Question new network set up help with NAS, router or switch?

[Colin_52]

Hi guys..

Can someone help me with my new set up? We moved house and I'm trying to recreate my previous set up, which was.
ISP (modem mode) --> Router (4 Ethernet ports) --> 1. NAS. 2,3 and 4 that connected to media players in separate rooms via ethernet.

Each media player in the rooms would have internet connection through the ethernet port for streaming apps and Kodi would pick up the NAS content which was mainly Blu-ray quality movies. It played perfectly and no one had any issues.

When we moved house I got different ISP which doesn't support modem mode and my router doesn't support ADSL/VDSL. The new router only comes with 3 available ports, I need 6 ports. So here's where I need help. I'm ok with this kind of stuff but not great so bare with me.

Do I buy a new ADSL router that can house 6 extra ports or buy a network switch to use with the router my ISP provided?
What will give me the best performance with as little maintenance and hassle as possible?

If a switch is the way to go, I need it to not just supply internet to the device's so they can stream Netflix etc but access the NAS simultaneously.
For example: If 2 or more people were to watch a high quality Blu-ray movie from the NAS at the same time, would the switch be able to handle the bandwidth/Mb/s?
All ethernet cables are CAT6A

If the NAS is connected directly to the router via a separate ethernet connection , and the switch connected directly to router, will the media devices (KODI) be able to find the NAS on the network?

Thanks

 

[kanewolf]

Hi guys..

Can someone help me with my new set up? We moved house and I'm trying to recreate my previous set up, which was.
ISP (modem mode) --> Router (4 Ethernet ports) --> 1. NAS. 2,3 and 4 that connected to media players in separate rooms via ethernet.

Each media player in the rooms would have internet connection through the ethernet port for streaming apps and Kodi would pick up the NAS content which was mainly Blu-ray quality movies. It played perfectly and no one had any issues.

When we moved house I got different ISP which doesn't support modem mode and my router doesn't support ADSL/VDSL. The new router only comes with 3 available ports, I need 6 ports. So here's where I need help. I'm ok with this kind of stuff but not great so bare with me.

Do I buy a new ADSL router that can house 6 extra ports or buy a network switch to use with the router my ISP provided?
What will give me the best performance with as little maintenance and hassle as possible?

If a switch is the way to go, I need it to not just supply internet to the device's so they can stream Netflix etc but access the NAS simultaneously.
For example: If 2 or more people were to watch a high quality Blu-ray movie from the NAS at the same time, would the switch be able to handle the bandwidth/Mb/s?
All ethernet cables are CAT6A

If the NAS is connected directly to the router via a separate ethernet connection , and the switch connected directly to router, will the media devices (KODI) be able to find the NAS on the network?

Thanks

It is unlikely you will find an ADSL router with 6 ports. Get an 8 port switch. Connect ALL your wired device to that switch and a single uplink to your router. That will provide the best LAN bandwidth and a single gigabit link to your router won't be overloaded.

 

[Colin_52]

Thanks for the reply....
i found this router, DrayTek Vigor 2866ax, its a bit pricey but if needs must. However if going a switch is just as good, then that'll save me a few ££.

would there be any benefits to get a 2.5g switch? like this one?
https://www.ebuyer.com/1411174-qnap...naged-2-5g-ethernet-100-1000-2500-qsw-1108-8t

​

 

[bill001g]

I have not looked at the actual bandwidth a blueray over a network uses. It is more than say 4k netflix but even if it was double it would still be way under 100mbps. This all depends on how the data has been encoded and stored.

Generally the network is not the first bottleneck you find when you are trying to get above 1gbit. The NAS or whatever you have the data stored on needs to actually be able to produce the data. Your end clients also need faster ports if you are actually going to transfer data at 2.5g. This all depends on the application but most video applications only transfer the data as it is consumed they do not for example read the whole file and then play it.

It would be more someone who was say doing actual video rendering over the network and needed to move these large files between machines. That type of application would be where you start to think about if you are going to exceed 1gbit.

I would buy a cheap 8 port gbit switch and see how well it works. It likely is going to be more than enough.

 

[kanewolf]

I would buy a cheap 8 port gbit switch and see how well it works. It likely is going to be more than enough.

I agree. A basic unmanaged 1GE switch. The Netgear GS108 for example -- around $60.

 

[Colin_52]

thanks guys, really apricate your time