[SOLVED] Can I plug a Router into a Switch?

[James_272]

This is my internet set up so far:

I have a router that we plug in to from the shop downstairs. (We live above it)
I have run an ethernet cable to a switch which I then run to my TV and Desktop.

However a lot of our devices are wireless and the wifi is god awful, even downstairs its hit and miss. This I can only imagine is due to the router's antennas and as I rent my flat, I am not replacing their router.

Am I able to plug a new router into the switch and use it as a new hot spot? Or would it be easier to buy a wifi extender and plug directly into the switch to provide much needed wifi?

All help is appreciated!!

 

[kanewolf]

This is my internet set up so far:

I have a router that we plug in to from the shop downstairs. (We live above it)
I have run an ethernet cable to a switch which I then run to my TV and Desktop.

However a lot of our devices are wireless and the wifi is god awful, even downstairs its hit and miss. This I can only imagine is due to the router's antennas and as I rent my flat, I am not replacing their router.

Am I able to plug a new router into the switch and use it as a new hot spot? Or would it be easier to buy a wifi extender and plug directly into the switch to provide much needed wifi?

All help is appreciated!!

Yes. You can do a couple things. I would use the router AS A ROUTER. Meaning treat the line coming upstairs as "the internet" and plug it into the WAN port on the router. Then plug all your equipment into the LAN port or add the switch to a LAN port.
That way your devices are isolated from the downstairs. Nobody can get to YOUR network. This has the disadvantage of double NAT but it is the most secure.

If you don't want the double NAT, then you would configure the router as an access point and connect to a LAN port on the router.

 

[James_272]

Yes. You can do a couple things. I would use the router AS A ROUTER. Meaning treat the line coming upstairs as "the internet" and plug it into the WAN port on the router. Then plug all your equipment into the LAN port or add the switch to a LAN port.
That way your devices are isolated from the downstairs. Nobody can get to YOUR network. This has the disadvantage of double NAT but it is the most secure.

If you don't want the double NAT, then you would configure the router as an access point and connect to a LAN port on the router.

Thank you for your answer! Would plugging the ethernet into the WAN then give me internet and enable me to just connect everything to it without configuring? or am I asking a lot?

 

[kanewolf]

Thank you for your answer! Would plugging the ethernet into the WAN then give me internet and enable me to just connect everything to it without configuring? or am I asking a lot?

Yes. As long as you can tolerate double NAT. Some games may not be happy. I would try it that way first.
You do need to be sure your router is configured so the LAN IP address are different than the IP addresses on the input cable.
For example, if the input IP address is 192.168.0.15 then you want to set the LAN address of the router to 192.168.11.1 -- The third set of digits must be different between the WAN side of the router and the LAN side of the router. If the first or second set of digits is different, then you are good.
The WAN side might be 10.x.y.z -- as long as your LAN side is not 10.x.y.1 then you are good.

 

[James_272]

Yes. As long as you can tolerate double NAT. Some games may not be happy. I would try it that way first.
You do need to be sure your router is configured so the LAN IP address are different than the IP addresses on the input cable.
For example, if the input IP address is 192.168.0.15 then you want to set the LAN address of the router to 192.168.11.1 -- The third set of digits must be different between the WAN side of the router and the LAN side of the router. If the first or second set of digits is different, then you are good.
The WAN side might be 10.x.y.z -- as long as your LAN side is not 10.x.y.1 then you are good.

Thank you! I'll attempt this