Installing switch between AC86U and desktops

[ggeinec]

I need to move my AC86U. The current location is perfect for running Ethernet cables to our cluster of three home desktops but it's less than optimal for WiFi coverage, particularly to the far side of our apartment.

My plan is to replace the AC86U at its current location with a 5-port switch, move the AC86U to a more open location about 50 ft away, and run an Ethernet cable from the AC86U back to the switch. Then run Ethernet cables from the switch to each of the desktops like I'm currently doing now with the AC86U.

I've never used a switch before.

My question is, the first time I power up the modem, the AC86U, the switch, and the desktops after this is all set up will Windows boot right up as it does now or will it prompt me for network configuration information?

If it's going to prompt me, what kind of information is it going to want?

Thanks!

 

[Tech9]

Just connect the switch and use your network as before. There is no configuration.

 

[ColinTaylor]

How are you connecting your modem to the AC86U's WAN port once you move it to the new location?

 

[dosborne]

In addition to the WAN port potential issue mentioned above, keep in mind that all your wired devices will share a single port in this configuration. Depending on your usage, this may be fine, but it is a potential bottleneck worth considering.

 

[Tech9]

Apartments usually have more than one coax (DOCSIS modem) or phone line (xDSL modem) connections. I would move the router to more central location for better Wi-Fi coverage in exchange of up to 1Gbps aggregate traffic to wired PC's. This is perhaps what @ggeinec wants to do.

 

[TexasFlood]

I need to move my AC86U. The current location is perfect for running Ethernet cables to our cluster of three home desktops but it's less than optimal for WiFi coverage, particularly to the far side of our apartment.

My plan is to replace the AC86U at its current location with a 5-port switch, move the AC86U to a more open location about 50 ft away, and run an Ethernet cable from the AC86U back to the switch. Then run Ethernet cables from the switch to each of the desktops like I'm currently doing now with the AC86U.

I've never used a switch before.

My question is, the first time I power up the modem, the AC86U, the switch, and the desktops after this is all set up will Windows boot right up as it does now or will it prompt me for network configuration information?

If it's going to prompt me, what kind of information is it going to want?

Thanks!

This is basically how I set mine up. I ran one cable from the cablemodem to the wireless router wan port then another cable back from one of the wireless router lan ports to a Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 8 that my other devices plug into. I originally did it to position the wireless router for better wireless coverage as you plan to do. Since I got the Asus RT-AX86U, it gets good coverage in the original location right by the other devices so moved it back and switched the cables out for shorter ones.

No configuration required.

 

[ggeinec]

How are you connecting your modem to the AC86U's WAN port once you move it to the new location?

With a 6' Cat6 Gigabit Ethernet cable.

The new location for the AC86U will be right next to the modem which currently is about 20' away as the crow flies, but 40 - 50' away by Ethernet cable that needs to snake its way around the room along walls, etc., to get there.

I'm curious why you ask?

 

[ggeinec]

In addition to the WAN port potential issue mentioned above, keep in mind that all your wired devices will share a single port in this configuration. Depending on your usage, this may be fine, but it is a potential bottleneck worth considering.

Right. Ideally I would like to keep each wired device on its own port on the router rather than sharing everything through one port on the switch. Unfortunately the best location for the desktops is not the best location for the router. Our usage should be fine with this setup but I share your concern and will be keeping an eye on it.

But you raise another question I hadn't considered before.

I don't want the devices connected to the switch to be able to connect to each other. Does the switch handle that or do I have to set that up in Windows? Or do I just not fully understand how a switch works which is quite possible . . .

 

[ggeinec]

Apartments usually have more than one coax (DOCSIS modem) or phone line (xDSL modem) connections. I would move the router to more central location for better Wi-Fi coverage in exchange of up to 1Gbps aggregate traffic to wired PC's. This is perhaps what @ggeinec wants to do.

Correct.

Unfortunately our apartment is rather old (for this country) and has only the one coax line connection where it enters from the outside. A reasonably short coax cable runs from there right to the best practical centrally located location which is where the modem happens to be, and where I intend to put the AC86U. This is all specifically to improve WiFi reception to the part of the apartment that is at the other end from where the router currently is.

And thanks for your response higher up.

 

[ggeinec]

This is basically how I set mine up. I ran one cable from the cablemodem to the wireless router wan port then another cable back from one of the wireless router lan ports to a Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 8 that my other devices plug into. I originally did it to position the wireless router for better wireless coverage as you plan to do. Since I got the Asus RT-AX86U, it gets good coverage in the original location right by the other devices so moved it back and switched the cables out for shorter ones.

No configuration required.

I assume you mean no configuration required for when you ran the one cable from one of the wireless router lan ports to a Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 8 that your other devices plug into. Is that correct?

 

[ColinTaylor]

I'm curious why you ask?

As you didn't specifically mention it I just wanted to check that you weren't trying to connect the router's WAN port to the switch as well. There have been a few posts in these forums from people that tried to do that.

I don't want the devices connected to the switch to be able to connect to each other. Does the switch handle that or do I have to set that up in Windows? Or do I just not fully understand how a switch works which is quite possible . . .

The LAN ports on the router (current setup) and the LAN ports on a switch (proposed setup) don't provide any sort of isolation between the devices connected to them. To do that you'd have to do it in Windows.

 

[TexasFlood]

I assume you mean no configuration required for when you ran the one cable from one of the wireless router lan ports to a Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 8 that your other devices plug into. Is that correct?

Yes

 

[TexasFlood]

I don't want the devices connected to the switch to be able to connect to each other. Does the switch handle that or do I have to set that up in Windows? Or do I just not fully understand how a switch works which is quite possible . . .

Huh. Actually I wanted just the opposite. There is heavy traffic between those devices on my network and I wanted it to occur locally on the switch without having to traverse the wireless router. So no the devices aren't isolated from each other at all by a simple switch.

 

[ggeinec]

As you didn't specifically mention it I just wanted to check that you weren't trying to connect the router's WAN port to the switch as well. There have been a few posts in these forums from people that tried to do that.


The LAN ports on the router (current setup) and the LAN ports on a switch (proposed setup) don't provide any sort of isolation between the devices connected to them. To do that you'd have to do it in Windows.

Thanks ColinTaylor!

 

[ggeinec]

Huh. Actually I wanted just the opposite. There is heavy traffic between those devices on my network and I wanted it to occur locally on the switch without having to traverse the wireless router. So no the devices aren't isolated from each other at all by a simple switch.

Thanks TexasFlood!