Router / Switch Choice
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I come to you with a hardware question (cause I've been lurking for some time and I like the atmosphere here). I know, you (and I) are mostly code monkeys, but I'm in need of a new router / switch and I don't know a decent hardware forum. So, I ask you, do you know a router / switch with the following capabilities:
- Modem capabilities
- WiFi capabilities
- At least 4 LAN cable connectors
- USB port(s), preferably which support printer and hard disk network sharing
If you do not know a switch that can do all of this, what recommendations would you give me. It's for a home network with 2 desktops and 2 laptops. We're planning on connecting the printer and external hard disks to the switch. Already thanks!
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I come to you with a hardware question (cause I've been lurking for some time and I like the atmosphere here). I know, you (and I) are mostly code monkeys, but I'm in need of a new router / switch and I don't know a decent hardware forum. So, I ask you, do you know a router / switch with the following capabilities:
- Modem capabilities
- WiFi capabilities
- At least 4 LAN cable connectors
- USB port(s), preferably which support printer and hard disk network sharing
If you do not know a switch that can do all of this, what recommendations would you give me. It's for a home network with 2 desktops and 2 laptops. We're planning on connecting the printer and external hard disks to the switch. Already thanks!
Most WiFi routers will do what you ask, excepting the part about hosting a USB printer. If it's convenient for your setup, I'd connect the printer to one of the PCs, enable Microsoft File and Print Sharing on that PC, and share it with the rest of the network. Then you can use a cheaper router to connect the network. I suspect that part of the problem people report about sharing printers directly over a wireless link is due to the lack of any active print server capability in the router. A Windows PC comes with that function built in, along with a print spooler for buffering print jobs.
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
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Have not you just described the standard features of every router / switch ? :-D Do you want to connect it to the internet ?
Yes, I want to connect it to the net. Brand names that you think are high quality are appreciated.
Rage wrote:
Have not you just described the standard features of every router / switch ?
Not really, a lot of routers or switches I've encountered have some of those functions, but sometimes don't function as a modem or don't have printer or file sharing support.
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Most WiFi routers will do what you ask, excepting the part about hosting a USB printer. If it's convenient for your setup, I'd connect the printer to one of the PCs, enable Microsoft File and Print Sharing on that PC, and share it with the rest of the network. Then you can use a cheaper router to connect the network. I suspect that part of the problem people report about sharing printers directly over a wireless link is due to the lack of any active print server capability in the router. A Windows PC comes with that function built in, along with a print spooler for buffering print jobs.
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
Roger Wright wrote:
and share it with the rest of the network
That's so '80s. X|
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I come to you with a hardware question (cause I've been lurking for some time and I like the atmosphere here). I know, you (and I) are mostly code monkeys, but I'm in need of a new router / switch and I don't know a decent hardware forum. So, I ask you, do you know a router / switch with the following capabilities:
- Modem capabilities
- WiFi capabilities
- At least 4 LAN cable connectors
- USB port(s), preferably which support printer and hard disk network sharing
If you do not know a switch that can do all of this, what recommendations would you give me. It's for a home network with 2 desktops and 2 laptops. We're planning on connecting the printer and external hard disks to the switch. Already thanks!
Here a good site for networking question http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/[] There are plenty of routers with USB port(s) but as far as I know, all of them are pathetic in files sharing. 2 to 5 mbits transfer rate is very commun. If your usage is light, they may do the job, but a NAS is a better option for file sharing Vince
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I come to you with a hardware question (cause I've been lurking for some time and I like the atmosphere here). I know, you (and I) are mostly code monkeys, but I'm in need of a new router / switch and I don't know a decent hardware forum. So, I ask you, do you know a router / switch with the following capabilities:
- Modem capabilities
- WiFi capabilities
- At least 4 LAN cable connectors
- USB port(s), preferably which support printer and hard disk network sharing
If you do not know a switch that can do all of this, what recommendations would you give me. It's for a home network with 2 desktops and 2 laptops. We're planning on connecting the printer and external hard disks to the switch. Already thanks!
a network-capable printer makes life so much easier...
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I come to you with a hardware question (cause I've been lurking for some time and I like the atmosphere here). I know, you (and I) are mostly code monkeys, but I'm in need of a new router / switch and I don't know a decent hardware forum. So, I ask you, do you know a router / switch with the following capabilities:
- Modem capabilities
- WiFi capabilities
- At least 4 LAN cable connectors
- USB port(s), preferably which support printer and hard disk network sharing
If you do not know a switch that can do all of this, what recommendations would you give me. It's for a home network with 2 desktops and 2 laptops. We're planning on connecting the printer and external hard disks to the switch. Already thanks!
The atmosphere smells like nerdy, geeky, closet developer stank... (And yes, I include myself in this)
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I come to you with a hardware question (cause I've been lurking for some time and I like the atmosphere here). I know, you (and I) are mostly code monkeys, but I'm in need of a new router / switch and I don't know a decent hardware forum. So, I ask you, do you know a router / switch with the following capabilities:
- Modem capabilities
- WiFi capabilities
- At least 4 LAN cable connectors
- USB port(s), preferably which support printer and hard disk network sharing
If you do not know a switch that can do all of this, what recommendations would you give me. It's for a home network with 2 desktops and 2 laptops. We're planning on connecting the printer and external hard disks to the switch. Already thanks!
I have been looking to change mine again, (Belkin N1 seems to drop wireless every 24Hrs or so and needs a reboot to fix), netgear before that started playing up also after about 9 months. Thinking about a Draytek this time, probably one of these or similiar http://www.draytek.com/user/PdInfoDetail.php?Id=96[^] Looks like it does everything you ask, but have not any experience with it to comment if any good or not.
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Roger Wright wrote:
and share it with the rest of the network
That's so '80s. X|
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The atmosphere smells like nerdy, geeky, closet developer stank... (And yes, I include myself in this)