo,
in my opinion the Power Supply of the Switch is also Important for the sound Quality.
I get very good Results with Models that have it Build in like the „GSW-0809“ Level one.
To answer your direct question… you want a switch. The reason being is, for technical reasons I’ll not bore you with, only a switch supports full duplex (the ability to transmit and receive data at the same time). This is a pretty critical feature for any kind of real time service like streaming music.
The netgear stuff is good.
I’m going to need an ethernet switch, maybe two. What do you suggest? I assume a 5 port Netgear of some sort. Are they all powered? Does it need a fan? I know it should be unmanaged.
My U-Verse router has 4 ethernet ports and I’m currently using all 4. I assume I can use a short ethernet cable out of one of those to a switch. The 4 devices currently connected are TV box, Slingbox, Cisco wireless access point for two wireless TV boxes, and Dell laptop (Roon core). I need an additional connection for my Oppo 203 Roon end-point. Does it matter which devices are plugged into the switch? I doubt it does.
Also, this new ethernet cable will go to my Oppo 203 Roon end-point that is located next to my TV, Bose system, wireless TV box, Apple TV 4K, and maybe some future music devices. Can I plug in another ethernet switch for some of these downstream devices that are currently WIFI or should I keep this connection just for streaming to my Oppo?
The one I posted above for Jerry is the one I’d recommend.
Thanks. I’ll take a look.
Order placed.
Switches are pretty unfussy devices. Just connect one to your router via one if its ports, and use the others to connect your devices. You can ‘daisy chain’ one switch to another too if necessary.
Pretty much any regular consumer grade switch will just work, and will not need any configuration. The Netgear switches such as GS105 are a good choice, although they are a little electrically noisy.
I like the Cisco Catalyst switches that you may have heard of here. They are sophisticated managed switches that cost a lot of money, BUT if they are set to factory default settings, they function as unmanaged switches and require no configuration. They have a built in power supply which is electrically quiet, unlike some of the cheap consumer grade stuff. The good thing about them is that despite being expensive, there are huge numbers of them in use in businesses, and therefore a steady supply of very cheap used ones on ebay.
Small switches like this, with 5 or 8 ports, are nearly always fanless, and therefore silent in use.
Already ordered the Netgear. Thanks.
So, after plugging the switch into my router, I will have 3 available USB ports on my router and 4 on the switch. Is there any strategy as to what to plug in where or does it make absolutely no difference? Devices to be plugged in include:
TV box (1 TV)
Cisco access point (2 TV’s)
Slingbox
Roon core device (Dell laptop for now)
Roon end-point device (Oppo 203)
Put your audio devices (core and Oppo) on the switch. Put your video devices anywhere else!
Thanks. What is the theory for this. Someone said the switch may have some noise. Would it be cleaner than directly from the U-Verse router? I figured it might be better to keep music separate from TV stuff, but that was just a quess.
Some routers have well implemented switch ports on them, others are rubbish. Hopefully, yours will be OK, in which case I would simply use whichever ports are in the best location for your devices. You should find that everything just works, and I would think twice before jumping down the rabbit hole of comparing sound quality of different switches, Ethernet cables, etc. By all means experiment with it, and maybe you will notice some subtle differences in sound quality.
Regarding electrically noisy devices, including the Power supplies they use, it’s good practice to keep some physical distance between your HiFi and other electrical equipment, and where possible, connect them via different mains sockets, ideally on different mains circuits if you can. Electrical noise from these devices is probably more likely to couple into your analogue HiFi gear over mains wiring than it is via an Ethernet cable.
I got gains by grouping my audio components close together off their own switch. Essentially all that comes in from the ISP provided router is internet access and Tidal. Audio IP is then dealt with on a switch of your choice in circumstances you manage. It serves to keep matters simple.