daft question switch or router.

Ok I admit this may be a daft question and I could google it but i
thought I would ask the experts in here.

whats the difference between a router and a switch??

Basically what I have at the moment is a vigor 2600 adsl router/modem
which has got 4 ports on it for networking which is fine, but im moving
premises and the offices that im moving to is already networked up (24
network points throughout the offices that end up in one room).

now what I currenlty have is the router/modem connected to the adsl line
with a cable from the uplink socket into a linksys 5 port "workgroup
hub" (thats what it says on the box) and then a netgear "switch" plugged
into that which has the four computers in the downstairs office plugged
into that.

now can I bin those two and just get a 20 port switch (seen some cheap
on ebay).

this is where im confused switch, router or hub???

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 14:20:11 GMT, Adam Davies <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Ok I admit this may be a daft question and I could google it but i
>thought I would ask the experts in here.
>
>whats the difference between a router and a switch??
>
>Basically what I have at the moment is a vigor 2600 adsl router/modem
>which has got 4 ports on it for networking which is fine, but im moving
>premises and the offices that im moving to is already networked up (24
>network points throughout the offices that end up in one room).
>
>now what I currenlty have is the router/modem connected to the adsl line
>with a cable from the uplink socket into a linksys 5 port "workgroup
>hub" (thats what it says on the box) and then a netgear "switch" plugged
>into that which has the four computers in the downstairs office plugged
>into that.
>
>now can I bin those two and just get a 20 port switch (seen some cheap
>on ebay).
>
>this is where im confused switch, router or hub???

Yes, get a switch and plug it into your current router via your uplink
port. A switch is just a more advanced type of hub. Your router is
still needed to get it all to talk to the net via your adsl line.

Re

Jeff

--
Jeff
http://www.supersonic.org.uk/

In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, Adam Davies
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>Ok I admit this may be a daft question and I could google it but i
>thought I would ask the experts in here.
>
>whats the difference between a router and a switch??
>
>Basically what I have at the moment is a vigor 2600 adsl router/modem
>which has got 4 ports on it for networking which is fine, but im moving
>premises and the offices that im moving to is already networked up (24
>network points throughout the offices that end up in one room).
>
>now what I currenlty have is the router/modem connected to the adsl line
>with a cable from the uplink socket into a linksys 5 port "workgroup
>hub" (thats what it says on the box) and then a netgear "switch" plugged
>into that which has the four computers in the downstairs office plugged
>into that.
>
>now can I bin those two and just get a 20 port switch (seen some cheap
>on ebay).
>
>this is where im confused switch, router or hub???

A hub and a switch do a very similar job, a router is different.

Hubs and switches are used to connect multiple devices on the same
network. For instance if you have multiple computers with addresses
between192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.254 you can plug them into a switch or
a hub and they will all communicate with each other. They won't be able
to communicate with any computers with other addresses.

A router allows your network to communicate with other machines, across
the Internet. A router has one address that exists on your internal
network, say 192.168.1.1 and another address that is visible to the
Internet. When it receives a packet intended for a system outside your
network it routes the packet out across the Internet, usually to another
router run by your ISP. When that system replies it sends packets back
to your router, which then forwards them to the appropriate address on
your internal network.

You need a switch or hub if you have more than one machine on your
internal network. You always need a router.

You can daisychain hubs and switches, most of them have uplink ports. In
your new offices the uplink port from the existing switch should plug
into one of the ports of your router. Then all of the systems plugged
into the switch will have Internet access.

You will need to make sure that all of the machines on the network are
configured to use the router as their default gateway.




--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author. Will work for money.

> You will need to make sure that all of the machines on the network are
> configured to use the router as their default gateway.

Ok yes thats great, it's what I though but needed confirmation.
All machines on the network already use the the router/modem so that is
fine, it seems that I need to do then is replace the "hub" and the
current switch with a switch with more ports and plug the uplink in
between the router/modem and the switch.

Bonza!!!!

thanks to all for help.