Adiing 10/100 Printer to Gigabit network

[infamous_panda]

Noob here,

I have been looking all over for a clear answer for this with no luck yet. I have heard that gigabit switches and routers automatically throttle down the speed of the network to the slowest connected device... okay.

I am preparing to set up a gigabit network for 5 room in my house and will be running and installing cat6 cable and wall plates this weekend. I D-link 825 router which has 4 gigabit ports which will be located in the office and I plan to buy a gigabit switch to share the connection with the other 4 rooms.

In the office will be three computers with gigabit ethernet ports and a still to be purchased canon multifunction with a 10/100 ethernet port. My question is will attaching this printer drop the entire network down to 10/100, will it drop down just the computers directly connected to the router? Will it drop down the speed only when the multifunction is being accessed. Is if does, then is there a workaround? Should I look for a wireless printer?


Thanks for any input.

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Infamous_panda

 

[scotty]

No, it wont drop the speed of your whole network. Communication on a switched network is on a host to host (port to port) level, so other devices wont be affected. The printer will be the only device limited to 100Mbps; other gigabit devices will be able to talk to each other at gigabit speeds, even when the printer is in use. In other words, you have nothing to worry about.

 

[tipstir]

Noob here,

I have been looking all over for a clear answer for this with no luck yet. I have heard that gigabit switches and routers automatically throttle down the speed of the network to the slowest connected device... okay.

I am preparing to set up a gigabit network for 5 room in my house and will be running and installing cat6 cable and wall plates this weekend. I D-link 825 router which has 4 gigabit ports which will be located in the office and I plan to buy a gigabit switch to share the connection with the other 4 rooms.

In the office will be three computers with gigabit ethernet ports and a still to be purchased canon multifunction with a 10/100 ethernet port. My question is will attaching this printer drop the entire network down to 10/100, will it drop down just the computers directly connected to the router? Will it drop down the speed only when the multifunction is being accessed. Is if does, then is there a workaround? Should I look for a wireless printer?


Thanks for any input.

--

Infamous_panda

Just put those that use Gigabyte on there own 10/100/1000 switch and connect to the router ports that have gigabyte and then connect the 10/100 print server directly to the router ports. I just use another 10/100 switch in the mix. Devices that talk or need to print to the print server will still be able to connect and print. I use print server 100mbps to USB Laser Printer. Since I have other 100mbps devices I use switch to manage those and another gig switch to manage the 1000 mbps network. Wireless devices are on the 100mbps switch. Everyone works with no downgrade.

 

[scotty]

Just put those that use Gigabyte on there own 10/100/1000 switch and connect to the router ports that have gigabyte and then connect the 10/100 print server directly to the router ports

...

Everyone works with no downgrade.

Out of random curiousity, why would you need/want to segregate the 100Mbit hosts on the network [asides from purely logistical or physical limitations]?

 

[infamous_panda]

Thank you all, So just to clarify what I read regarding the entire network slowing down to the slowest connected device. Is this true if all are devices is link via a hub? And not true if connected via a switch or router?

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Infamous_panda

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Thank you all, So just to clarify what I read regarding the entire network slowing down to the slowest connected device. Is this true if all are devices is link via a hub? And not true if connected via a switch or router?

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Infamous_panda

Yes. Back in the days of old hubs, basic hubs would often drop to lowest, switches however treat each connection individually.

So say you had a 24 port 10/100/1000 switch.
You have 4x servers plugged into it with gigabit NICs, and 4x workstations plugged into it with gigabit NICs, and 1 old printer with an old 10 meg jet direct NIC.....your servers and workstations would still communicate fine to each other at gigabit speeds, and only traffic going to the old 10 meg printer would be at 10 megs.

Home grade and smaller business grade routers commonly have 4x or more LAN ports...this is really just a built in "switch". So treat it as a switch..same rules apply.