Configure your home network for optimal performance.
Configure your home network for optimal performance.
Location in Australia, NSW We have just installed NBN fiber at the building, which is what I needed to know about where the NBN box should fit inside before adding more network equipment. The diagram below should clarify my goals and help identify any problems before purchasing the missing pieces—a switch, CCTV cameras, an NVR, and two wireless access points. The modem router comes from the ISP and includes a mobile phone backup SIM. I’m cautious about swapping it but open to hearing pros and cons of a third-party option. The modem and switch I already own are in the lounge room and have the gear listed; I want to connect another switch (switch 2, which has more ports and PoE support) to the modem in the study and link the items shown to it. I also need to send Ethernet cables to the wireless access points in other areas to improve Wi-Fi coverage since the current one doesn’t reach all parts reliably.
Questions:
- Can I use the router as a mode device, assigning two of its four ports to two different switches?
- Should I connect the wireless access points directly to the switch instead of creating separate Wi-Fi networks? That would mean boosting the modem/router’s signal over Ethernet to WAP and broadcasting it to areas not covered by the router.
- Do I understand the difference between wireless access points and Wi-Fi boosters?
- Is it possible to “daisy chain” switches? For example, can a bedroom switch connect via Ethernet to another switch in the study, or should it go straight to the modem/router?
Optimizations:
Currently considering the following missing items: CCTV cameras, NVR, Reolink RLK8-811B4-A Smart 4K PoE Camera System with 5X Optical Zoom & Spotlights, and a TP-Link TL-SG1210MPE 10-Port Gigabit Fanless Easy Smart Switch (though it may need more ports). I prefer having extra ports now rather than running out later. It doesn’t need to be managed remotely.
Hey there, looks like your configuration matches mine quite closely. Back when I did a full house upgrade a few years back, I had the chance to install cat6 cabling in every room after removing all walls. The main points to think about are: 1. Your ISP’s fibre router might have a preferred ethernet port that needs to connect to the small white box your telecom provider installed inside your home. If it matches what’s used in the UK, the fibre runs from the pole or ground, goes into an external box, then connects to another box inside the house. I’m using Sky UK and their 4-port router – they seem to assign port 4 for the fibre connection, leaving ports 3 and 2 for Wi-Fi AP and a 12-port switch. While chaining switches is not ideal, it works well for most homes. My setup goes from the fibre box to the router (port 4), then port 3 connects to the switch in the living room, which feeds local devices plus six cat6 cables to other rooms. Each room usually has its own smaller switch handling its own devices. I tried wiring from a central switch with separate feeds to smaller ones, but it’s fine for typical use. For WiFi, I went with a basic Eufy setup and didn’t go deep into the details – ended up exploring a lot. Honestly, I’m not worried about the CCTV side; I figured a simple local NVR on my NAS wouldn’t be necessary.
This project helped resolve several issues. I spent a rainy weekend browsing online for a switch, two APs, security cameras, and a NVR TP-Link TL-SL1218P 16-Port 10/100 Mbps plus a Gigabit rackmount switch with PoE+ and the TP-Link EAP655-Wall AX3000. I also added a wall plate WiFi 6 access point RLK8-811B4 and a 2-camera bundle with an NVR. Now it’s about connecting everything and possibly creating a small wall-mounted rack.