Recommendations on my Home Network

[Cloaky]

Hello everyone,

I don't have much experience with networking so I decided to create this post to get some recommendations as you guys as experts.

I am updating my home network and this is the setup I want to have. I don't currently everything in the picture, but I already want to account for everything.

I will use it for

• 
  Stream media from NAS to TVs, PCs and Tablet (0-3 simultaneously, Full HD)
  Stream media from Netflix (0-2 simultaneously, Full HD)
  Store and edit a bunch of pictures in the NAS
  Regular Web browsing, email and chatting
  Play Games on PCs (1-2 simultaneously)
  Stream music from Spotify to Sonos and Tablet (0-2 simultaneously)
  Stream music from NAS to Sonos and Tablet (0-2 simultaneously)
  Have a bunch of house automation stuff going on
  Have the IP cameras recording into the NAS

Besides all that, when friends/family come home there are usually 0-5 more devices connected into the network (Guest Wifi)

http://postimg.org/image/b5qs1bvnz/

I did search a bit about which Router I should get and I got a few different recommendations, but they all focused on DLink or Asus.

• 
  1x D-Link AC3200
  1x D-Link AC5300
  1x ASUS RT-AC5300
  1x ASUS RT-AC3200
  1x ASUS RT-AC88U (AC3100)
  2x ASUS RT-AC68U (AC1900)

Besides the router, I also need a switch with 16-24 ports. I have no idea which one I should go for. I was also considering connect the NAS directly into the router as some of those have link aggregation, is there any performance loss/gain?

Thanks for the help people!

 

[kanewolf]

Random thoughts --

• 
  ■ The more devices you connect via wire the happier you will be.
  ■ I believe your Sonos, Phillips and Smart Home are all probably 2.4Ghz devices which will conflict with standard WIFI.
  ■ Streaming HD video via WIFI (especially 2.4Ghz) is usually a frustrating situation.
  ■ 5Ghz can improve things, and with the other 2.4Ghz devices, you will probably have to use 5Ghz a lot anyway.
  ■ For as many devices as you have you will probably have to have multiple WIFI access points.
  ■ Your WIFI cameras probably can't do 5Ghz.
  ■ There isn't a Synology DS415+ Play -- It is either a DS415Play or a DS415+
  ■ If you choose the DS415+, it has two gigabit ports which, if used with a managed switch, can be aggregated to have higher total available bandwidth. The DS415Play has only a single ethernet port.
  ■ Your drawing shows two lines running to the NAS. That implies that you want LAG. You need a managed switch for that.
  ■ My drawing of your network would have a router with a single uplink to a 24 or 48 port switch. Then multiple WIFI access points connected back to the switch. The router would handle DHCP, internet access and firewall. Everything would be tied together at the switch.

 

[Cloaky]

Random thoughts --

• 
  ■ The more devices you connect via wire the happier you will be.
  ■ I believe your Sonos, Phillips and Smart Home are all probably 2.4Ghz devices which will conflict with standard WIFI.
  ■ Streaming HD video via WIFI (especially 2.4Ghz) is usually a frustrating situation.
  ■ 5Ghz can improve things, and with the other 2.4Ghz devices, you will probably have to use 5Ghz a lot anyway.
  ■ For as many devices as you have you will probably have to have multiple WIFI access points.
  ■ Your WIFI cameras probably can't do 5Ghz.
  ■ There isn't a Synology DS415+ Play -- It is either a DS415Play or a DS415+
  ■ If you choose the DS415+, it has two gigabit ports which, if used with a managed switch, can be aggregated to have higher total available bandwidth. The DS415Play has only a single ethernet port.
  ■ Your drawing shows two lines running to the NAS. That implies that you want LAG. You need a managed switch for that.
  ■ My drawing of your network would have a router with a single uplink to a 24 or 48 port switch. Then multiple WIFI access points connected back to the switch. The router would handle DHCP, internet access and firewall. Everything would be tied together at the switch.

Thanks for your the help.

• 
  ■ I did try to wire connect as many devices/things as I could
  ■ You are right, it is a DS415+, I had the play in mind I don't know why
  ■ So, if I understood write, you would have a main Router that handles DHCP connect with a single uplink to a managed switch. All wired devices would connect to the switch and a second router as a AP would also be connected to the switch. Did I get it right?
  ■ Would you get a managed switch for that? Or a router that supports LAG and connect the NAS to it?

 

[kanewolf]

Random thoughts --

• 
  ■ The more devices you connect via wire the happier you will be.
  ■ I believe your Sonos, Phillips and Smart Home are all probably 2.4Ghz devices which will conflict with standard WIFI.
  ■ Streaming HD video via WIFI (especially 2.4Ghz) is usually a frustrating situation.
  ■ 5Ghz can improve things, and with the other 2.4Ghz devices, you will probably have to use 5Ghz a lot anyway.
  ■ For as many devices as you have you will probably have to have multiple WIFI access points.
  ■ Your WIFI cameras probably can't do 5Ghz.
  ■ There isn't a Synology DS415+ Play -- It is either a DS415Play or a DS415+
  ■ If you choose the DS415+, it has two gigabit ports which, if used with a managed switch, can be aggregated to have higher total available bandwidth. The DS415Play has only a single ethernet port.
  ■ Your drawing shows two lines running to the NAS. That implies that you want LAG. You need a managed switch for that.
  ■ My drawing of your network would have a router with a single uplink to a 24 or 48 port switch. Then multiple WIFI access points connected back to the switch. The router would handle DHCP, internet access and firewall. Everything would be tied together at the switch.

Thanks for your the help.

• 
  ■ I did try to wire connect as many devices/things as I could
  ■ You are right, it is a DS415+, I had the play in mind I don't know why
  ■ So, if I understood write, you would have a main Router that handles DHCP connect with a single uplink to a managed switch. All wired devices would connect to the switch and a second router as a AP would also be connected to the switch. Did I get it right?
  ■ Would you get a managed switch for that? Or a router that supports LAG and connect the NAS to it?

A managed switch. I believe you will need multiple WIFI access points. You may want one just for your cameras to get them off the mobile device bandwidth.

 

[Cloaky]

Random thoughts --
A managed switch. I believe you will need multiple WIFI access points. You may want one just for your cameras to get them off the mobile device bandwidth.

Dummy question.

If I set up the LAG between my switch to my NAS but only using a single uplink from the main router to the switch, won't I lose the extra bandwidth for the dives that connect directly to the main router?

 

[kanewolf]

Any single client is limited to 1Gb even with LAG. LAG just allows more than 1 client have 1Gb. I think the 415+ maxes out at 1.6Gb (give or take).

Again, I wouldn't connect anything to the router if you can avoid it. Bring it back to the switch. Let the router just be the gateway to the internet...

 

[Cloaky]

Any single client is limited to 1Gb even with LAG. LAG just allows more than 1 client have 1Gb. I think the 415+ maxes out at 1.6Gb (give or take).

Again, I wouldn't connect anything to the router if you can avoid it. Bring it back to the switch. Let the router just be the gateway to the internet...

Awesome. Thanks!

One last question regarding the points you mentioned. One of the IP Cameras can do 802.11AC and 5ghz, will it slow everything down if I also connect it to the 5ghz?

 

[kanewolf]

No it won't slow things down, but AC may not work if the camera is very far from the WIFI source.