Networking device upgrades!

[MikkoP]

Hi there!

 

I'm getting sick of our old and bad networking equipment. I thought it would be a good time to upgrade..

 

We currently have Cisco's EPC3825 modem. This one needs to go. If it isn't restarted every once in a while (a few times a day), it just freezes. Our ISP said that it seems to be a bug with memory getting full. Well, that's not good.. What options I have? I don't want to spend a ton on that device because I need other devices too.

 

What I need..

 

• Port forwarding
• VPN passthrough
• Gigabit hub
• Ability to specify external (still in home network) DNS and DHCP servers.
• MAC restrictions

I don't care about wireless connectivity, because it's going to be placed in a room with crappy reception. As configurable settings as possible, the better.

 

I also need a 24 port gigabit switch. It should be able to handle high speeds, not only when there is one client connected but when there is ten as there usually is. So, if I'm transfering files to my server downstairs, I don't want other PCs to get sacrifised in terms of download and upload speeds. We have 100/10 Mb/s internet connection and I want that speed. Our current 100 Mb/s switch can't handle that with all the clients connected. If I detach the switch and plug only my pc in the router, I'm able to get over 100 Mb/s down sometimes. Of course, when the memory isn't full. 

 

So, what I need

 

• Gigabit speeds, not only for one device
• At least 24 ports (48 would be better but I think they are quite expensive...)
• NIC teaming support. My server has two NICs installed, I want a switch that is able to support that.

We also have some problems with our WLAN routers. We currently have Buffalo WHR-HP-G300N and Asus RT-N53 routers. They aren't performing that well and the also freeze sometimes. I would like to get two identical good routers with DD-WRT support. I want to link them with a wired connection so that they show up as one. That way I can be anywhere in the house and have good reception.

 

Requirements and wishes

 

• Good wireless coverage. We have a three-story house with concrete walls.
• DD-WRT support
• High speeds. AC?
• Preferably available in black and white.
• Gigabit hubs

 

We have CAT 5 cables in our house. 

 

Thanks for helping! Questions are welcome.

[needmorewood]

Budget?
i thought all new modems (modem ONLY) all just did their job and that was that. as for wireless acess points. they all still kinda suck but out of the sucky ones ASUS N or AC based solutions(the higher end ones) are working really well for me. the Ubiquiti access points are really good as well but they are pretty expensive

[RatedBlam]

@SOUTHwarrior according to my sources cat 5 and cat 5e have identical bandwith. And both are rated for gigabit Ethernet.

 

Edit: I apologize. My sources trolled me.

Upon further reading most sources say that cat 5 is only 100 mbps.

Edited February 26, 2014 by RatedBlam

[RatedBlam]

Where are you getting your sources?

 

Aww, you just missed my edit.

But the source was a booklet on networking.

[RatedBlam]

Ah lol I Just noticed you edited after I had posted that.

But to further clarify the booklet was talking about 1000BASE-T, which is gigabit ethernet and it just mentioned that a category 5 cable or better is needed.

So I took that as cat 5 being 1 gbps ready. But you apparently need multiple cat 5 cables for that.

 

Sorry for a slight derail.

[Blade of Grass]

@SOUTHwarrior Cat 5 IS rated for gigabit. It's a common misconception. Your switch also isn't rated for 802.3ad (link aggregation).

@MikkoP for the modem, you'll have to talk to your isp, they might not allow all modems on their network.

For gigabit switches that support link aggregation, you're looking at some more expensive stuff. They need to be smart switches.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833420592

This is a higher end switch, it has less ports, but supports PoE (which is nice if you get higher end access points, then you don't need to run power to them).

This one's doesn't have PoE, but has more ports. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833150123

Because you said you want to do external DHCP, and DNS, I'll assume you have a router somewhere on the network. If that's the case, I'd say go for plain access points, instead of wireless routers. Ubiquity makes some nice stuff at pretty good prices.

Just a note, unless you want to spend a lot of money to buy high-end access points and controllers/routers from one specific manufacturer, you won't be able to do "seamless hand off" or roaming.

802.11 was never built with this in mind, so it has to be implemented by the individual manufacturers.

Ubiquity offers this with their APs, but you need their router for it to work.

Cisco and Fortinet also offer this, but you would need to buy their specific equipment too.

[Blade of Grass]

Youre right. Re-read ops post and noticed he wanted to do link aggergation

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156315

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817111470

Care to show where Regular cat5 IS rated for gigabit?

I'm on my phone atm, but if you read through the IEEE 802.3 standard, it says that cat 5 is capable of gigabit

EDIT: Of course, by 802.3, I meant 802.3ab

[RatedBlam]

What was the publish date of the book?

It was course material so I don't really know.

But because cat 5e is essentially just shielded better it may be that both are rated for gigabit, but cat 5e delivers better.(?)

[JAKEBAB]

Youre right. Re-read ops post and noticed he wanted to do link aggergation

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156315

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817111470

 

Care to show where Regular cat5 IS rated for gigabit?

cat 5 can do gigabit speeds usually if its a short cable but its not guaranteed like cat5e and cat6

[iNsahne303]

I'm on my phone atm, but if you read through the IEEE 802.3 standard, it says that cat 5 is capable of gigabit

EDIT: Of course, by 802.3, I meant 802.3ab

As Blade Of Grass said, Cat 5 can be used for 1000BASE-T (Wikipedia)

 

@Topic:

 

I use the Asus RT-AC68U and I'm very pleased with it. It supports MAC-Filtering, guest-wlans, vpn passthrough and vpn entry/exit points. You can also do media sharing with the usb3 ports, even tough you might already have a better solution for that if you plan on purchasing a 24-port switch  .

 

For the Switch, I'd probably go with a Cisco Catalyst, even though they are really expensive. An alternative would be huawei-switches, but I haven't got any experience.

 

EDIT: Linked the router

[MikkoP]

@JAKEBAB @iNsahne303 @RatedBlam @BladeOfGrass @SOUTHwarrior @needmorewood

 

I'm not really willing to spend 500 $ on a switch. After all, this is home use

 

I believe it is CAT 5 (not sure if it's e or not) but it's cabable of 1 Gb/s speeds. Maybe it is CAT 6 even, not sure.

 

The DNS and DHCP servers aren't located on one router or modem, they are on a server computer, so...

 

I will have a look at different WLAN routers but I'd like suggestions too.

[JAKEBAB]

@JAKEBAB @iNsahne303 @RatedBlam @BladeOfGrass @SOUTHwarrior @needmorewood

 

I'm not really willing to spend 500 $ on a switch. After all, this is home use

 

I believe it is CAT 5 (not sure if it's e or not) but it's cabable of 1 Gb/s speeds. Maybe it is CAT 6 even, not sure.

 

The DNS and DHCP servers aren't located on one router or modem, they are on a server computer, so...

 

I will have a look at different WLAN routers but I'd like suggestions too.

still havnt given them an overall budget for everything u need.

[MikkoP]

still havnt given them an overall budget for everything u need.

 

Well, let's say that 500 € is for all the parts, not just for the switch. The WLAN routers are secondary, the modem and especially the switch are the main things.

[Blade of Grass]

@JAKEBAB @iNsahne303 @RatedBlam @BladeOfGrass @SOUTHwarrior @needmorewood

I'm not really willing to spend 500 $ on a switch. After all, this is home use

I believe it is CAT 5 (not sure if it's e or not) but it's cabable of 1 Gb/s speeds. Maybe it is CAT 6 even, not sure.

The DNS and DHCP servers aren't located on one router or modem, they are on a server computer, so...

I will have a look at different WLAN routers but I'd like suggestions too.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Sadly, you won't find a 24 or 48 port smart gigabit switch for cheap

If you're willing to go non-smart, then they're more like $100 or less.

[MikkoP]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Sadly, you won't find a 24 or 48 port smart gigabit switch for cheap

If you're willing to go non-smart, then they're more like $100 or less.

 

Well maybe the NIC teaming feature isn't required then..  

[MikkoP]

The switch I posted up was only $260 and offered link aggregation, and was all 24 port gigabit.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156315

 

Didn't see that earlier, thanks.

 

I'm shopping in Finland and the market here isn't very wide for these. And because of my budget, there are even less good choises but I managed to find a good one.

 

What do you think of D-Link DGS-1210-24? It's gigabit, supports link aggregation, PoE, has a good amount of ports (and has a 48 port variant also if needed) and pretty much all I can think of.

 

http://www.dlink.com/fi/fi/business-solutions/switching/smart-switches/smart/dgs-1210-series-gigabit-smart-switches

 

Share your opinions! Thanks.

 

Another possibility is ZyXEL GS1910-24. It's almost identical but doesn't have PoE. I don't have a lot of applications for that at the moment but it would be a nice thing to have. I might need it soon: because I'm upgrading the access points too, I'm also relocating them better and the place where one of them is going doesn't have a power plug nearby, PoE would be a perfect addition for the switch!

 

In terms of routers, what do you think of Cisco (or Linksys) EA6900?