Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Building Home Network

Apr 18, 2017 7:13PM PDT
Goal: Looking to change the way my home is set up. Right now, there is too much traffic on the wireless network, and I'm looking for a change. Pretty knowledgeable, so no need to break it completely down.

In a nutshell, several laptops, phones, tablets, tv's spread out over the house. Currently on DSL (only because it was cheap; will upgrade) and phone jacks located downstairs and upstairs. All but my primary workstation are on wireless. Primary workstation is setup hard wired to router, which is upstairs. Main line I assume comes in downstairs, even through we have dsl / router hooked to upstairs phone jack. All tv's are smart tvs.

Currently:
Downstairs: main tv and cable box in living room, wireless speakers, tv and cable box in bedroom.
Upstairs: two primary desktops, 3 tv cable boxes and tvs.
*Other devices spread out.

Question:
If I wanted to run ethernet to every room with a tv/computer and create a home server using laptop for server machine, plus additional rooms for female ports, would best option be to buy a switch and run ethernet from the box? If so, can you suggest a switch for what I'm doing?

Is there a better way?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Until it's on better than DSL.
Apr 18, 2017 7:22PM PDT

You are not losing that much speed due to all WiFi.

Here I have the usual cable and everything is on WiFi. Yes I picked out a nice dual channel (5 and 2.4GHz) WiFi router with a dual core CPU. But DSL? Share that more than once and it's a drag.

As to the home server, if you know how and must stick to DSL, please install a SQUID server. You must be able to take this clue and run with it.

- Collapse -
No more DSL
Apr 18, 2017 7:26PM PDT

Getting off DSL when I figure out what I want to do with home server. Will be on either 100 or 300 mpbs plan

- Collapse -
Then a big nod to...
Apr 19, 2017 12:09PM PDT
- Collapse -
So don't hard wire anything?
Apr 19, 2017 12:47PM PDT

you're suggesting not hard wiring any of the tv's or anything to a switch? If I wanted an ethernet port in my room to just run it straight to the router?

- Collapse -
Always your choice.
Apr 19, 2017 12:58PM PDT

When you are on a low speed connection, wired is best since you want to eek out the very last drop of performance. Here I don't have anything wired and it works great. But I have a high speed cable connection and a nice dual band, dual core router.

If I was an online gamer, wired is always preferred.