Getting help with your room's networking setup
Getting help with your room's networking setup
Hi everyone, I'm new to network setup so here I go. Right now I have 1 GB of internet speed at home, using a cable from my modem/router to my room. Then I plug it into a wall-mounted Ethernet port that connects to my Google Wi-Fi router (link to router). From there, the Ethernet out port goes to my PC. My question is, should I connect the Netgear switch first before the router, or should I put the switch after the router and connect everything to it? Also, how should I attach a Nintendo Switch to this arrangement? I'm hoping this clarifies things and helps me get the best performance. Thanks for your help!
It relies on whether the Google Wi-Fi router handles routing/DHCP or merely serves as an access point. What device is managing the network? Is it just a modem or does it act as a gateway? The switch must always come after whatever is handling the DHCP/routing.
Currently, I’m using the Google Wi-Fi box in my room connected to the Ethernet port for my PC. The modem at home handles the connection. I’m wondering if there’s a way to determine whether the Wi-Fi box is managing routing or DHCP. This image might not be very helpful, but it shows how my setup looks. I think the reason they’re split is because I received these devices at different times—three of them came together in one package.
Version 2 appears to be the intended configuration. Insert the switch into the Google box, then connect the remaining components to it.
IP addresses are divided into public and private categories. Connecting public to private networks involves NAT (Network Address Translation). This process typically requires a dedicated router or firewall. Basic modems without Wi-Fi offer a single public IP address that connects to your home WiFi router via the WAN port. The LAN port allows your PC to link to the network, while the LAN port can send traffic to a switch for additional LAN connections. Your router assigns private IP addresses through DHCP. The issue arises with double NAT—placing a router between another device that already performs NAT. If your ISP provides equipment without a public IP, it handles NAT automatically. If this happens, you can either turn off NAT on the ISP device and rely on your Wi-Fi router, or skip the router entirely (avoid connecting anything to the WAN port).