Help with first home network

[tmamer2007]

Hi All,

I've been going through the forums, and putting together what i think will be a good network for my home, and am now in need of guidance.

my plan involves having essentially 4 rooms.

1. main TV/PS3 room involving HD TV with settop ethernet/cable box
2. living room needing audio/ internet via wireless
3. guest room, involving an old imac for internet, tv with settop ethernet/cable box
4. basement where phone line carrying cable signal comes in and connects to cable provider's 2wire gateway dsl wireless abg modem with 4 10/100 ethernet outputs.

i think i can go out from the 2wire's first ethernet port to the spare room and into a netgear fs10/100 switch then out from the switch to the imac and the settop cable box to sd tv. thus keeping it on a seperat 10/100 loop...?

then out from the 2wire's 2nd ethernet port to a synology ds210+ in the basement.

Then out from the synology's first 10/100/1000 ethernet port up to the tv room, and into a Netgear WNDR3700 (which will then send wireless to my Macbook Pro, and my logitech squeezebox radio served from the synology, will this cause a abg/n conflict?).

then out from the 3700's first 10/100/1000 to the set top box in tv room

then out from the 3700's 2nd 10/100/1000 ethernet port to my PS3, alowing for hd video streaming from the synology, and cable signal to the settop box.

I am a little worried because i think my cable company (Sasktel) only provides we with 2 IP addresses, but i don't really understand this very well, despite trying to educate myself.

Does this make sense? am i going to run into trouble with the 3700 behind the 2wire which is only abg/10/100?

I know almost nothing about networking other than what i can only faintly grasp from reading these forums, and would really appreciate some help!

Thanks all, and i have greatly enjoyed reading the forums here.

troy

 

[thiggins]

Sorry. A diagram will really help me track what you're trying do, especially with having the second wireless router.

 

[tmamer2007]

will do shortly.

thanks for the reply Tim i appreciate it.

tm

 

[tmamer2007]

and here is a diagram (such as my drawing abilities allow)

will do shortly.

thanks for the reply Tim i appreciate it.

tm

here is the diagram, i hope it is legible.

tm

 

[thiggins]

Thanks, that helped a lot!

Not sure you need the WNDR3700 if you're just using it for the Squeezebox. Audio streams have very low data rate. You might be able to get by without it. I'd try just using the 2wire and if it doesn't work properly, then you can add the WNDR or another access point. To avoid problems with multiple networks, if you add a wireless router, first convert it to an access point.

I don't follow the connection from the DS210+ to the WNDR3700. I would think it would be coming from a switch port.

 

[tmamer2007]

Thanks, that helped a lot!

Not sure you need the WNDR3700 if you're just using it for the Squeezebox. Audio streams have very low data rate. You might be able to get by without it. I'd try just using the 2wire and if it doesn't work properly, then you can add the WNDR or another access point. To avoid problems with multiple networks, if you add a wireless router, first convert it to an access point.

I don't follow the connection from the DS210+ to the WNDR3700. I would think it would be coming from a switch port.

I didn't pay attention to ports in the drawing, sorry.

I should have been more thorough in my explanation of use, let me tell you the whole story, as briefly as i can, i know you must be a very busy guy!

My employer has an Employee Computer Purchase Program with which i am buying a new system. I am planning on buying the following items with the $5000 CAD(after 10% taxes) i have access to through the program. (i have 3 years to pay it off at 1% interest, so i figure spend the whole amount and get the best i can with the money as i will not be able to access the plan again until the entire amount is paid off (in 3 years).

I already own a PS3 and currently have it running wirelessly to the 2wire gateway. I have a older 1080i HD tube television, which i adore, and will not give up anytime soon, with set-top box and SD DSL/cable. a very old blue imac which will be in the guest room, along with an older SD tv and set-top box. my main computer is a very old macbook g4 which accesses the internet via the 2wire wirelessly, and a ximeta 500gb ndas where i have most everything in ilife housed sometimes directly attached sometimes attched through the a fs105 10/100 switch, which currently sites in front of my main tv's cable box. My wife also has on old toshiba laptop running xp, and she is hoping to get an iPhone 4 when they become available on the Sasktel Network. I also have a 1G iPod Touch.

what i am planning on purchasing (and i am still wavering on configs, but this is where i am leaning) is:

1.15" 2.4GHZ i5 MBP 4GB RAM, 500GB 5400rpm (to be my new main computer)
2. iPad 64GB 3G (because i can't help myself - damn you Steve Jobs!)
3. Logitech Squeezebox Radio
4. Synology ds210+ with 2 x 1TB WD1002FAEX drives in RAID 1 (Bittorrent, serve AV to SB Radio, Laptop, PS3(some HD), iPad, wife's old toshiba laptop, iPhone 4, and iPod Touch; and Time Machine Back Up for MBP, )
5. Netgear WNDR3700, to
a.) act as a 10/100/1000 switch for piping HD content from the Synology to the PS3, and
b.) to wirelessly serve the MBP, and iTouch iPhone, iPad, and SB Radio.
6. iPeng, for the iTouch, iPad, and iPhone, to control SB Radio form anywhere in the house.

My thought behind choosing the WNDR3700, was that a netgear gs105e (which i think i need to stream HD video from the DS210+ to the PS3) was going to cost me $80CAD anyway, I'd rather put that money toward the 3700 and get 802.11n in the process. I should clarify that I believe I need a switch "in front of" my main TV's set-top box in order to "split" the ethernet cable signal between the set-top box, and the PS3. i have the fs105 10/100 in that position right now, and can get clean cable, and run my macbook G4 on the internet without any problems.

I can also use the ximeta to back up the synology though it only has 500GBs, i can start with it, and upgrade that later down the road. i choose a 2 bay NAS in RAID 1 for redundancy and insurance against drive failure, as much for time machine back-up of the MBP. i currently have about 300GB worth of audio, video, pictures that are essential to back up.

This is the first time i have ever attempted a network, and i really don't know what i am doing, but these are the choices i am currently leaning toward, all through a LOT of help from reading SNB forums (again, thanks for being here) and some from the synology forums.

I believe this set up would benefit a great many people who want the same things i want, a smooth system for back-up, and streaming content to various prolific devices.

I am still TOTALLY open to suggestions on hardware and setup, as i want the whole system to last me for at least 3, if not 5 years.

WOW that was longer than i expected, Sorry all, but i do really appreciate the input!

Troy

 

[thiggins]

Your network is basically sound. You can use multiple switches in locations where you need more ports and just want to run a single cable. You don't need gigabit for HD streaming. 10/100 switches work just fine.

Gigabit is helpful to minimize transfer times for large files. So if you are copying HD files a lot from NAS to clients, then Gigabit will make things go a lot faster.

If you have a wired connection for your HD streaming, you're doing the right thing. Wireless, even 802.11n usually won't provide enough stable throughput for HD streaming, unless you are using compressed content with lower bit rates.

 

[tmamer2007]

Thanks Tim, this is very helpful!

do i benefit greatly from the wireless N of the 3700 over the abg of the 2wire for streaming internet, audio and video to the iToys/SB Radio?

again, i really appreciate the attention.

Troy

 

[thiggins]

do i benefit greatly from the wireless N of the 3700 over the abg of the 2wire for streaming internet, audio and video to the iToys/SB Radio?

Your biggest benefit is the proximity of the wireless router to the devices it is serving. This will provide a stronger signal, which should yield higher bandwidth.

You won't notice a difference for anything except video, since it needs the most bandwidth. You need an N radio in the client, however, to get any speed benefit. Also, given the screen sizes and the formats supported by the iToys, I'd say N isn't really a benefit.

 

[tmamer2007]

Thanks Tim!

So N is basically no benefit for the iToys, but what about the MBP?

You may have just saved me a couple hundred dollars. Now one last question,

Do you think, for my purposes listed above, that DS210+ is way overkill? Would my needs be better suited to a DS209, or even a DS109 (or 110+ when they hit North America)? i am a little worried about the amount of RAM they have built in.

I think this is it, Your Help has been wonderful.

Troy

 

[thiggins]

Sorry, don't know what "MBP" is. Unless it has an N radio, there is no performance advantage with an N router.

Don't worry about the amount of RAM in a NAS. It really just helps for small files and busy multi-user setups (a bit).

All the Synologies have the same feature set. So you can choose based on performance and number of drive preference.

 

[tmamer2007]

Also, of note, f@#!$ing Steve Jobs has me considering a Mac Mini Server instead of the Synology... any toughts?

Troy

 

[tmamer2007]

Sorry, don't know what "MBP" is. Unless it has an N radio, there is no performance advantage with an N router.

Don't worry about the amount of RAM in a NAS. It really just helps for small files and busy multi-user setups (a bit).

All the Synologies have the same feature set. So you can choose based on performance and number of drive preference.

MBP = MacBook Pro...

i HAve read in places where RAM will bottleneck Multimedia streaming.

 

[thiggins]

MBP = MacBook Pro...

i HAve read in places where RAM will bottleneck Multimedia streaming.

Possibly, since it could be used to buffer reads. But the RAM could also be in use for write caching. So there are lots of variables.

 

[tmamer2007]

any thoughts on using the mac mini server instead of the synology?

TM

 

[mforcer]

MacMini vs NAS

I had thought of using a MacMini I had rather than the QNAP 459 I bought but went with the QNAP as it offered a better all-in-one unit that I could switch on and just use. The MacMini would have required external drives with connecting cables and more power supplies, with each adding to the risk of failure, not forgetting the required monitor just to use it.

While the MacMini is much more capable as a general purpose computer, the additional capability adds to the complexity for basic NAS functionality.

What would you use the MacMini for which the NAS can't perform?

 

[tmamer2007]

Well, i was thinking it could double as an HTPC. the thought was that the NAS i had picked out was going to cost me about $788 CAD. I could put that $788 towards a shiny new Mac Mini Server ($1450 incl Apple Care, and magic mouse, and wireless keyboard) and get a HTPC in the process. down sides are cost, and the mini server only comes with 2 500GB drives. this really goes over my budget, but i could scrimp in other areas to make it work.

 

[thiggins]

Any computer can be used to serve files, and as you point out, lots more other things than most NASes.

For the MacMini, storage expansion will be more expensive than adding internal drives. Use Firewire vs. USB drives for higher performance.

 

[tmamer2007]

thanks for the input Tim, firewire would definitely be the way I'd connect an expansion, if i go the mac mini route. as i said i'm not yet sure i want to cut corners in other areas of my purchase to support that machine.

What are the chances of you reviewing the mini server?

I know, I know, i am a bit of a apple fanboy.

Troy

 

[thiggins]

What are the chances of you reviewing the mini server?

Zero. SNB is on Apple's "ignore" list and I'm not buying one.