Ethernet Switch & Router Connection Issue

Ramacon

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Oct 14, 2011
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Hello Guys.. I've been a lurker on this site for a while and have receieved a ton of information which helped me out in the past. I do however have a situtaion where I need some issues resolved.

I recently changed out all my old phone jacks which was wired with Cat5e wire and them punched them down to keystone jacks. I also added a distrubtion panel in my basement which consist of a leviton 6 port patch panel, Motorola SB6121 Docsis 3.0 modem and a Netgear GS608 Gigbit switch. I also have a Netgear N600 Wireles router which I need to be upstairs mainly for WI-FI purpose (laptop, Ipad2, Iphone) and my Logitech Revue for the TV but here is my issue.

Traditionally, you would connect from the cable modem to the router and then to the switch which will them distribute LAN and internet to the other computers and devices however, I'm unable to connect it that way because I need to have the N600 Router upstairs for better wireless signal else I would just put that router in the distribution panel but I would only be able to get 4 ports instead of the 6-8 I need.

How can I make this work with the devices that I have. I'm getting WI-FI and LAN connection upstairs from the Keystone jack which is coming from port 1 on the Netgear GS608 Switch but I get nothing from the other ports that's coming from the ports feeding the 2 desktop and a laptop with a gigabit netork card downstairs. I also have a old Linksys BEFSR41-RM which I tried using to connect from the cable modem to the switch but the light on the modem blink orange telling me the router is not accepting the internet connection.


What can I do to fix this issue without it costing me an arm and a leg. I hope I've given enough information for you to help me solve the problem. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated.
 
Solution
"Let's say hypothetically speaking, I didn't need any wifi, would I still need the access point to get internet upstairs and down stairs? How would I configure router which would be upstairs to assign Ip going downstairs back to the switch and to the other computers or as you indicated before, my router doesn't have the capability of doing it.
I tried connecting it the way you instructed except for not having a AP and I'm only getting network on all computers but no Internet access. Thank you for your patience and assistance."

If you ran a line from the router upstairs back downstairs and into this switch this would work. Do you have a place anywhere upstairs that has two ethernet lines coming from downstairs that you could hook up...

d85kennedy

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Oct 16, 2011
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From what I understand it sounds like you have the modem connected to the router on the wan port so the switch back up the chain has no IP address.

The correct solution to this is to setup Modem > Wireless Router > Switch >Wifi Access Point.

buy a wifi access point. Like http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Networking/cat/Wireless/subcat/Access-Points

You should check with Netgear to see if there is a matching access point for your N600 so you can join the 2 wireless networks together as 1.
 

Ramacon

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Oct 14, 2011
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d85kennedy, the way I have it the connection is modem to switch in port 1 then port 2 is connected to the router in the WAN port which gives me Internet access only from the router which is located upstairs and nothing from the switch feeding the computers in the basement which shows a yellow cross the network icon on the task bars which says no connectivity.

The goal is to keep the router upstairs for wireless access, to feed my Logitech revue, Sprint Airave and the switch in the distribution panel to feed all 6 rooms in the house. If I'm not able to make the connections with the setup I have, then I may have to just get another router with 8 ports and no wireless access to install in the distribution panel. I guess I would have to disable the DHCP on the router upstairs and use it as a switch with wireless access. I hope I'm not too way off as I have limited knowledge about this stuff.
 

d85kennedy

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Oct 16, 2011
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Ok so you have modem > switch > Wifi router.

Connect the switch on port2 to the wifi router using one of the switch ports - ie not the WAN port. This might work but technically its not the correct solution.

The reason none of your hosts downstairs connected to the switch are getting internet is that the wifi router does not give out ip/dhcp through its wan port. There is no ip back down the chain.

There is no point in buying another router with 8 ports, just buy the wireless AP point as suggested and make sure it will work with wireless bridging mode with your existing equipment. Wireless bridging will enable you to join the 2 wireless AP as one seemless wireless network.

 

Ramacon

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Oct 14, 2011
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d85, forgive me for my ignorance on the subject matter but my plan was to just return the GS608 switch to Best Buy (since I have 30 days) and buy another router with 8 ports to put in the distribution panel which would essentially work as a switch and a router giving the ability to assign ip addresses and give me internet on all ports. I would then use the N600 router upstairs (disabling the DHCP) in the living room which would feed the Logitech and the Airave through the ethernet ports and give wireless access to my laptop and IPad. I didn't really want to purchase an additional device to do this.

Let's say hypothetically speaking, I didn't need any wifi, would I still need the access point to get internet upstairs and down stairs? How would I configure router which would be upstairs to assign Ip going downstairs back to the switch and to the other computers or as you indicated before, my router doesn't have the capability of doing it.
I tried connecting it the way you instructed except for not having a AP and I'm only getting network on all computers but no Internet access. Thank you for your patience and assistance.
 

tomatthe

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"Let's say hypothetically speaking, I didn't need any wifi, would I still need the access point to get internet upstairs and down stairs? How would I configure router which would be upstairs to assign Ip going downstairs back to the switch and to the other computers or as you indicated before, my router doesn't have the capability of doing it.
I tried connecting it the way you instructed except for not having a AP and I'm only getting network on all computers but no Internet access. Thank you for your patience and assistance."

If you ran a line from the router upstairs back downstairs and into this switch this would work. Do you have a place anywhere upstairs that has two ethernet lines coming from downstairs that you could hook up the router to? One of those coming in from the modem, and the other running back downstairs into your switch. It's a bit of a messy setup, but should work.

I would suggest doing what you just mentioned though, and having a router downstairs handling dhcp, then a line to the switch from it connecting the rest of your house with one of those lines also going to your wireless router upstairs.
 
Solution

Ramacon

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Oct 14, 2011
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If you ran a line from the router upstairs back downstairs and into this switch this would work. Do you have a place anywhere upstairs that has two ethernet lines coming from downstairs that you could hook up the router to?

This would be the best and easiest route to take with the devices I have but Unfortunately, I'm unable to run any wires through my walls to the basment to the distrubution panel because of the design of the house and the fact that ceiling of the basement is completely finish and sealed off with sheetrock. Then again, I could run the wires on the outside walls which I have no intention of doing. Trying to keep my setup neat and clean.

Do you have a place anywhere upstairs that has two ethernet lines coming from downstairs that you could hook up the router to? One of those coming in from the modem, and the other running back downstairs into your switch. It's a bit of a messy setup, but should work.

I have 5 ports upstairs ( Kitchen, 3 bedrooms and the living room where I have the N600 connected to but they are not really that close to each other for me to be able to run one back down to the switch.

I would suggest doing what you just mentioned though, and having a router downstairs handling dhcp, then a line to the switch from it connecting the rest of your house with one of those lines also going to your wireless router upstairs.

I finally figured that's the only solution. The problem is to find a reasonable priced 8 port gigabit ethernet router to purchase. Any recommendation?
 

tomatthe

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I'm partial to dd-wrt so I've always went with something that would run it. I just have a wrt54gl which isn't even gbit though, granted my inet is 30M/bit which is handles fine and streaming is fine as well which is all i really do on the local network. If I had more devices I suppose I would get a gbit router, but just don't really have a need at the moment.

Basically no suggestions on the router is what I was getting at.
 

Ramacon

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Oct 14, 2011
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My goal is to be able to stream movies and videos from my hard drives and the internet and sooner or later to be able to rid myself from cable thats why I was thinking about getting a gigabit router. I'm playing around with the Logitech Revue and I like it so far. I can't wait for the Honeycomb 3.1 update to see "supposedly" new and exciting capabilities that everyone is talking about that it will have. I will do some research for a decent router. Thank you very much for your help and I will keep you posted on my progress.
 

Ramacon

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Oct 14, 2011
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tomatthe,

The answer to this whole problem was right there in front of me and I didn't realize until you asked me about running another line from downstairs. My simple fix was to install a 2nd keystone jack in the basement just below the distribution panel which would essentially feed directly from the cable modem to a router (my old BEFSR41 temporarily) on my desk then from port 1 on the router back to the other keystone jack which is connected to the patch panel and then into port 1 of the switch. The other 7 ports from the switch would feed back into the patch panel for the rest of the house. Then from the living room I connect the wireless router on port 1 which gave me WI-FI access and I'm able to get internet on my Logitech Revue and the Airave. Wow!!! So simple. I just need to buy a much better router, preferably a 4 port gigabit router to help with faster file transfers. My internal speed dropped from 30MBPS to like 12MBPS in the living room which sucks. Once I get a new router, everything should be perfect.

Thank you very much for your guidance. Both you and d85kennedy have been a tremendous help to me with your invaluable source of knowledge of networking.