Too many devices on network?

[jdowning640]

Hi there guys, I'm a 16 year old and have a fair bit of an idea on networking, however essentially run the network of my parents business which is a restaurant & accommodation one.

I have a question regarding whether the network can cope with an increase in the number of devices being added.

Right now, I have a 10/100 modem which is connected to a 10/100 Linksys router running Tomato. The Tomato server has DHCP enabled. From this, the router is connected to a gigabit switch, running to eight separate routers or switches. Every other router which is branching off the main Linksys one has DHCP disabled in order to avoid double IP allocation and conflicts.

There is quite a lot of devices on the network for this place. There's around 7 switches as a whole & 10 routers with DHCP disabled being used as wireless access points. I just wanted to know however if there is any problem with using these routers as wireless access points? Sometimes even though all of the internal equipment is gigabit (except the modem as we have an internet connection of around 7Mbps), the internet becomes extremely slow. I personally don't think it's a bandwidth problem.

So is there such a thing as 'too many routers'?

Thanks!

 

[PhilFrisbie]

To answer your last question: Yes, you can have too many access points. When a access point receives data from another on the same channel it will lower its power to reduce interference, which can cause devices connected to it to slow down.

Also, it does not matter that you have gigabyte Ethernet, the bottleneck will be your Internet service bandwidth.

 

[jdowning640]

Hi there Phil, thanks for your answer. Am aware about the interference issues - but was just wondering if anyone could assist with the actual LAN hardwired sort of thing. Too many devices? Too many switches linking into each other?

 

[boostin]

Your problem is the 7mbps. Each link is going to lose a little bit of the initial speed coming to the modem. If you're going to be running WAPs and "quite a lot of devices on the network", you're going to need a lot more than 7mbps.

 

[jdowning640]

Your problem is the 7mbps. Each link is going to lose a little bit of the initial speed coming to the modem. If you're going to be running WAPs and "quite a lot of devices on the network", you're going to need a lot more than 7mbps.

Hello bottlin, many thanks for your reply. If you don't mind, where did the 7Mbps come from? Sorry, I'm a bit dumb.

Many thanks!

Jack

 

[choucove]

As PhilFrisbie was stating, a large number of wireless routers in one area is going to cause a lot of network interference as there are going to be other wireless signals operating on the same channel or near the same channel, which can greatly degrade the quality of your wireless network. Having a large number of daisy chained switches in a network is also going to give you problems. It would be recommended to change to true wireless access point systems, replacing out the many wireless routers with just a few long range wireless access points built to handle more devices to begin with. I've personally had great luck with Ubiquiti UniFi Long Range Wireless Access Point systems, and use them for the wireless network at our local public library. Three of these units are covering the upstairs and downstairs area of the library, one block in size. Each access point is supposedly capable of easily handling up to thirty connections, but I haven't been able to push ours that far to see personally how it performance, but have had upwards of twenty simultaneously connected to one.

If cabling distance isn't an issue, eliminate the daisy-chained switches. Run cabling properly to a single switch location, and you can even get a PoE switch to run your access points and not have to worry about power connectivity to each of your endpoint devices. If you have outdoor areas that you wish to cover with an outdoor access point, Ubiquiti also makes outdoor units, but I've also had good luck with some of the higher-quality EnGenius outdoor omnidirectional units.

 

[boostin]

Hi there guys, I'm a 16 year old and have a fair bit of an idea on networking, however essentially run the network of my parents business which is a restaurant & accommodation one.

I have a question regarding whether the network can cope with an increase in the number of devices being added.

Right now, I have a 10/100 modem which is connected to a 10/100 Linksys router running Tomato. The Tomato server has DHCP enabled. From this, the router is connected to a gigabit switch, running to eight separate routers or switches. Every other router which is branching off the main Linksys one has DHCP disabled in order to avoid double IP allocation and conflicts.

There is quite a lot of devices on the network for this place. There's around 7 switches as a whole & 10 routers with DHCP disabled being used as wireless access points. I just wanted to know however if there is any problem with using these routers as wireless access points? Sometimes even though all of the internal equipment is gigabit (except the modem as we have an internet connection of around 7Mbps), the internet becomes extremely slow. I personally don't think it's a bandwidth problem.

So is there such a thing as 'too many routers'?

Thanks!

Your problem is the 7mbps. Each link is going to lose a little bit of the initial speed coming to the modem. If you're going to be running WAPs and "quite a lot of devices on the network", you're going to need a lot more than 7mbps.

Hello bottlin, many thanks for your reply. If you don't mind, where did the 7Mbps come from? Sorry, I'm a bit dumb.

Many thanks!

Jack