Linksys Router + Switch

Blue|Fusion · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 00:18:33 Post Subject: Linksys Router + Switch

I am somewhat of a novice when it comes to Layer 2 networking stuff. I know a good amount, but I want some clarification from someone who knows what's going on for yet another one of my little side projects.

My roommate and I have been playing a lot of BF2 and with our bass blaring and screams of defeat echo down the hallway, a lot of other people on our floor has started gaming with us. Usually, I am the one running the server. I've brought a spare headless PC with Gentoo on it which is running the 1.41 dedicated server for our floor.

The problem is I have ran out of ports on my Linksys wireless router. between my desktop, my roommate's desktop, a print server, and an NAS, there is no room for the extra server.

I was thinking of upgrading myself to some Gigabit speeds (atleast on our immediate LAN) by getting a Linksys 8-Port Gigabit Switch. I was wondering if I can just attach all of the network stuff I mentioned before to this switch and then another cable to the current wireless router. I still need the router for NAT/Firewall and wireless services (laptop).

The proposed setup I was looking for is like so:

Wall --> Linksys Wireless Router --> Linksys Switch --> All wired stuff

What I want to know is will that work properly and will the data transfer between hardware directly plugged into the switch run at Gigabit speeds or will the data have to go to the switch, then to the router, then back to the switch, then to the destination limiting to 100Mbps (router max speed)?

Hope I'm not being too confusing...

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 01:08:17 Post Subject:

Yes - depending on the switch and router, if neither has either "auto detect" or a hard wired cross over port (or a button) then you need a cross over cable. Other than that it should work with out any issues.

Blue|Fusion · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 02:20:14 Post Subject:

Would auto MDI/MDI-X crossover detection be what I am looking for so I don't need a crossover cable?

**Modulok** · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 11:47:27 Post Subject:

BF, I think you should just be able to "plug and play"

The auto crossover detection is nice, my dlink router has that and it works well.

GL

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 12:29:13 Post Subject:

Yea that's what it sounds like. So you should be good to go.

T-shirt · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 13:10:25 Post Subject: Re: Linksys Router + Switch

Blue|Fusion · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 14:59:41 Post Subject:

They're served wired through the campus network (100Mbps). The router only allows the BF2 ports through the port forwarding to the game server NAT IP. Wireless access is limited to my laptop's MAC address, has WEP encryption (not as strong as WPA, but easier with Linux), and DHCP is disabled.

**Modulok** · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 21:09:42 Post Subject:

ssid off?

Blue|Fusion · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 21:41:42 Post Subject:

Yes, essid is not broadcasted., wireless can't access web administration...
The only thing left to do now is put tin foil on the walls so the aliens can't read my wireless router!

**Modulok** · Posted: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 22:53:44 Post Subject:

or setup snort Grin