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Wireless switch recommendations

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  Wireless switch recommendations  eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-04-23 13:32 +0100
    Re: Wireless switch recommendations nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-04-23 10:57 -0400
      Re: Wireless switch recommendations David Kennedy <davidkennedy@nospamherethankyou.invalid> - 2017-04-23 17:05 +0100
        Re: Wireless switch recommendations nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2017-04-23 12:15 -0400
          Re: Wireless switch recommendations eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-04-23 18:12 +0100
            Re: Wireless switch recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2017-04-25 08:08 +0100
    Re: Wireless switch recommendations Krzysztof Staniorowski <nospam@ksx4system.net> - 2017-04-23 15:02 +0000
      Re: Wireless switch recommendations eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-04-23 18:13 +0100
        Re: Wireless switch recommendations Krzysztof Staniorowski <nospam@ksx4system.net> - 2017-04-23 19:23 +0000
    Re: Wireless switch recommendations nospam@de-ster.demon.nl (J. J. Lodder) - 2017-04-24 21:24 +0200
      Re: Wireless switch recommendations eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-04-25 13:40 +0100
    Re: Wireless switch recommendations eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-04-27 16:18 +0100
      Re: Wireless switch recommendations Jaimie Vandenbergh <jaimie@sometimes.sessile.org> - 2017-04-27 23:29 +0100
      Re: Wireless switch recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2017-04-28 09:09 +0100
        Re: Wireless switch recommendations eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-04-28 09:38 +0100
          Re: Wireless switch recommendations RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> - 2017-04-28 11:34 +0100
            Re: Wireless switch recommendations eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-04-28 12:59 +0100
              Re: Wireless switch recommendations eastender <email@domain.com> - 2017-05-03 14:30 +0100

#117317 — Wireless switch recommendations

Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear wireless 
router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary 
wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I 
also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router 
and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package. 
I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my 
office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the 
Netgear.

So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much 
on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me 
£10).

thx

E. (marc)

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#117321

In article <2017042313322060319-email@domaincom>, eastender
<email@domain.com> wrote:

> Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear wireless 
> router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary 
> wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I 
> also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router 
> and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package. 
> I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my 
> office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the 
> Netgear.
> 
> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much 
> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me 
> £10).

you can get a gigabit switch for your main mac and keep using your
existing wireless router (you won't be getting over 100mbps on wifi
unless you have 802.11ac devices), but if you prefer one device, you
can get a new 802.11n (or ideally 802.11ac) router.

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#117333

On 23/04/2017 15:57, nospam wrote:
> In article <2017042313322060319-email@domaincom>, eastender
> <email@domain.com> wrote:
>
>> Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear wireless
>> router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary
>> wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I
>> also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router
>> and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package.
>> I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my
>> office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the
>> Netgear.
>>
>> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
>> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me
>> £10).
>
> you can get a gigabit switch for your main mac and keep using your
> existing wireless router (you won't be getting over 100mbps on wifi
> unless you have 802.11ac devices), but if you prefer one device, you
> can get a new 802.11n (or ideally 802.11ac) router.
>
Let us all know where we can get either of those for a tenner...

-- 
David Kennedy

http://www.anindianinexile.com

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#117336

In article <NPqdnRw4WpxFTWHFnZ2dnUU78YHNnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, David
Kennedy <davidkennedy@nospamherethankyou.invalid> wrote:

> >> Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear wireless
> >> router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary
> >> wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I
> >> also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router
> >> and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package.
> >> I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my
> >> office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the
> >> Netgear.
> >>
> >> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
> >> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me
> >> £10).
> >
> > you can get a gigabit switch for your main mac and keep using your
> > existing wireless router (you won't be getting over 100mbps on wifi
> > unless you have 802.11ac devices), but if you prefer one device, you
> > can get a new 802.11n (or ideally 802.11ac) router.
> >
> Let us all know where we can get either of those for a tenner...

he said he didn't want to spend much, not that it had to be under £10,
which is why i suggested a gigabit switch and keep the same router. his
wireless devices aren't going to get >100mbit unless they're 802.11ac.

gigabit switches are very cheap, especially used ones, which can be
found at garage sales, swap meets, etc.

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#117338

On 2017-04-23 16:15:37 +0000, nospam said:

> In article <NPqdnRw4WpxFTWHFnZ2dnUU78YHNnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, David
> Kennedy <davidkennedy@nospamherethankyou.invalid> wrote:
> 
>>>> Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear wireless
>>>> router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary
>>>> wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I
>>>> also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router
>>>> and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package.
>>>> I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my
>>>> office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the
>>>> Netgear.
>>>> 
>>>> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
>>>> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me
>>>> £10).
>>> 
>>> you can get a gigabit switch for your main mac and keep using your
>>> existing wireless router (you won't be getting over 100mbps on wifi
>>> unless you have 802.11ac devices), but if you prefer one device, you
>>> can get a new 802.11n (or ideally 802.11ac) router.
>>> 
>> Let us all know where we can get either of those for a tenner...
> 
> he said he didn't want to spend much, not that it had to be under £10,
> which is why i suggested a gigabit switch and keep the same router. his
> wireless devices aren't going to get >100mbit unless they're 802.11ac.
> 
> gigabit switches are very cheap, especially used ones, which can be
> found at garage sales, swap meets, etc.

Yes you're right - if I'd thought for a moment a gigabit switch is 
ideal and saves throwing away the Netgear and time getting printers etc 
up and running again.

PC World have a D-Link on offer at £15 - this looks like the job:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing-accessories/networking/network-routers-and-switches/network-switches/d-link-dgs-105-b-5-port-ethernet-switch-10137406-pdt.html 


We have a dual-band Virgin 'superhub' downstairs  (a Netgear really) 
but the wireless is poor on the third level of the house.

E. (marc)

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#117384

On 23/04/2017 18:12, eastender wrote:
> On 2017-04-23 16:15:37 +0000, nospam said:
>
>> In article <NPqdnRw4WpxFTWHFnZ2dnUU78YHNnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, David
>> Kennedy <davidkennedy@nospamherethankyou.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>>>> Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear
>>>>> wireless
>>>>> router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary
>>>>> wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I
>>>>> also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router
>>>>> and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package.
>>>>> I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my
>>>>> office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the
>>>>> Netgear.
>>>>>
>>>>> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
>>>>> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me
>>>>> £10).
>>>>
>>>> you can get a gigabit switch for your main mac and keep using your
>>>> existing wireless router (you won't be getting over 100mbps on wifi
>>>> unless you have 802.11ac devices), but if you prefer one device, you
>>>> can get a new 802.11n (or ideally 802.11ac) router.
>>>>
>>> Let us all know where we can get either of those for a tenner...
>>
>> he said he didn't want to spend much, not that it had to be under £10,
>> which is why i suggested a gigabit switch and keep the same router. his
>> wireless devices aren't going to get >100mbit unless they're 802.11ac.
>>
>> gigabit switches are very cheap, especially used ones, which can be
>> found at garage sales, swap meets, etc.
>
> Yes you're right - if I'd thought for a moment a gigabit switch is ideal
> and saves throwing away the Netgear and time getting printers etc up and
> running again.
>
> PC World have a D-Link on offer at £15 - this looks like the job:
>
> http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing-accessories/networking/network-routers-and-switches/network-switches/d-link-dgs-105-b-5-port-ethernet-switch-10137406-pdt.html
>

Marvellous things. I bought a TP-LINK TL-SG108E a while back - 8 ports 
(bear in mind you lose one for the incoming connection), metal case, 
activity lights, and low power. They're like a now no-nonsense, high 
performance driverless usb hub but better.


-- 
Cheers, Rob

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#117322

eastender <email@domain.com> wrote:
> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much 
> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me 
> £10).

Get yourself a good 802.11ac access point. It's not the cheapest possible
solution but surely most future proof.

https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lite/

Maybe this one?

-- 
Sent from my iPad via NewsTap :-)

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#117339

On 2017-04-23 15:02:44 +0000, Krzysztof Staniorowski said:

> eastender <email@domain.com> wrote:
>> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
>> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me
>> £10).
> 
> Get yourself a good 802.11ac access point. It's not the cheapest possible
> solution but surely most future proof.
> 
> https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lite/
> 
> Maybe this one?

Looks lovely but I need accessible ethernet ports....

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#117346

eastender <email@domain.com> wrote:
> On 2017-04-23 15:02:44 +0000, Krzysztof Staniorowski said:
> 
>> eastender <email@domain.com> wrote:
>>> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
>>> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me
>>> £10).
>> 
>> Get yourself a good 802.11ac access point. It's not the cheapest possible
>> solution but surely most future proof.
>> 
>> https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-lite/
>> 
>> Maybe this one?
> 
> Looks lovely but I need accessible ethernet ports....

Pair it with a gigabit ethernet switch then.

-- 
Sent from my iPad via NewsTap :-)

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#117375

eastender <email@domain.com> wrote:

> Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear wireless
> router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary 
> wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I 
> also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router 
> and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package.
> I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my 
> office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the 
> Netgear.
> 
> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me 
> £10).

Why the need, if you were happy?

Jan

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#117394

On 2017-04-24 19:24:53 +0000, J. J. Lodder said:

> eastender <email@domain.com> wrote:
> 
>> Upstairs in my home office I have been happily using a Netgear wireless
>> router wired to the main router with DHCP disabled  as a secondary
>> wireless point for upstairs Wi-Fi and also two wireless printers. I
>> also have my main Mac plugged into it. But it's only a 10/100 router
>> and Virgin have just kindly upped our speed to the 150 mbit/s package.
>> I've just tested the Mac directly on the cat5e cable wired into my
>> office and instantly got 156 mbit/s instead of about 94 through the
>> Netgear.
>> 
>> So I need to replace it, but what with? I don't want to spend too much
>> on a fancy router used only as an access point (the Netgear cost me
>> £10).
> 
> Why the need, if you were happy?

The point is that if I plug my Mac into the Netgear it limits the speed 
to 100 mbits/s. I only have one cat5e port in the office.

E.

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#117461

Just had a brainwave - called Virgin and asked for a router upgrade. 
After a bit of haggling they agreed to send the latest Superhub 3 for 
£14.99. This has much better WiFi than the v1 Superhub 2 we have. They 
don't want the old one so I can use that as the gigabit switch and wifi 
point.

E. (marc)

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#117469

On Thu, 27 Apr 2017 16:18:37 +0100, eastender <email@domain.com> wrote:

>Just had a brainwave - called Virgin and asked for a router upgrade. 
>After a bit of haggling they agreed to send the latest Superhub 3 for 
>£14.99. This has much better WiFi than the v1 Superhub 2 we have. They 
>don't want the old one so I can use that as the gigabit switch and wifi 
>point.

Result! 

Remember to disable the DHCP server in the old one, and I don't think
the 2 has an 'extend another wifi network' mode. You can set both to use
the same SSID and passphrase and that should largely work, but you may
have problems with your mobile devices 'sticking' to the wrong one as
you move about. Or it may be fine since many phones and things are
clever enough to do the right thing nowadays.

	Cheers - Jaimie
-- 
"A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then 
 quietly strangled." - Sir Barnett Cocks (1907-1989)

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#117475

On 27/04/2017 16:18, eastender wrote:
> Just had a brainwave - called Virgin and asked for a router upgrade.
> After a bit of haggling they agreed to send the latest Superhub 3 for
> £14.99. This has much better WiFi than the v1 Superhub 2 we have. They
> don't want the old one so I can use that as the gigabit switch and wifi
> point.
>

Sounds good!

I'd just add that from a quick/rough calculation, the electricity saving 
would cover a new ethernet hub (to replace the superhub 2) in well under 
a year. You would lose the heat effect of the superhub2 - that may or 
may not matter.


-- 
Cheers, Rob

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#117476

On 2017-04-28 08:09:50 +0000, RJH said:

> On 27/04/2017 16:18, eastender wrote:
>> Just had a brainwave - called Virgin and asked for a router upgrade.
>> After a bit of haggling they agreed to send the latest Superhub 3 for
>> £14.99. This has much better WiFi than the v1 Superhub 2 we have. They
>> don't want the old one so I can use that as the gigabit switch and wifi
>> point.
>> 
> 
> Sounds good!
> 
> I'd just add that from a quick/rough calculation, the electricity 
> saving would cover a new ethernet hub (to replace the superhub 2) in 
> well under a year. You would lose the heat effect of the superhub2 - 
> that may or may not matter.

I hadn't thought about the power consumption - seems the Superhub 3 is 
at the upper end in consumption. Don't know about the 2. But I want to 
run two wireless systems so I won't need the standalone hub unless the 
3 has great coverage which I doubt as we have a big 3 story house.

E. (marc)

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#117477

On 28/04/2017 09:38, eastender wrote:
> On 2017-04-28 08:09:50 +0000, RJH said:
>
>> On 27/04/2017 16:18, eastender wrote:
>>> Just had a brainwave - called Virgin and asked for a router upgrade.
>>> After a bit of haggling they agreed to send the latest Superhub 3 for
>>> £14.99. This has much better WiFi than the v1 Superhub 2 we have. They
>>> don't want the old one so I can use that as the gigabit switch and wifi
>>> point.
>>>
>>
>> Sounds good!
>>
>> I'd just add that from a quick/rough calculation, the electricity
>> saving would cover a new ethernet hub (to replace the superhub 2) in
>> well under a year. You would lose the heat effect of the superhub2 -
>> that may or may not matter.
>
> I hadn't thought about the power consumption - seems the Superhub 3 is
> at the upper end in consumption. Don't know about the 2. But I want to
> run two wireless systems so I won't need the standalone hub unless the 3
> has great coverage which I doubt as we have a big 3 story house.
>

I'd give it a go with just the 3 - my BT hub's (5 I think) wireless 
connects (only 2 out of 3 bars on the iphone, though) across the longest 
diagonal of my 3 storey house.


-- 
Cheers, Rob

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#117479

On 2017-04-28 10:34:46 +0000, RJH said:

> On 28/04/2017 09:38, eastender wrote:
>> On 2017-04-28 08:09:50 +0000, RJH said:
>> 
>>> On 27/04/2017 16:18, eastender wrote:
>>>> Just had a brainwave - called Virgin and asked for a router upgrade.
>>>> After a bit of haggling they agreed to send the latest Superhub 3 for
>>>> £14.99. This has much better WiFi than the v1 Superhub 2 we have. They
>>>> don't want the old one so I can use that as the gigabit switch and wifi
>>>> point.
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sounds good!
>>> 
>>> I'd just add that from a quick/rough calculation, the electricity
>>> saving would cover a new ethernet hub (to replace the superhub 2) in
>>> well under a year. You would lose the heat effect of the superhub2 -
>>> that may or may not matter.
>> 
>> I hadn't thought about the power consumption - seems the Superhub 3 is
>> at the upper end in consumption. Don't know about the 2. But I want to
>> run two wireless systems so I won't need the standalone hub unless the 3
>> has great coverage which I doubt as we have a big 3 story house.
>> 
> 
> I'd give it a go with just the 3 - my BT hub's (5 I think) wireless 
> connects (only 2 out of 3 bars on the iphone, though) across the 
> longest diagonal of my 3 storey house.

Yes I will do. I have two wireless printers in my office and the main 
router is a long way from them so this will probably be the best test. 
At present though I can't get much of a signal from the Superhub 2 at 
2.4 or 5 but it's not the ac version and 3 should also be a lot better. 

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#117536

On 2017-04-28 11:59:40 +0000, eastender said:

> On 2017-04-28 10:34:46 +0000, RJH said:
> 
>> On 28/04/2017 09:38, eastender wrote:
>>> On 2017-04-28 08:09:50 +0000, RJH said:
>>> 
>>>> On 27/04/2017 16:18, eastender wrote:
>>>>> Just had a brainwave - called Virgin and asked for a router upgrade.
>>>>> After a bit of haggling they agreed to send the latest Superhub 3 for
>>>>> £14.99. This has much better WiFi than the v1 Superhub 2 we have. They
>>>>> don't want the old one so I can use that as the gigabit switch and wifi
>>>>> point.
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Sounds good!
>>>> 
>>>> I'd just add that from a quick/rough calculation, the electricity
>>>> saving would cover a new ethernet hub (to replace the superhub 2) in
>>>> well under a year. You would lose the heat effect of the superhub2 -
>>>> that may or may not matter.
>>> 
>>> I hadn't thought about the power consumption - seems the Superhub 3 is
>>> at the upper end in consumption. Don't know about the 2. But I want to
>>> run two wireless systems so I won't need the standalone hub unless the 3
>>> has great coverage which I doubt as we have a big 3 story house.
>>> 
>> 
>> I'd give it a go with just the 3 - my BT hub's (5 I think) wireless 
>> connects (only 2 out of 3 bars on the iphone, though) across the 
>> longest diagonal of my 3 storey house.
> 
> Yes I will do. I have two wireless printers in my office and the main 
> router is a long way from them so this will probably be the best test. 
> At present though I can't get much of a signal from the Superhub 2 at 
> 2.4 or 5 but it's not the ac version and 3 should also be a lot better.

If anyone wants to do the same don't attempt to use the Superhub 3 as 
the switch as it's hard to configure. Activate it as the cable 
modem/router and then configure the Superhub 2 as a wired/wireless 
switch. Set the 2's IP address to 192.168.0.254, then connect to it and 
disable DHCP and set up/reset up wireless. I did a factory reset of the 
2 and couldn't connect to it on a Mac browser but could on an old XP 
virtual machine.

We now have  2 x 2.4 and 2 x 5 GHz wireless around the house and 2 x 4 
gigabit ethernet. Getting peak rate of 165 mbits/s on Virgin, which is 
rather good, and even about 140 mbits/s wirelessly near the Superhub 3 
which does indeed have much better wifi.

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