My House has Ethernet outlets in every room. Can i use a switch/hub to send internet to every room and then plug a Wi-Fi router into wall?

Question

I just moved into a new place that has Ethernet outlets in every main room. I believe there are about 7 cables that need to be plugged in. I would like to use my wireless router in the living room by plugging it into the wall. Not sure what I need to buy to get it set up like that (switch, hub, etc). Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Assuming that the Ethernet wall ports have been correctly wired, the port in each room will be wired back individually to a patch panel possibly in a cupboard, utility room or in the basement. If there is no patch panel, and the ports are all connected in a chain, then they are incorrectly installed and will not work reliably.



The next thing to find out where the Internet connection comes into the building. If this is in the location with the patch panel, then you will have to install the modem (connected to the incoming cable) and a router by the patch panel. (In some cases, the modem might be integrated into the router without a separate box.) Assuming that the router has four PC/LAN Ethernet ports (most home routers do), connect three of those ports to three ports on the patch panel. These should be the ports for the rooms that will have the most traffic. Then you need an Ethernet switch (not a hub) with at least one more port than you have remaining rooms on the patch panel. Connect the remaining ports on the patch panel to the switch, and also connect the last port on the router to the switch. If you want WiFi in a specific room but no Ethernet, then you can use a wireless access point (WAP) connected to that room's wall port (assuming the WiFi from another room is not strong enough). If you want WiFi and Ethernet, then you will need a switch and a WAP in that room. The switch connects to the wall port and the WAP, and Ethernet devices also connect to the switch.



If the Internet comes in elsewhere, then you have to install the modem and router there, and connect one of the router PC/LAN ports to the wall port. At the patch panel, you will need a switch connecting to all the ports on the panel including the one from the router.



If you have multiple WiFi sources (the router and WAPs), make sure they use different channel numbers at least 4 channels apart. You can use the same network name (SSID) and pass phrase on each, but personally, I find it more reliable to use different network names unless you want to walk around the building while actually using a WiFi connection.



Games consoles will almost always work better online using Ethernet rather than WiFi.



I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Actually, you want to put the router where the 7 cables all connect. Then connect a switch to that router and all the cables to that switch. You can then put wifi access points in as many rooms as you need to cover the house! You do not move the router.. just let the access points supply wifi signals. Any place you CAN you really want to use wired machines. They will be faster, safer, and less connection issues.

Answer 3

It depends on how it's wired, but most likely. If they spent the time to wire it with ethernet, there should be a central point somewhere, probably in a closet or utility room, where all the wires terminate. All your hard-wired networking equipment (modem, firewall, and ethernet switch) should be in there. You can put a wifi router in there as well or plug it into a wall jack, it'll work about the same either way.