Setting up your Netgear 7800 for optimal performance with the new Sky router or modem
Setting up your Netgear 7800 for optimal performance with the new Sky router or modem
Following the retirement of my old Sky hub, I now own a new UK ER115 hub. I want to make sure both are optimized for performance and take full advantage of their features. My previous setup used Netgear mainly as an access point, but during configuration I questioned whether that was ideal and if I should leverage Netgear’s advanced capabilities. I also have an affordable 8-port unmanaged switch. Based on what I understand, allowing the Sky hub to manage DHCP means it handles routing and IP allocation. Would it be better to disable DHCP on the Sky hub and revert Netgear to full router mode, using the Sky hub just for internet access? Additionally, the new hub seems to have removed two Ethernet ports, leaving only two. One should connect to the Netgear, but should I link my unmanaged switch to the Netgear or the Sky hub—does it really matter which way I connect? Thank you for any guidance you can provide.
These types of combined devices are called internet gateways. Perhaps. If you're facing slow performance with your current arrangement, testing it out could help. The Sky hub should be set to "bridge" mode or a similar setting. Some gateways offer a clear software option that handles the entire setup for you. When this feature isn't present, you'll need to disable DHCP and direct all WAN traffic through your router. If you follow this in the existing configuration, the Sky hub will function as the router for the unmanaged switch, which is the default when it powers on. But if you choose to run the Sky hub only as a modem (bridge mode), then connect the unmanaged switch to your Netgear router.