[mix4fix]

What brand network hub/switches do you use for regular network use?

Netgear?
TP Link?
???

[mlundy57]

I use Netgear 1G switches and a cable modem form my ISP but am getting ready to upgrade my LAN/WAN to Netgear small business components including a 2.5G modem, 10G router, 10G WiFi access points, and 10G switches. This is for a combination of both a speed increase in the LAN and for reliability of the modem for WAN access.

While my ISP service is currently topped out at 1G, my computers and NAS have 10G network adapter cards. By using the 10G router and switches, connected with Cat6A cables, the individual devices connected to the switches have access to 10G speeds. This way, each device on the LAN is only limited by it's network adapter speed.

If it were just for music, I would be sticking with the 1G components. 10G hardware is expensive. Since my wife and I both work from home and regularly transfer large files to and from the NAS, stepping up to a 10G capable LAN makes sense for us.

I've used Netgear equipment for many years and have been satisfied enough to stay with it for the upgrade.

[mix4fix]

Gonna go buy me a couple of switches.

My cable modem has dual outputs. Are they both connected at the modem? Can I reach a device on one line to a device on the other? Can running a simple patch from one side's router to the other side's switch work?

[toocool4]

I use DrayTek for my firewall / my connection to the ISP and Zyxel for my switch.
Both allow me to have VLan’s and the DrayTek allows me to create my own VPN, which I do use when I am away from home.
I think having units that allow you to have VLan’s is good as you can separate the network traffic and keep things more secure.

mix4fix not sure what you are getting at about your modem having dual outputs? Do you mean it has dual connection for the internet? I have dual WAN on my firewall, which means I can have 2 different connections to different ISP’s meaning that I can have a failsafe so if one line goes down the other one kicks in. Is that what you mean?

[mix4fix]

My modem has two separate network output ports. Not sure if you have a computer connected on one port, and reach a computer in the second port. If not, would a patch cable linking one side's router/switch to the other's router/switch work?

[toocool4]

What is the modem or do you have a picture of it?

[newzooreview]

Yes, a photo of the cable modem and model number would help. Typically you would want to have just one connection from the cable modem to a gateway or switch.

Ubiquiti makes a range of good options that can accomodate a range of home networking needs. I found years ago that an all-in-one gateway, switch, WiFi box (the typical "router" box that a lot of ISPs provide) was a serious bottleneck on the network.

https://www.ui.com/

Moving to a Ubiquiti gateway box, Ubiquiti switch, and WiFi access point connected to the switch via Ethernet gave me much better speed for file transfers across the network and a lot more flexibility in expanding the network over time.

It really depends on what you want the network to do now and in the future.

[mix4fix]

Arris SB8200

It has two network ports.

[toocool4]

Okay, I looked up the unit. Yes, it has two Ethernet ports, and you can use either one or both, connected to different devices.

You can also use link aggregation. If you have a switch or device that supports it, you can ‘team’ the two ports to provide a combined 2 Gbps connection assuming your internet service is 2 Gbps or higher. If your connection is slower, the 2 Gbps link will only apply between the modem and your switch or device, not to the internet itself.

[newzooreview]

Arris SB8200

It has two network ports.

Thank you. The short answer is that only one should be used.

Long answer: Your ISP provides one IP address, so only one device can connect directly to the internet at a time—plugging in a second device (e.g., your computer and router simultaneously) will cause one to lose connectivity, as they compete for that single IP.

If you pay for two IP addresses (unlikely) then you could use both of the ethernet ports, each connecting out to the internet via a different public IP address.

Or, if you have an internet connection that provides 2 Gbps and a compatible network device you could use Link Aggregation to combine the two ports to access one public IP address at 2 Gbps. This is also very unlikely. A fast fiber connection to the internet like Verizon FiOS is typically 1 Gbps at best.

So, the Arris SB8200 has an extra ethernet port to accommodate arcane connection options that could occur in some comercial settings but for home use you would connect one and only one of the two Ethernet ports from the Arris to your router or gateway and switch (if using a more flexible setup from Ubiquiti).

I hope that helps.

If you have an idea of how many devices you will want to connect to the home network by Ethernet that could help define the best selection of networking equipment.

A long while ago I had an all-in-one home router box with the WiFi antennae in the same box as 6 ethernet ports. Everything works more reliably when connected via Ethernet vs. WiFi, so pretty quickly I exceeded the 6 port capacity of the router.

I then moved to a Ubiquiti Gateway, Switch, and WiFi access point. Getting a stand-alone switch let me get 20 ethernet ports and also move the WiFi antenna to a central location connected via an etehrnet cable to the switch. Moving the WiFi antenna got it away from the stereo equipment and provided better coverage. With a switch you can also have more than one WiFi access points to provide better coverage across a larger house.

[newzooreview]

Separate from the choice of network equipment is having a good uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for all the networking equipment.

I used to use a UPS based on a lead-acid battery (both APC and Cyberpower boxes), but they do not provide much backup time, and the lead-acid batteries wear out in 3-4 years. Some of them actually turn themselves off when the lead-acid battery wears out, causing further annoyance.

I recently upgraded to an EcoFlow UPS using LiFePO4 batteries. The batteries last ten years, and they provide about 5x longer runtime when the power goes out. I can also check on battery health and total wattage in use via the EcoFlow app, so I know exactly how long I can run on batteries if the power goes out. It's also possible to double the capacity with an external battery pack. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCBYMC9D

[toocool4]

newzooreview is correct, you need 2 public IP’s for it to work like I said. Without 2 public IP's, you can use either socket but not both at the same time.