Add a second cable modem? Or better way?

[GeorgiaOverdrive]

I have internet service from Comcast/Xfinity. I have a cable modem/wireless router that has four Ethernet ports. I have eight computers upstairs that currently use the small USB wireless adapters to connect to the internet. These connections are finicky - they lose connection or I unplug them and the connection is hard to get back. I'm looking for a better way to connect these eight computers to the internet (I'm tired of fiddling with the wireless USB adapters).

(1) There is a live cable outlet near them, so can I use a cable modem with eight Ethernet ports? (in addition to the one I already have)

(2) Maybe I could use something like the D-Link DIR-632 Wireless-N 8-Port Router?

(3) I've heard of MoCA adapters, but the ones I found only have one Ethernet port. Can I use one of those with an eight-port Ethernet switch?

(4) A better way?

 

[USAFRet]

4. You need a switch.

No new modem, no new router....
If you can run a Cat5e cable to where you need it, a 5 or 8 port switch, like this:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

If you can't run an ethernet cable, and you have actual coax through the house, 2 x MOCA devices + a switch will work.
Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-MoCA-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6000K02/dp/B013J7L6BW

 

[atljsf]

if you have a comcast router, install a ethernet cable and connect it to one of the ethernet ports on the comcast router and the other side of the ethernet cable connect a 16 port switch, from the 16 port switch, connect the 8 ports plus the connector form the comcast modem router, this will leave 7 unused ports

the router you mention, it could be used too, but i think it is more expensive than the 16 port switch, it also adds a wifi network where you install but if you connect it via the wan port, this creates another network, more or less isolated from the main router, could not be what you want

about the live cable outlet, not sure what you mean with that

the moca, never used one, i wouldn0t fight with coaxial cables, too annoying to handle, perhaps if the cable is already in place, could be nice but a simple ethernet cable is better, simpler to handle and you don't need a different device to convert signal from and to ethernet ports

 

[boosted1g]

Another option then the moca is powerline adapter. A newer av1000 or better powerline adapter will get around the same speeds of moca adapter for cheaper.

THen just plug it into an 8 port switch. Netgear and TP-Link both have good inexepensive 8 port switches.

If you can run a hardwired etherent cable through attic or crawlspace to the other side of the house then this is much much better.

 

[atljsf]

if he has 8 pcs, no 8 port switch will be enough, 1 for the link to the router, 7 remaining for 8 pcs?

16 port switch is needed here, or at least put one in wifi, the one that has less problems with wifi signal strength and the other 7 in ethernet form the 8 port switch

the 16 port switch is better in my opinion

 

[USAFRet]

if he has 8 pcs, no 8 port switch will be enough, 1 for the link to the router, 7 remaining for 8 pcs?

16 port switch is needed here, or at least put one in wifi, the one that has less problems with wifi signal strength

OK then...a 16 port.
Or 2 x 8 port....

whatever works.

 

[atljsf]

i always wanted to do that kind of chain, a router to a switch and form the switch another switch

is a waste of cables, power, space and surely adds a second layer of problems but sure would look nice

not really 😀

 

[USAFRet]

i always wanted to do that kind of chain, a router to a switch and form the switch another switch

is a waste of cables, power, space and surely adds a second layer of problems but sure would look nice

not really 😀

That is exactly how my current home LAN is.
Router->8 port switch->5 port switch.

The 5 port switch at my desk allows several things connected, with only a single cat5e running from the router area over to where my desk is.

Different things connected to the router or the switches.

 

[atljsf]

theoretically that situation creates a form of bottleneck, so move files from one pc to another in different sections of such network could be slow, but when you can't do anything else and all devices have network, one accepts whatever it offers

also looks nice, like a messy network on a company i worked years ago 😀

 

[USAFRet]

theoretically that situation creates a form of bottleneck, so move files from one pc to another in different sections of such network could be slow, but when you can't do anything else and all devices have network, one accepts whatever it offers

also looks nice, like a messy network on a company i worked years ago 😀

Actually, no, it creates no bottleneck.

2 systems connected to the same switch...the data simply goes PC->switch->PC
Connected to different switches...
PC->switch->switch->PC

Data only goes as far up the chain as is needed. It does not have to go all the way up to the router and then back down.

Everything is connected on a standard Cat5e gigabit LAN. I see zero performance difference, no matter which devices are talking to the others.

Now..if I had 50 wired devices, and didn't care about the WifeAcceptanceFactor and wiring..I'd probably do things differently.

 

[GeorgiaOverdrive]

4. You need a switch.

No new modem, no new router....
If you can run a Cat5e cable to where you need it, a 5 or 8 port switch, like this:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

If you can't run an ethernet cable, and you have actual coax through the house, 2 x MOCA devices + a switch will work.
Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-MoCA-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6000K02/dp/B013J7L6BW

I'd have to get someone to run the cable, which I don't want to do (nor can I have the cable running through the inside of the house permanently.

You wrote "2 X MOCA" - do I need two of them? Wouldn't I need only one and the switch?

Also, will I have to do anything other than plug it in?

 

[USAFRet]

4. You need a switch.

No new modem, no new router....
If you can run a Cat5e cable to where you need it, a 5 or 8 port switch, like this:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

If you can't run an ethernet cable, and you have actual coax through the house, 2 x MOCA devices + a switch will work.
Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-MoCA-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6000K02/dp/B013J7L6BW

I'd have to get someone to run the cable, which I don't want to do (nor can I have the cable running through the inside of the house permanently.

You wrote "2 X MOCA" - do I need two of them? Wouldn't I need only one and the switch?

Also, will I have to do anything other than plug it in?

MOCA devices work in pairs, usually.

One next to the router, one in the location at the other end of the house.

Router->MOCA->house coax->MOCA->PC and/or switch+multiple systems.

 

[GeorgiaOverdrive]

The problem is that the coax next to the router is used for the cable modem. Is there a way around that without running more cable?

I've been reading up on it, and I think the powerline way may be the best for me - both are on the same A/C breaker panel.

 

[USAFRet]

The problem is that the coax next to the router is used for the cable modem. Is there a way around that without running more cable?

I've been reading up on it, and I think the powerline way may be the best for me - both are on the same A/C breaker panel.

The coax just needs a splitter.

But, powerline devices would probably work just as well.
Same concept, except that for the house coax...the house elec wiring.

 

[atljsf]

powerline is your only way if you don't want to put new wiring

from the comcast goes a ethernet cable to the powerline adapter, to the other side where you put the second powerline adapter, from it you put a ethernet cable to the 16 ports switch and from it you connect the 8 pcs

the moca basically does the same, but instead of the electric wiring on the house it uses extra coaxial cables, conveertiong from ethernet to coaxial and on the other side from coaxial to ethernet again but i never used one, so no idea how good or bad is, so i would avoid it, coaxial is a pita!

the most secure way is ethernet, if you can't use that, powerline

theoretically that situation creates a form of bottleneck, so move files from one pc to another in different sections of such network could be slow, but when you can't do anything else and all devices have network, one accepts whatever it offers

also looks nice, like a messy network on a company i worked years ago 😀

Actually, no, it creates no bottleneck.

2 systems connected to the same switch...the data simply goes PC->switch->PC
Connected to different switches...
PC->switch->switch->PC

Data only goes as far up the chain as is needed. It does not have to go all the way up to the router and then back down.

Everything is connected on a standard Cat5e gigabit LAN. I see zero performance difference, no matter which devices are talking to the others.

Now..if I had 50 wired devices, and didn't care about the WifeAcceptanceFactor and wiring..I'd probably do things differently.

imagine how big and bad was the network on that company, one lady used a switch to rest her feet, that made the network printer connected to it to work weird

what a surprise 😀

 

[GeorgiaOverdrive]

Well, I did it - I ordered two of the powerline adapters, a 16-port switch, and 10 Ethernet cables.

The final straw was when I was pulling out a Cable Matters USB adapter and it came apart, leaving part of it in the USB port that I had to get out with pliers. This has happened with all of the ones I've had like this (4, I think). I use several Cable Matters cables, but their USB Ethernet adapters with the antenna come apart.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

 

[GeorgiaOverdrive]

I got the equipment today - two TP-Link powerline Ethernet adapters, the TP-Link 16-hub switch, and 10 Ethernet cables of different colors. Everything went smoothly. I plugged in one powerline adapter at the router. It had to go in upside down, so I did the other one upside down too (in case that matters). First I plugged in just one computer to the adapter - it came up fine. Then I put in the switch and the computer came up fine!