Why a network switch?

No reason to add another switch in your case. The switch is built into your 'thingy' already.

As I understand there are some poeple who have modems which do not include a switch.

Pinkhamster

Many thanks.  Appreciate the response. 

The SuperHub is a cable modem/router/switch all combined in one unit. You don't need anything else provided that you limit yourself to four wired connections.

If you want more than that you will need an external switch, 4-port, 8-port, etc.

Some people have had trouble with the superhub (i.e. me) so operate it as a cable modem only and then install a separate router. I've then added a 24-port switch to manage all my connectivity.

HTH

Intothevoid.  Yes I experienced problems with the Superhub.  IE wireless signal was dreadful.  So currently that function is switched off.  The cable that connects to my PC comes from the superhub and into my old belkin surf router /  wireless thingy and then onto the PC.

I found my BT hub was not able to handle the traffic over aprx 3 hours when streaming wired HDD music & some small wireless traffic,  it was fine up to 3 hours, but got hot a quit after that. I expected - in fact I was told by BT it would be OK - & very suited to a small network … but ... it seems some hubs are better than others & I guess that was my problem. 

My understanding of this hub/switch stuff is that hubs pass traffic to the network regardless of the intended destination so traffic can be a bit busy.  

Whereas a switch knows which devices (addresses) are connected & forwards packets to the appropriate address only – an unmanaged switch “learns” & a managed switch is programed to connect to the required addresses. This allows simultaneous but only the required traffic thru the switch & improves bandwidth.

All a bit "Animal Farm" these thingys...  all thingys are equal, but some thingys (the Virgin ones) are more equal than others.  figures!   I found that too TB   

Adding a switch will isolate the Hifi setup from the network. I'd get one.

As said above the implementation of switched ports in some broadband router devices is less than ideal and there can be issues with throughput and handling multicast etc. A little quality switch is designed primarily as a switch and has no apparent shortcomings. Locating a switch closer to your devices like a NAS, network player, ripper etc means you need less CAT 5e every where, and can simply take a single run or even by plugging a wifi access point into the switch use a wifi link from the switch back to the router, which is probably near your broadband master socket (NTE).

Simon

 Thanks all.  Been doing some research.  The way I have things set up is as follows

Virgin Superhub (with wireless switched off), so think this is my modem / router? Cat 6 cables from there to the following

1. NAS Drive (0.5m) 

2. Music Room (Nd5XS / NDX soon) (10m)

3. PS3 (1m)

4. Main Desktop PC (5m).  This goes into the internet in of a belkin surf which I have set to "Wireless access point" and provides my wireless signal in the house.  Then hard cable from one of the sockets on the surf to my PC.

Everything appears to work fine however there are a couple of niggling things bugging me before I do the final cable install.

Not meaning to troll but the WIFI connection to the ND sounds "fuller" as opposed to the wired option..........is this due to the Router / Power supply.

Options

1. In lieu of the above I was thinking of changing the Surf (because it doesn't have gigabit ports) to a wireless access point which does and connecting the ND directly to that.  My issue is that the NAS drive is connected to the Superhub (router).  Will this option work?

2. Again not wanting an argument, do Ethernet cables need time to bed in?

3. Keep Existing setup and add prosafe gigaswitch before the ND

4. As option 3 but move the NAS there as well

5. Not understanding about cat 6 cables.  Can you add RFI chokes or are these not needed?

Sorry but Im obviously stupid / thick and sorry if my explanations don't make sense.

Any wiring advice would be appreciated?

All you need is a switch (the Netgear as you mention is as good as any) between NAS & ND5

Thats it - a simple single switch between the music store & the music player

From the switch connect a single branch cable connected to the Virgin thingy & leave all the other stuff connected as it is.  

The switch will "collect" the wireless, nStream, iRadio data as required in a managed way,  not the pebble dash as it gets from the Virgin hub.  

If you want to keep or change the Surf or router or whatever, go ahead.  BUT don't change the NAS-Switch-ND5 circuit.  

Re troll - wireless is possibly sounding woolly warmer

Ferrite (RFI chokes) are good for Ethernet cables,  you will get arguments for & against. They are not essential,  but I'm not taking mine off. 

I really don't understand why some of you are making things more complicated than they need be.

Agreed, if you're struggling with old hardware or have special requirements you might need some extentions. But if you buy a good quality router then you're generally set and don't need any additional hardware. Just stop putting up with what BT is supplying you with and get something propper. This will help you keep things lean and simple.

Mike,

Thankyou.  So to Clarify (sorry for being simple)  Which of the two options is what you mean

1. NAs connected to Virgin thingy and then wire to hifi room and into switch, out of switch into ND

or

2. Wire to HIFI room from Virgin thingy into Switch with ND and NAS out of switch?

Will my PC still "see" the NAS so that I can rip music?

Sorry TB,  you are thinking room layout,  I haven't got a clue about that & am only thinking circuit schematic.  

It looks like your 2 is what I'm thinking

- how does my intended diagram look comapared to what you had in your mind to  

- distances & whats in which room is irrelevant

Virgin & other stuff

          |       

ND5-Switch-NAS

Thanks mike, all clear ta.

Will the PC still "see" the NAS drive for ripping as it will be after the switch?

Paul

I installed a netgear 105G switch this weekend, since I ran out of Ethernet ports o the Zyxel router my internet provider uses for adsl connection. The Zyxel is a low Priced unit, but it has managed fine running both 4 with all 4 wired ports connected and  about 5 Wireless devices.

The switch now connect the ns01 and my readynas and of course connects to the xyxel router.

No change iin sq when playing files from the nas. The worst thing is that I am running out of mains sockets for all my computer stuff, since the  switch requires power.

Claus

Not an option with Sky it would seem.  I think they refuse to give out the information required to set up a router with their service.

So what is a so called "good quality" router going to give over say a "non-proper" BT HH4?

These items are continuously slagged off, by people who have spent a lot to replace them, but with no better explanation than they are "rubbish" .

Mostly the complaint is that they are made to a price (MUSO anyone), is there many products that aren't? 

Yes - no probs

This is just as I have mine set up,  I rip using dBpoweramp - wired & wirelessly (sometimes) - I can open my pc network button (same as windowz explorer) & see the items on the net,  if I double click on the NAS it opens up the Synology DiskStation http. 

If you do get a Netgear ProSafe GigaBit switch it is just so easy to set up,  but an easy to overlook part of the process is to connect up all 3 ethernet cables & have the NAS & ND5 both powered on before you power on the switch; this formally introduces it to the MAC addresses & it will only exchange relevant data packets with them.   

If I can butt-in - first I agree a lot of what appears to be uninformed slagging off is not acceptable - but the only way I could get my BT HH3 to work for anything over 3 hours was to take it off switching duties.  It simply overheated & lost wireless & you can't get a much simpler explanation than that.

That said – now its partnered with a switch it does a perfect job as a wireless modem-router & talks to my PC & nStream faultlessly.

Hubs are an internet wireless or cable modem & combined router & routers are not a true switch as such. Some may well do an OK job, but they send traffic to everything on the network regardless & it can get busy & that might affect the hub itself (as it appeared to do in my case) 

totally agree with Mike - just gone through the same issue the BT Hub runs hot and as the BT tech people says "freezes" - BT said they are aware of this - hence signal drop out

so I purchased Netgear switch - connected as suggested on forum and no problems - only if new BT hub use Port 4 Gige4 for switch connection

My HH4 is now only connected to an 8 way Netgear GS108, but even before that with HH3 and HH4 without switch worked fine. OK an occasional reset when things slowed down certainly not an annoying frequency and I have a low tolerance to being annoyed. 

Main problem I have is with the number of power supplies, BT Infinity now has a Modem and HH box, shame they didn't have a dual PSU to eliminate at least one PSU or have an integrated HH/modem.

These PSUs of course are  mainsplug type so one can't even double/triple wire a mains plug.

Tell me about it !!!  I would have been very happy if someone supplied a dual,    I was even thinking about making a linear PSU for all the 12v stuff as a winter time DIY project. Now 'erself has changed the phones & guess what ???  6v PSU

Mike keep us posted on your PSU project, I would be interested in a multi output supply.

Perhaps there is a design that has 6v as well as 12v? Perhaps 2 kits in one box therefore one mains lead?

Depending on how many switch ports you need to use one option would be to buy a Home Hub 5 as this has gigabit ethernet switch ports and can connect directly to the BT Infinity service without the need for a modem. You'd then save a couple of plug sockets. It's a shame that BT provide an ugly two box solution for existing customers where as a brand new BT Infinity customer gets the HH5 for free.

Thanks for that inf roo,

Always been the way, I have complained many a time to companies suppling better stuff to new customers than their existing ones. With BT it usually means getting new kit for free, by signing up for another 18 months. I had only just got my HH4 when they introduced the HH5, it didn't like any advantage to change. I didn't realise the modem was in the HH5.

Note to self investigate HH5.