Ethernet question

[locksmith]

Can you get a splitter and run two devices through a single Ethernet cable at the same time?

[Buzz]

You need a switch, this one is only 10/100 and will do the job but a 1000 version will only cost a fiver more.  If none of your other hardware is capable of gigabit then just get the 10/100 one below.

http://www.dabs.com/products/tp-link-5-p...html?src=3

[BBROWN1664]

:agree except you only need a hub. A switch would be overkill in your shop or house.

PCWorld do/did cheapo ones for about £10. don't need anything fancy.

edited as it would seem that PCWorld are calling everything a switch when the basic ones are just hubs.

[locksmith]

Hada look at that link, couldn't understand a word :lol

Does a switch work automatically and does it use a power source?

[HarryHornby]

Agreed, a hub would be fine, a hub is basically an unmanaged switch (that confused you any more??? LOL)
A hub needs power, you plug the uplink cable into your broadband, like the PC does at the moment, and then plug the PC and the other device into the hug, happy days.

[Buzz]

Argghhh, don't mention PC World!!  :'( :fish :2guns

Here's a half price Netgear one for £9 off ebay inc del

Switch over hub any day unless you want to flood your network with unnecessary traffic but as BB says above most hubs are probably labelled switches anyway these days... probably cos people don't know the difference.

[Buzz]

Does a switch work automatically and does it use a power source?

Yes - plug the cable from your router into one port, plug 2 cables going to 2 laptops in 2 of the other ports and they're both connected
Yes - they'll all come with a power supply.

[HarryHornby]

Our networking team used to love it when we put a hub in when we needed additional port, broadcast tastic!!!  It was like a sport putting them out in the wild. They've now put in NAC and we can't use them.....spoil sports!

[fazersharp]

I am in the same boat my router has 4 ports all used so I tried a spliter to go from 1 of the ports and then plug two devices in to that, and yes that is right it dont work, so what I do is keep swapping over the two things at the spliter.
To make sence of this for you by router is by the front door ontop of the meter cupboard and rammed into the corner with all the cables out of sight so to just swap over a port i have to get under the cupboard thread the one i want up - yank out the router carrying all other cables with it and swap.
so now i just open the cupboard door and the spliter is easy to use to swap over two cables.
I dont want anything else plugged in the mains so a hub or switch is no good for me.
I dont like wifi.
All cables are hidden as i dont like them either.

[Buzz]

I tried a spliter to go from 1 of the ports and then plug two devices in to that, and yes that is right it dont work

As long as your switch has got a autosensing port or an uplink port then you can plug a router/modem in and it will work.

i have to get under the cupboard thread the one i want up - yank out the router carrying all other cables with it and swap.

That's madness, surely!

I dont want anything else plugged in the mains so a hub or switch is no good for me.
I dont like wifi.
All cables are hidden as i dont like them either.

You sound like you need some Homeplugs, I know that's another plug but they'll give you wired networking all over your house

[fazersharp]

SORRY to the OP for hijacking but im hoping that my issue will also be helping you as it sounds the same in that we have ran out of ports

i have to get under the cupboard thread the one i want up - yank out the router carrying all other cables with it and swap.

That's madness, surely!

Yep thats why it is set up with one of the 4 ports with a pernament 1mtr cable with a splitter on the end. I wanted to use the splitter to run two things off it but it didnt work so now the splitter is just used as a cable connector or extention and just inside the door easy to get to without moving anything i can swap cables.

I tried a spliter to go from 1 of the ports and then plug two devices in to that, and yes that is right it dont work

As long as your switch has got a autosensing port or an uplink port then you can plug a router/modem in and it will work.

Dont get it are you saying this will do what I want, without itself being powered, I have 3 things that use the net all the time and 4 ports with the 4th port useing my 1m "tail" from which I manaually swap 3 other devices when I need them--- I only need one of these 3 at a time to be working

[Dead Eye]

Fazersharp - No, he is suggesting that you can use a second switch / hub on the tail of that 4th cable which won't work for you as you don't wish to plug anything else in.

Locksmith - What exactly is your situation? If you could give a little more context then we may be able to provide a better solution



For anyone that is interested in the slightest;
A Hub broadcasts all traffic from each port to every other port in the hope that it ends up where it is supposed to go.
A switch, in laymen's terms, stores the address of each device connected to each individual port. It monitors each packet of data and then sends it on its way along the correct route.
A router "bridges" two different networks together. In the home this is the bridge between the internet and your local network of household devices. Most routers are equipped with a built-in Switch these days

In an age of ever increasing network security, a Switch makes more sense and is much more bandwidth friendly.

I'm one of those odd people who actually enjoys networking. My last place ended up with 3 routers (1 acting purely as a Switch) to make everything work including a double NAT setup because Sky were being a pain in the ass Also had Homeplugs in use to reach an additional location. Currently making use of them in my current residence as well - very handy items but you do tend to need to use isolated power supplies for them if using alongside unshielded audio equipment (in my experience)

[hightower]

You can get a splitter that uses one cable, but it's 2 ends at both side of the cable - not 2 to 1. So for example if you needed two ports where one cable is already run and didn't want to run a second - it would work so long as you have room to plug in to router (I have one spare at work if anyone needs one).

If you have simply run out of space you'd need a hub or switch as mentioned. Hubs are old tech - spend a few quid more and get a switch.

[locksmith]

My CCTV system is plugged in for remote viewing. Just found out I can plug inmy credit card machine. Its not much hassle to run another eEthernet cable, just wondered if a splitter would be easier.

[Buzz]

Dont get it are you saying this will do what I want, without itself being powered,

It was just me stating that if a switch has autodetection then your original setup should work.  If your "splitter" (I'm guessing you mean switch/hub?) isn't working with 2 devices plugged in then it sounds a bit flaky.

I'm still trying to imagine how the cables are run all over the house from your cupboard by the door, where do the 3 existing cables go and what about these 2 that you swap on a regular basis?  This sounds like a project!!

Apologies for the thread hijack :o

[fazersharp]

Fazersharp - No, he is suggesting that you can use a second switch / hub on the tail of that 4th cable which won't work for you as you don't wish to plug anything else in.

So a switch on my tail into my 4th port and then all my extra stuff into the switch.But the switch has to be powered.
So all my extra stuff will run at the same time, with each bit of infomation from each device sent in packets in turn to the 1 (4th ) port. Wont that slow it down.

  So to get in my head-- I only need 1 of my 3 extra devices to connect to the internet at a time.
There is nothing out there for me to use where I can have all my 3 extras pernamantly plugged in to something and then that something goes to my last (4th) port on router. Even though I only need 1 item at a time to be on the web there is nothing that can do this that is not itself powered.
So I am left with my current set up with 3 ports taken up permanently and the 4th with a little tail dangling inside the cupboard and on the end of that is a male to male connector, and terminating also in the cupboard is 3 extra device cables that I manually swap at the male to male connector tail.



Think im gonna go for a ride and clear my head !!

[Arfa]

You can get an ethernet splitter, like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/RJ45-Ethernet-Sp...B004SJXRP4

Allows two things to share a single cable. However, it won't let use use a full duplex mode and won't let you connect at high speed. It'll do the job, but won't be particularly great. A small hub/switch would definitely be a better solution.

[fazersharp]

Yep that it thats what I use.
On this is a tv but although turned off with the remote if it is still in the splitter I canot attach another device to the splitter as there still seems to be a connection detected from the tv, so I have to unlpug the tv from the splitter and plugin the other divice i want to use, so I didnt need a splitter for this, just a male to male really.

Permanant in 3 are 2 pcs and a ps3
Swapped as needed in 4th is tv, blu ray,and ( laptop in two different rooms in the house) Blue ray only gets plugged in when updates are needed so the tv gets unplugged when the laptop needs the internet or I need to update the blueray. So its mainly 2 things that I need to keep swapping over under the cupboard - the tv and laptop.

[hightower]

locksmith, the splitter I'm talking about will be easiest solution then. If you want it sending just let me know.


And this one works at full speed on both connections. How? Cat5 has 8 cables, only 4 of which are used, so this splitter uses the 4 unused for the second connection. There will be loss, but it is minimal (you wouldn't even notice).


Like I say, sitting on my shelf, let me know if you want it.

[Buzz]

This is what I would do, it breaks some of your rules but nevertheless.

- Unplug the other 3 cables
- Get a set of Homeplugs - connect the 4th port on your router in your cupboard into one Homeplug, stick it in a plug socket now your whole house is wired up at every other plug socket.
- The second Homeplug goes behind the TV cabinet.
- The cable comes out of that Homeplug and into a wireless router (you can get a 802.11n version for ~£6, comparable speeds to standard ethernet)
- You can now permanently cable up the TV/Blueray
- You can have another cable coming out of this router behind the sofa etc. in order to connect the Laptop
- The connection in the rest of the house is either supplied by the Wifi from the first/second router or you just get an extra Homeplug which you can take from room to room.

EXTRA (As you now have 2 wireless routers you can mirror the SSIDs on different channels, this will boost the signal and coverage)

You sound very against having more stuff plugged in, is this because of power consumption?  Routers and switches run at about 6W these days...that's about 25p per week if it's on 24/7.

Anything must be better than manually unplugging cables in a cupboard when you need to switch.