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A networking question

VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

A networking question

I'm planning on very gradually upgrading bits of my system from power-plugs to Gbit (cabled).
If I start with connecting a Gbit PC to a Gbit switch (which is basically connected to various bits of 100 Mbit stuff - such as a backup drive),
will I get decent speeds out of this?
I realise this sounds a bit mad - but currently, the connection is a power plugs thing so everything goes from my PC to my router (at 100Mbps(?)) then
back over the power plugs connection to the backup drive. Which is slow.
I'd be happy for DHCP traffic to go at relatively slow speeds, provided data goes at better speeds!
This would allow me to gradually wire up other parts of the network (the router is some distance from the PC).
Is this a viable plan?

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

3 REPLIES 3
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: A networking question

Well you'll get no more speed than your fastest peripheral that's connected to the switch. If you're backup device only has a 100Mbps NIC then that's what you'll get even if the switch and PC are GBit. You should of course get a noticeable improvement when using wire to your backup device, as that will outperform the Power Plugs.
I use a managed switch with jumbo frame support enabled and full duplex (same on NICs) and I can max throughput on my network.
There is a thread on here somewhere with a screen grab showing this, but I can't recall the threads title.
wisty
Pro
Posts: 591
Thanks: 112
Fixes: 8
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: A networking question

If I understand correctly you plan have the PC and the backup drive fairly close together connected by a Gigabit switch, then have the switch connected to the router via a powerplug link.
If so you should get much better performance than you will get by running two streams in opposite directions over the powerplug.
The Gigabit switch (if you get a reasonable one) will handle the mismatch in speeds fine. If your budget stretches to it I would suggest a managed switch (something like a TL-SG105E) rather than an unmanaged one (TL-SG105) the price difference is about £3-5 but they add flexibility and handle things like IGMP snooping for PlusNet TV if you go that route.
I would also suggest (again if the budget runs to it) an eight port switch rather than a five port - it doesn't matter how many ports you have - you always need one more :).
As long as the powerplug link is faster than your broadband, then It should not really be much of a bottleneck in that configuration
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: A networking question

Thanks @Wisty & @Mook - I had hoped it would work!
My next problem will be to stick a long ethernet cable (25m) round a few 900 bends
and through a brick wall in a 'U' bend configuration - I don't really want to use the bend radius (1") which seems to be recommended.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."