Network Switches
The standard wireless router comes with 4 wired ports on the back (plus the line-in). For most people this is plenty. But if you need more, or need more than one wired connection in a different part of the home, then you are a candidate for a Wired Network Switch.
This is a simple “dumb” box with multiple ethernet ports on the back. Any, and all, of the ports can function as in or out. You can run an ethernet cable out of your wireless router to the wired switch. You can plug into any of the ports and all of the other ports will then become outs to wherever you need connectivity.
I recently installed one in my basement and ran a connection off of my wireless router in the office down to it. I then used the switch to run two new connections to my living room - one to a media center PC and one to the DirecTV DVR.
Personally, I used a D-Link DES-1105. There was absolutely no setup of any kind needed. I simply plugged in the ethernet cables and it all worked. The best part was that it was $9.99 via TigerDirect!
March 26th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Hi!
I have this same network switch. I am trying to connect my TiVo unit to it with an ethernet cable but I have had no luck so far. My wireless router (Airport Express) also connects to this switch. The router does not have any extra ports so I had to use the switch to connect other devices. I tried disconnecting everything and reconnecting. I powered off the cable modem first and reconnected all the devices after waiting for the modem to be online. It did not work. TiVo works fine when I connect it directly to the modem.
March 26th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Could be a faulty switch. I didn’t do anything to make it work. I just plugged in an ethernet cable from the router to the switch and another from the switch to a MC PC and one from the switch to the DirecTV box and they all worked. I would try a different cable first. Did you make the cable or is it store-bought? If you made it then check the connections in it because they can be a real pain to get in the right order.