Which ethernet jack should I plug my router into

[DeezGPUz]

So I have a NETGEAR GS108 modem, my ISP is AT&T, and I was recently looking at my modem and router, I wanted to know more of where each thing plugged into, because when it was installed 3 years ago, i had no idea what the people installing were doing. I found something interesting, on my modem, there are 8 ethernet plugs, two of them have the word Gigabit Ethernet and a line above them. There is no way that 10 mbps is 1 gigabit, thats the fastest speed i get on ookla speed test. I also saw that my router isnt plugged into one of the two "gigabit"' ports. four ports don't have anything written above them, one of them has on=link blink=ACT above it, and the other says Both=1000M 100m 10m above it. What do these things mean?Which one is fastest? Which one should i plug my router into? Also, there are two ethernet cables that go from the modem into a hole in the ground inside my house, what do these do? Thanks for any answers.

 

[BuddhaSkoota]

So I have a NETGEAR GS108 modem, my ISP is AT&T, and I was recently looking at my modem and router, I wanted to know more of where each thing plugged into, because when it was installed 3 years ago, i had no idea what the people installing were doing. I found something interesting, on my modem, there are 8 ethernet plugs, two of them have the word Gigabit Ethernet and a line above them. There is no way that 10 mbps is 1 gigabit, thats the fastest speed i get on ookla speed test. I also saw that my router isnt plugged into one of the two "gigabit"' ports. four ports don't have anything written above them, one of them has on=link blink=ACT above it, and the other says Both=1000M 100m 10m above it. What do these things mean?Which one is fastest? Which one should i plug my router into? Also, there are two ethernet cables that go from the modem into a hole in the ground inside my house, what do these do? Thanks for any answers.

The GS108 is a network switch, not a modem or router. You are misreading the print on the switch. All of the ports are identical.

The "Gigabit Ethernet" is a label for the entire switch, not just the two ports.

The "On=Link", "Blink=ACT", "Both=1000", "100M" and "10M" show how to read the status of the lights on each of the eight ports.

You will only connect to other devices at the max speed capable of the network adapters within your LAN (local network). The switch is gigabit capable, but in order to communicate at that speed with other devices in your LAN, they must also be gigabit capable.

You will not connect to the Internet any faster than the speed you are subscribed through ATT. If you are signed up for 10Mbs, that's all you will get regardless of the GS108 capable speed.

 

[DeezGPUz]

So I have a NETGEAR GS108 modem, my ISP is AT&T, and I was recently looking at my modem and router, I wanted to know more of where each thing plugged into, because when it was installed 3 years ago, i had no idea what the people installing were doing. I found something interesting, on my modem, there are 8 ethernet plugs, two of them have the word Gigabit Ethernet and a line above them. There is no way that 10 mbps is 1 gigabit, thats the fastest speed i get on ookla speed test. I also saw that my router isnt plugged into one of the two "gigabit"' ports. four ports don't have anything written above them, one of them has on=link blink=ACT above it, and the other says Both=1000M 100m 10m above it. What do these things mean?Which one is fastest? Which one should i plug my router into? Also, there are two ethernet cables that go from the modem into a hole in the ground inside my house, what do these do? Thanks for any answers.

thanks for the excellent explanation

The GS108 is a network switch, not a modem or router. You are misreading the print on the switch. All of the ports are identical.

The "Gigabit Ethernet" is a label for the entire switch, not just the two ports.

The "On=Link", "Blink=ACT", "Both=1000", "100M" and "10M" show how to read the status of the lights on each of the eight ports.

You will only connect to other devices at the max speed capable of the network adapters within your LAN (local network). The switch is gigabit capable, but in order to communicate at that speed with other devices in your LAN, they must also be gigabit capable.

You will not connect to the Internet any faster than the speed you are subscribed through ATT. If you are signed up for 10Mbs, that's all you will get regardless of the GS108 capable speed.