Optimal Network Configuration?

This sounds perfectly normal and reasonable to me.  I have a very similar setup, with the ISP's modem/router in one room, my switch and nas located close by, and a long run of cat cable to my NDS several rooms away.  My run is longer than 20m.  Zero issues with it.

(I believe that industry specs permit for up to 100m runs.  Obviously those are just specs; the cable has to be in good condition and a short run of poor condition cable can be a problem.  My long run is not a fancy cable; just the bulk cable my local hi fi shop uses for in-home installations.)

Yours is virtually identical to mine also (apart from you use Cat6 in your long run and I have Cat5e, probably like Bart) GrahamH.

Also runs with zero problems.

Seems optimal I think.

Thanks gents. I'm no expert at this sort of thing and just worked on what seemed logical.

G

I'd plug all the devices into the switch and let that handle the heavier load, e.g. PC to NAS. Cable modems and routers tend to have lower throughput than switches.

Have a look at this article on Computer Audiophile;

http://www.computeraudiophile....ork-audio-refresher/

I have at home network made from CAT5e cabling Router-Switch-sockets in all rooms. Would it help me to use CAT7 cable from NDX to socket if from router/ switch to socket is used CAT5e cable ? NAS is also connected to switch through socket to swith with CAT5e cable

Thanks Paul. I'd need google translate for that article to be comprehensible to me I'm afraid. In laymans terms what do you suggest I change in the configuration I've described?

Thanks,

G

Easy one, plug the PC into the switch instead of the Superhub.

I should have noted that I have EVERYTHING plugged into my switch.  The only thing plugged into my ISP's modem/router is the switch; everything else is connected to the switch.  And as I've noted here in the past, I've also off-loaded wifi from the ISP's router.  WIfi is handled by a Time Capsule (connected to the same switch) and an Airport Extreme (used to extend the wifi network, as I have a home where I need coverage in many far corners).

I agree, everything (i.e. your PC too) connected to the hub rather than the router should be better, although if everything works as it is, there may be no need to change that.

Cheers. All seems to work well as is.

G

I'm not surprised.  We like to say that the ISP routers aren't very good switches, but clearly they are "good enough" for many uses. Millions of subscribers use them for their intended purpose, and unlike us, are totally unaware of their shortcomings ;-)

My main concern was that my audio was being routed optimally and that has been confirmed.

G

Just remember that if you start having any issues, move the PC to the switch.

It will also be quicker if you're bulk transferring from PC to NAS, e.g. for those backups that we should all do, but often don't. May not an issue if you do backups overnight, though.

OK - I'll move it anyway.

Sound advice, thanks.

G

could somebody answer to me? should I invest to better cable from NDX or it makes no sense if cabling inside walls from switch are only CAT 5e?

Sounds fine.. The although unknown is the wifi... I don't know how good the Virgin super hub device is.. If you have issues with disappearing devices etc then having a seperate wifi access point for iPad running the Naim app should remedy. You would plug the wifi access point into the switch.

Simon

Martin it make difference because you are effectively shaping or tuning electrical noise.. Worth an experiment.

Simon

Thanks Simon. Wifi is good and I no longer use the Naim app. Sonos via iPad and the Sonos itself hard-wired with wifi disabled.

G

@Simon thank you. I need to find dealer who will borrow me LAN cable.

What I've done is move the switch near to my audio kit and also move my NAS near too. The switch is wall mounted beside the Fraim Lite stack and the Netgear NAS hides in a cupboard, sitting on a sorbothane cushion thingy.

The l o n g  cable run goes from the switch near the hifi, right back to the router in another room.  The computer plugs into the router, not the switch because all my music is on my NAS (as I assume yours is) so my computer has no audio duties at all.

The wireless access point plugs into the switch & talks to my ipad with n-stream & n-serv.

This way, the connections between the NAS (source) and server (HDX) & streamer (NDS) are all relatively short (3m or 5m).  This in turn allows me to use an upgraded CAT5x cable to carry my music files between the NAS & the player(s)  - Sarum STA network cable.... OK, not Sarum yet, but Chord C-Stream at the mo