How to distribute ethernet connections

[tiomiguel]

This can be a stupid question but I do not believe so.

Imagine you have a Router/Gateway (RT-AX82U for example) and you have to connect 3 switches and a wired AP

Various options

Use the FOUR router erhernet ports for teh 3 switches and the wired AP

Use ONE router ethernet port for going to a swich, and everything going to this switch

Use TWO router ethernet por in LINK AGREGATION to a switch, and everything going to this switch

More easy, what is better, using ALL ethernet ports in router or only ONE to a switch and everything behind??????

 

[L&LD]

Depends on how the network is used.

Usually, using all the router's Ethernet ports is superior, with switches connected to each giving each 'leg' a direct connection to the internet, without interfering with other 'legs' doing internal LAN transfers, for example.

What is connected to each switch (if using more than one)?

 

[tiomiguel]

I have 3 switches and AP. Noe I have all 4 router ports connected, but I have read ONLY ONE ROUTER ETHERNET PORT HAS BEEN USED for best performance, because a) If you reboot router net does not cut b) Router has not do the switching JOB

 

[L&LD]

Switching, via the router's built-in switch or an external, is minimally taxing on a router (the switching is happening at hardware speeds, not software).

Indicate what devices each switch will host. Do devices need to connect to other devices over LAN (and, over separate switches)?

The specifics matter here.

One thing you don't want to do is nest a switch, inside a switch, inside a switch... But for home use, using all the router's ports with a logical segmentation of the devices (per switch), is (once again) the best overall choice.

 

[Tech9]

a) If you reboot router net does not cut

Only if you have "smart" managed switch running your network with DHCP, NTP, DNS, etc. with your "router" as Internet gateway device. Common "dumb" unmanaged switches won't continue running your network if what is actually used as "router" reboots.

 

[tiomiguel]

OK but I have read only one ethernet port has to be used in GATEWAY

 

[Tech9]

The better configuration (in theory) is all wired devices connected to the switch and one Ethernet cable to your router's LAN port. This way your wired devices can communicate between each other with the switch speed (it can have all 2.5GbE ports for example) and the uplink to your router can be Gigabit (if your ISP plan is up to Gigabit).

 

[tiomiguel]

This way your wired devices can communicate between each other with the switch speed... but the switch speed is 1 Gb as gateway ports

 

[Tech9]

but the switch speed is 1 Gb as gateway ports

The reason I said "in theory". In your case (and for most home networks in general) it doesn't matter much.

In my case it does matter big time. My business networks are 2.5GbE LAN, 10GbE server links and Gigabit WAN.

 

[coxhaus]

OK but I have read only one ethernet port has to be used in GATEWAY

The gateway is just the way out of your current network. It will be defined by a layer 3 device. There can be multiple gateways defined depending on the device support. My layer 3 switch defines all my local gateway networks and my Pfsense defines my local gateway out to the internet.
Technically my Pfsense is both a gateway and default route since I run asymmetrical routing.