I work in IT and so I'm pretty computer literate, but networks aren't my strong point so I'd like to run something by people before I spend any money.
I'm looking at buying a NAS box at some point for storing music etc etc and opinions on the web seem to be that NAS without gigbit network is a waste.
My current network is a (Sky) Netgear DG834 ADSL + four 10/100 ethernet ports. I have a cat5e cable through the wall & ceiling to a Netgear WGPS606 four port 10/100 switch plus print server (with wireless disabled.)
PC1 is cabled to the DG834 and has an inbuilt gigabit network card. PC2 is cabled to the WGPS606 and has an inbuilt 10/100 nic. My wife has a laptop that connects wirelessly to the DG834.
Now I think I am correct in that if I want to go gigabit I can't mix the 10/100 devices with gigabit devices.
I also have a spare netgear wireless USB "dongle".
So ignoring the laptop, as this has no choice but to connect to the network via the DG834 my plan is:
Buy a second Netgear wireless dongle and fit one to pc1 and (my existing) one to pc2. I'll then disconnect pc1 from the dg834 and pc2 from the wgps606. All machines should then be able to access the web wirelessly via the dg834.
The WGPS606 and its attached printer would then be moved and plugged straight into the DG834. I think at this point all machines would then also be able to print.
Then I'd buy a gigabit nic for pc2 and a gigabit switch. pc1 and pc2 would be plugged into the new gigabit switch.
At this point I think I'd have two discrete networks. A wireless network for the internet, the printer and the laptop.
A gigabit network for pc1 and pc2.
Hopefully this all makes sense. Would this work? Am I thinking along the right lines here? Thanks for any input and sorry for making this so long.
I'm looking at buying a NAS box at some point for storing music etc etc and opinions on the web seem to be that NAS without gigbit network is a waste.
My current network is a (Sky) Netgear DG834 ADSL + four 10/100 ethernet ports. I have a cat5e cable through the wall & ceiling to a Netgear WGPS606 four port 10/100 switch plus print server (with wireless disabled.)
PC1 is cabled to the DG834 and has an inbuilt gigabit network card. PC2 is cabled to the WGPS606 and has an inbuilt 10/100 nic. My wife has a laptop that connects wirelessly to the DG834.
Now I think I am correct in that if I want to go gigabit I can't mix the 10/100 devices with gigabit devices.
I also have a spare netgear wireless USB "dongle".
So ignoring the laptop, as this has no choice but to connect to the network via the DG834 my plan is:
Buy a second Netgear wireless dongle and fit one to pc1 and (my existing) one to pc2. I'll then disconnect pc1 from the dg834 and pc2 from the wgps606. All machines should then be able to access the web wirelessly via the dg834.
The WGPS606 and its attached printer would then be moved and plugged straight into the DG834. I think at this point all machines would then also be able to print.
Then I'd buy a gigabit nic for pc2 and a gigabit switch. pc1 and pc2 would be plugged into the new gigabit switch.
At this point I think I'd have two discrete networks. A wireless network for the internet, the printer and the laptop.
A gigabit network for pc1 and pc2.
Hopefully this all makes sense. Would this work? Am I thinking along the right lines here? Thanks for any input and sorry for making this so long.