Need assistance with your network setup?
Need assistance with your network setup?
I’m updating my home network to reduce congestion. With kids and grandkids living here, plus many devices, I’m moving to a wired setup instead of relying on Wi-Fi. I have fiber internet now and a decent router, but I’m using it with another Linksys for easier control. I’m connecting everything via a 24-port switch and running cables to smaller switches in each room to handle more devices without too much cable. I’m considering single Cat7 cables or setting up separate switches per room—maybe one in the living room and another elsewhere. I found a way to buy fiber modules and similar gear for about the same price as Cat7. I’m unsure if it’s better to run switches in each room or connect everything through a central switch. I’m working on this while managing work and a disability, so funds are limited. Thanks for any advice!
Cat 6A offers significant savings compared to Cat 7 while supporting 10 GB networking, making it a smart choice for future-proofing your setup. If your equipment is limited to 1 GB, Cat 5e would suffice. You might still consider fiber if you need bulk fiber or SPF modules at similar costs to copper, but that depends on your budget. Be aware that unless the fiber runs are pre-terminated, you’ll need to buy termination gear or hire a specialist. Generally, it’s better to run multiple cables per room feeding back to your core switch, though this can become complex in new builds or remodels. Chaining switches increases bandwidth limits, so it’s usually better to keep connections direct. If using fiber with 10 GB modules, the issue is less severe but still not ideal for optimal performance. Without planning business-grade redundancy, I recommend connecting your ISP router directly to the core switch, using either a single 1 GB or 10 GB cable per room, and placing branch switches at each end for user devices. You can link branches if needed, but try to minimize them for smoother troubleshooting and speed.
Currently I’m active in trading. My setup includes a Netgear GS724T, a Netgear GS716T, and a Dell 2624 with one SFTP. The Linksys WRT 1900AC is my main router. I haven’t really used a smart switch before, so I’m treating it mainly as a basic router for switching IPs, parental controls, and dual Wi-Fi. I’ve turned off the provider’s Wi-Fi and DHCP settings. Now I’m routing traffic from the provider to the Linksys using a separate IP pool, while the provider box forwards everything to the Linksys. From there, I connect the GS724T to the house and run cables throughout. I’m using Cat5e cabling that I cut to fit my needs.
I might not have the exact numbers right, but once I had a shopping cart with four 1G modules—one with 25ft fiber and another with 50ft—I added extras for free shipping since the cost was nearly equal to the cart value. Without shipping it would be under $100. Regarding termination, I thought SFTP modules could handle it. I considered fiber even with a 1G setup to avoid bottlenecks compared to Cat5e during busy periods.
My plan is to use the GS724T as the entry point, the GS716T in the living room, and the Dell in the upstairs bedrooms. Ideally, both would connect via one SFTP to the living room and the second SFTP to the upstairs room. I’m wondering if there’s a speed difference between Cat5e and fiber switches during peak usage. Anyone have tested this? Could you point me to a resource for comparison?
I also want to learn more about the smart switch and think about removing the Linksys, which would simplify things. Thanks for the update—I’ll look into ordering the SFTP and fiber so you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m not in a rush since I don’t have money and need time to save again, Lane.
Connecting switches using fiber at 1 Gbps or copper at 1Gbps still delivers 1Gbps performance. You can upgrade to 10 Gbps fiber modules or 10 Gbps copper modules if you need higher trunk bandwidth between switches. For your needs, Fiber and Cat6A behave almost identically. I mainly use Cisco equipment, but the core switching concepts—like VLANs—are similar across brands with some command variations. If you're interested in learning switch configuration, tools like Cisco Packet Tracer or GNS3 are excellent for simulating networks. There are many online videos and guides to help with networking and hardware setup. For a simple home setup, you probably won’t need much configuration beyond login security and IP addresses unless you plan to use it as a learning lab.
I prefer not to overanalyze this and apologize if I’m complicating things more than necessary. I’ll rephrase it to check if the difference in latency affects performance with larger files or streaming. They might be rated similarly for speed, but I’m curious about how long each can sustain that rate. During testing from a provider’s router using two computers connected via cable from the same source, I changed cables to confirm results. One computer was just 8 feet away, while the other was around 25 feet. After running speed tests, the farther one slowed down. Switching the setup and repeating the test confirmed the same trend—distance impacted performance. Both reached the advertised speeds, but the farther unit lagged on average. I also ran tests using third-party tools like Speedtest and others to verify. This led me to consider fiber between switches for lower latency. For my home, I need to research more. I recall a video from Linus about the Netgear GS724T smart switch; I should look for his next upload after unboxing. With my current setup, I must enhance security since kids are accessing devices they shouldn’t and risking exposure while sleeping. My Linksys model lets me filter IPs, block certain addresses, and set access times without hurting the main network used for streaming. I’m exploring similar options with a smart switch to assign IPs only to specific MAC addresses, keeping the home network safe. In my area, there are about 12 nearby Wi-Fi networks that could interfere—this makes the lab idea even more relevant. It’s motivating me to explore alternatives while staying focused on protecting my family. Thank you all for your support; it means a lot.
Mostly Cat6a is suited for home applications. Expect minimal latency comparison between fiber and copper. Ensure your router has sufficient CPU capacity and ample RAM (4gb-8gb) since packet filters and firewalls consume considerable memory, along with other services. Generally, fiber isn’t necessary unless you need speeds above 10Gbps or longer distances like 300 meters. Fiber is more complex to manage and testing gear can easily reach high values. The short distance means it shouldn’t impact performance. Possible issues may stem from configuration errors or internal router behavior. A better speed test would use tools like iperf, which offers a user-friendly interface and includes jitter analysis. Firewall and IP blocking are handled at the router level, functioning as a Layer 2 switch and lacking advanced filtering. One approach is creating separate subnets—assign one for general use and another for children or devices. This lets you restrict IP addresses per subnet. VLSM calculators can assist in dividing your network into smaller segments. You might also set up multiple VLANs or connect different switches to various router ports, each managing its own subnet. Numerous online guides explain these steps. If you have doubts or need clarification, feel free to ask—I’m here to guide you through.
I have some worries regarding both the ISP router and the Linksys device. Could you tell me which Linksys model you're using? With a gigabit connection and 50 devices connected, I'm concerned the router might struggle, and switching internet types won't help much.
Nexus, you can check some posts and I shared the equipment I’m using along with the router... It’s a WRT 1900AC. Generally, everything functioned well until last December. With the holidays and more devices added, it caused congestion on the Linksys, leading to further complications. I might need to explore alternatives to reduce the load. Perhaps I should revisit my approach and study more thoroughly. It’s tough for someone who hasn’t been in school for over three decades, hehe. Graphicgore: Since the switch lacks Layer 2 features, I risk making things unnecessarily complicated. What I’m doing aligns with what you’ve suggested before. I checked out and am using the ATT modem (model 5268AC), which has a four-port switch but its settings don’t suit my needs. There’s a passthrough option, which I applied to my Linksys router—but I had to change its IP to avoid conflicts with the 5268AC. That resolved the issue and everything is working now. I also disabled DHCP for the 5268AC and turned off Wi-Fi because it was causing problems. All systems are stable until December, but I’m still facing challenges. I ran a ConnectToAT test to confirm I wasn’t restricted, and the results were satisfactory. I’m planning to dive deeper into VLANs for better understanding. My main goal is to conduct more research independently so I don’t feel like I’m relying on others. Guess that’s why I thought this would be a quick fix. I could just switch everything over to myself, but I realize it might bring stress in the long run from my family. Thanks again all for your support. I’ll follow up if I hit a roadblock or need fresh ideas. P.S. I just edited this post and added some notes. Would anyone have the disc that comes with the Netgear GS724Tv3? I’ve downloaded the Smart Control Center and Smart Wizard from the Netgear site, but from what I’ve watched and researched, there seems to be something missing in setting this up correctly. I’m aware Linus might have a disc, or someone else could know where to get the full ISO. Thanks ahead of time.