what is the difference between a router and a switch

gibbonsl

and which one is better:)

I need a new one, the current router is dropping connection and the lan, any good gigbyte routers and cards?

at least a 4 port one

The laptop has a gigbyte lan card, need some for the other computers, so i can take advantage of the better bandwith between the systems.

Tex

A router connects you to another network (usually the internet for most home users)

This is a simple laymans term description for noob's

Tex

gibbonsl

i am kinda clueless when it comes to networking hardware

is a router basicely a switch, with a connection that allows it to connect to the internet?

Is a switch is better then a hub?

primesuspect

A router and switch do two different things, so one is not better than the other.

As tex said, a router connects two seperate networks (in this case, the internet and you private network). A switch creates a network from a bunch of seperate ethernet devices. So you need both to connect a network to the internet - one to create your own private network (switch) and a device to join the network to another network (router)

Most consumer-level routers nowadays have switches built into them, so they are known as router/switch combos.

Tex

I love prime. And Yes in general a switch is better then a hub

Tex

gibbonsl

is their a gigbyte router avable

I am looking just not seeing :bawling:

primesuspect

A router's external interface (WAN/Internet side) will only need to be 10mb unless you (highly unlikely) have a faster-than-10mb/s internet connection

The internal interface (switch side) is usually 100mb. I'm not sure if there are any gigabit combo routers yet. I don't think there are. A gigabit switch alone is a couple hundred bucks, so chances are you're not going to find gigabit combo routers at the consumer level.

gibbonsl

Is their away that i can take advantage of a gigbyte ethernet with a router added in someware/

i transfer alot of data across the network and can relly use the increased bandwith.(i peg out the 10meg limit accross the network for at least an hour or two)

manly with all 4 of computers also using the internet

BlackHawk

Cable/DSL router ($40-60) + gigabit switch ($80-100)

Tex

anymore there are a ton of sub $100 giga switchs. It will not in any way help internet but can help transfers from one computer to another. No giga routers I have heard of. I use a router and plug it into the gigabit switch

gibbonsl

thanks will try that

dose it matter where the router plugs into the gig switch?

and is their any special setup for the computers that i have to do?

Tex

No generally it does not matter. Are all the computers giga speed?

Tex

gibbonsl

as soon as i get a network card for the desktop

this is what i am going to try :Rocker:

get another router have his (roomys) computer connected to the router

get a gigbyte switch and a gig card for my desktop.

plug the laptop(gignet card) and the desktop(new gig ethernet card) into the switch.

then from the switch to the router.

how does this sound?

i manly need the gig speed between the laptop and the desktop.

gibbonsl

or is this a better idea

from the new router to the desktop 10/100

add another card (gig card) to the desktop

then go from the laptop to the desktop via the gig card, useing a crossover cable.

the desktop is always onFYI

then i could still use the internet and connect to the desktop using gig bandwith right?

Tex

What are ya wanting gigabit speed for? You may be disapointed in the laptops gigabit speed. On my servers with pci-x I get over four times the speed I get on my 10/100 switch with gigabit. Not ten times. This is real life not just specs. But only about double or a little more when I hit a box with 32bit pci bus. Your laptops hard drive will be funnel that slows stuff down on any transfer. You only go as fast as the slowest link and copying to or from the laptop is gonna be your weak link.

Tex

gibbonsl

i would be very happy with at least 3 time what i am doing now

gibbonsl

my laptop HD is a 7200 8meg HD

i get around 34 meg burst

enuf that it can feed an desktop HD via firewire at full throttle

Bud

I have a 5 port gigabit switch and love it. I send a lot of files through my network. But get a 10/100 router then get a gigabit switch its soooooo nice.

primesuspect

I really honestly don't think you'll see any speed improvement with gig to the laptop. The cardbus bus + your system bus are your bottlenecks. gigabit + PCI == marketer's dream, technician's folly.

gibbonsl

the lan is built in, and not a card

and sitting on the PCI bus inself

i peg out the 10 meg accross the 10/100

if i can even cut down the time by half i would be happy

BTW here is a pict of what the drive can do using the new HDtach

Tex

Are you running across a 10mbit now or 100? You can maybe get twice the 100 speed but not three times.

MediaMan

My question is when is someone going to produce a broadband router with a gigabit switch? (to connect two gigabit equipped computers...nothing to do with Internet connection.)

primesuspect

When gigabit NICs are less than $20 like 100mb cards are.

Or when every HP, Dell, Gateway, and other OEM crapbox have gigabit as a standard onboard lan connection.

Tex

I buy intel and 3com with some broadcom gigabit nics all 64/66 or 64/pci-x and never paid more then 30 bucks yet for a server class NIC.

Fry's has some for 15 bucks but I get half the throughput through one of those then a intel/3com/broadcom

gibbonsl

currently running @ 100 between the two systems