Wireless Router With More Than 4 Ports?

[olds]

My G router sits in my entertainment center. All 4 of the ports are used.
I'd like to upgrade to N or AC with more than 4 ports.
Does anyone make one?
Leaning more toward business class than home user.
TIA

 

[Ayah]

mikrotik make a switch + wireless ap: http://routerboard.com/CRS125-24G-1S-2HnD-IN

you'd still need an appliance in front of it though.

 

[chimaxi83]

D-Link makes an 8 port N router. Have not seen any 4+ AC yet. Why not grab a new gigabit router and just throw a gigabit switch on it?

 

[smitbret]

If you can find one, the Western Digital MyNet n900 has 7 Gigabit ports.

I have one, it's decent but not perfect. I keep it though, because it has an option to force it to be the network's master browser and it has made my network browsing between devices SOOOOO much smoother.

It has a good user interface but I do get the occasional dropping of the ethernet and I have to reboot about once a month.

 

[olds]

D-Link makes an 8 port N router. Have not seen any 4+ AC yet. Why not grab a new gigabit router and just throw a gigabit switch on it?

Honestly, because that is Greek to me. By the time I googled what that means, what to buy and how to set it up, I could have gotten something in a box from Amazon.

If you can find one, the Western Digital MyNet n900 has 7 Gigabit ports.

I have one, it's decent but not perfect. I keep it though, because it has an option to force it to be the network's master browser and it has made my network browsing between devices SOOOOO much smoother.

It has a good user interface but I do get the occasional dropping of the ethernet and I have to reboot about once a month.

Thanks. I have to reset my current Asus about once a month too.

 

[Cerb]

Just add a switch, and you'll be set. No need to look for specific routers. A 4-port router and 8-port switch would give you 10 LAN ports (one cable to connect them takes one).

 

[azazel1024]

You buy the switch, you plug it in to the router, then you connect your other networking devices to the router AND the switch.

There is no setup needed or learning needed. Only connect one network cable from to the switch to the router.

Done.

 

[JackMDS]

My problem is the opposite.

I like my Wireless Router to be placed in a way that provide Max Clear line of sight and thus support good Antenna Propagation and strong Wireless service.

Alas a Plastic box with at least 6 wires (PSU, WAN and 4 LANs) is cumbersome and ugly to hang around.

So I connect only the PSU, WAN, and one LAN Port. I find away to string them so that it will the least intrusive (usually some sort of thin Molding that would hold three wires but not six or more) .

Then the single LAN wire goes to a good private place were there is a Nice Multiport Giga switch.

BTW, a Wireless Router with more the 4 Giga ports always coast more than similar Wireless Router with 4 port and additional stand alone Giga switch.

So less money and a better decore, it is a Win-Win situation (at least for my wife).

 

[ch33zw1z]

OP, save your money. Get a standard 4port router, get a 8 port gigabit switch like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156251

Take an ethernet, plug in a LAN port from the router to the gigabit switch, done. you now have 10 functional ethernet ports.

 

[olds]

Do I need a crossover cable for a switch?

 

[ch33zw1z]

No, auto mdi-x has been built in for some time now.

 

[olds]

Thanks guys. Switch it is.

 

[KingFatty]

Also just in case you may have an old 4-port router laying around, you can use that router as a switch to add 3 more ports onto your network (and the 4th port is connected to the new router).

 

[azazel1024]

Only adds 2 ports to the network.

You lose one port from each router connecting them together. I mean, if all you need is 1-2 more ports, its an option, just not a very good one.

 

[JackMDS]

Also just in case you may have an old 4-port router laying around, you can use that router as a switch to add 3 more ports onto your network (and the 4th port is connected to the new router).

Older Router in almost all cases do not have Giga ports.

If new Router and switch are used it make sense to make sure that it is all Giga capable even if at the moment One might Not have Giga.

Beside being Giga speed, Giga is Auto MDi-X by standard so there is No need to worry about crossover wires.

8 ports Giga cost less than taking the family to Fast food eating.

While one port has to go to the Router, 7 ports are free to be use with wired Network Devices.

P.S., I know that some people can not stand having ports un-used. But that is a problem that has to be addressed with One's medical consultant rather than a technical problem. (Xanax might help :sneaky: - :biggrin.

 

[olds]

Related question.
The device I am hooking up to the router, a Verizon network extender, needs to be 2' away from the router. I'd like to put it in a more central location on the other side of my front door. Is a flat "patch" cable the same thing as a regular Ethernet cable?

Amazon link to cable

 

[Cerb]

Pretty much. I wouldn't be surprised if the flat cables may not be able to make it 100m, but you're not doing that. Any straight through Ethernet cable is a patch cable, as well. No need for quotes.

 

[olds]

Pretty much. I wouldn't be surprised if the flat cables may not be able to make it 100m, but you're not doing that. Any straight through Ethernet cable is a patch cable, as well. No need for quotes.

Thanks.