Help With Home Network

[APAT]

As some of you who were playing B.O. with me yesterday already know I'm experiencing some internet issues. I think my that my issue is stemming from my wireless router. Since while I was having gaming problems my laptop couldn't find my wireless router either. I will find out tonight for sure if I continue to have issues I'll hook my XBOX up to the modem directly. If that fixes it the router is crapping out.

My question is can I hook up the internet up to a switch before the router?
I'd run the internet coming from the switch to my XBOX, PS3 and wireless router.

I'd like to do this to avoid having to buy another expensive wireless router. The only thing I run off that is my laptop which I rarely stream from or do anything that uses much bandwidth. So I'd just buy a relatively inexpensive but stable wireless router.

Your advise is appreciated.

[Cottoinc]

I guess to start helping you what is the model number for your "switch" and "router"?

[APAT]

The switch I was looking at is the D-Link 1005G.

My current router is the Netgear WMR2000 Wireless N

[Cottoinc]

I use the Netgear WMR2000 Wireless N at home. It is a great router. I have been getting great speeds with my Xbox wired and wireless connections with that router. With that router you can put a device in the DMZ. I highly suggest putting the xbox in the spot. Then set up MAC filtering for your wireless devices. Also if you live in a area that gets a lot of wireless signals make sure your router is 2 channels from any other wireless router.

As for the switch I'm guessing you need it the switch because you ran out of ports on the Netgear?

[APAT]

I wanted the switch because of its simplicity. No security to get in the way. I just didn't know if the XBOX and PS3 would pick up the IP address through it.

The NETGEAR had been good for a couple years but lately its been dropping wireless signal and yesterday I suspect it was interfering with my wired connections as well. The reason I thought this was when I lost connection on my wired XBOX connection my laptop lost connectivity to the wireless access point. I had to reset the router to connect again with my laptop.

While on XBOX live playing B.O. my connection would go from full strength for 10min to one red bar for 5-10sec in a cycle causing me to get booted occasionally.

[Cottoinc]

Sounds like it could be two things that the router is going bad. Make sure it is in a open area where air can flow by it so it can stay cool. My router gets hot some times and that can kill the life span on them. Two if you like in a populated area ask your ISP if they are working on your node (the spot where all the internet users connections meet in a area). In my current home I started with a 10mb connection but because there was some many people on my node my connection would die off at peak hours. The tech that came to my house should me the chart. But not long after I complained about it I got a 20mb connection and that helped me out.

I guess I should of asked are you on Cable, or DSL?

[RaTix]

You can still forward the ports and assign IPs to the devices through a switch and router setup. That's basically how I have mine. Router upstairs in the office, ran a network cable through the walls to the livingroom switch which connects the xbox, ps3, etc.. It is actually preferable to have it that way rather then wireless for the gaming devices.

Just make sure it's a Switch and NOT a HUB.

[APAT]

Good points on the possible provider issues. Buffy gave me that advice as well. I'll get a better chance at pinpointing the problem practice tonight.

I guess I should of asked are you on Cable, or DSL?

Comcast Cable. I've been averaging 18mb/sec.

@RaTix

Thanks man. Will definitely be getting a switch.
Can I run it like this?

Modem --> Switch --> PS3, XBOX, Router

Or do I have to go Modem --> Router--> Switch --> PS3, XBOX

I guess I'll find out soon enough anyways when I get my switch in the mail.

I'm sure some of you are wondering "why the hell doesn't he just get a new router?"
#1 I'd like to milk my old router for as long as I can because I could care less if I loose connectivity to my WIFI connection periodically. But that's not acceptable while gaming.
#2 I'm sick and tired of buying an expensive ass router every 2 years like I am now. The next wireless access point I buy will be of the inexpensive variety. And A nice switch is only 25 bucks.

[LordCompulon]

When I connect a switch to my cable modem in front of my wireless router, and then plug my XBox into the switch it works great. My Xbox picks up another public IP address via DHCP from my cable company. This gets around any issues of configuration in the router. Because the Xbox itself is connected directly to the internet with a public IP address.

However, when I did this once before my cable company apparently detected that I was using more than one public IP address (one for my router's front-end, and one for the Xbox). They sent me a letter informing me that they were aware that I was using more than one public IP address. And they added $10/mo to my cable bill for "2-5 IP addresses"

So to save $10/mo I went back to putting my Xbox behind the router.

[APAT]

@Comp ---> CRAP!!!! That's an issue.

But I think RaTix said something about assigning an IP on the XBOX. Maybe that would avoid the XBOX trying to pick up another IP???

[RaTix]

It's actually odd that the ISP even allowed the 2nd IP in the first place with comp's case. Most limit you to a single WAN IP and would cut off the connection to the second device if you try to connect it. Also, most modems are linked with the MAC address to the ISP to only allow that device access to their network. Especially with Comcast. They are notorious for not allowing or making you jump through hoops to even connect a third party modem/router.

Your best bet is to keep the switch behind the router and just forward the ports.
Modem -> Router -> Switch -> XBOX

If you already have the 360 setup with a static network IP and have the ports forwarded in the router (ports 88UDP 3074BOTH.. I think.. ). You should be able to just install the switch and not have to configure anything else. The switch is just going to act as an extension of the router. It's like just adding extra physical ports to the router.

[LordCompulon]

When you assign an IP to your Xbox, it implies that you are putting the xbox (and thus the switch) behind the router.

Modem -> Router -> Switch -> Xbox

In this configuration the router picks up only public IP address from the cable company. Then you assign an internal private IP address (in the reserved range used by your router, either 192.168.x.x, 172.x.x.x, or 10.x.x.x) And then you configure your router to forward gaming ports to the the IP address chosen for the Xbox. Traffic to the XBox goes through the router. This is how most people (including myself) use their Xbox and share the connection with other devices.

What you were suggesting at first, (and I was validating) was to do this:

Modem -> Switch -> Xbox, Router (on different switch ports)

In that scenario, both the Xbox and Router will pick up public IPs from the cable company. And traffic to the Xbox does not go through the router. Instead the traffic from the internet goes directly to the Xbox via the Switch. But may incur additional cost. Also its possible that this configuration can't work depending on your ISP. It works with mine.

[APAT]

Thanks for the help guys. Looks like I'm stuck getting a new router then.

[RaTix]

Is it just the wireless that's acting funky or even hardwired devices? Like do you have the 360 using a wireless adapter at this point or directly wired? I'm wondering if maybe it's just a wireless issue and not the whole router that's shot.
If you're trying to save money, you can try to use the switch and hardwire it all up and see if that helps out. If it's just the wireless you can try to change the channel in the router the wireless uses to see if maybe something is interfering with the wireless radio and causing your problems.

[APAT]

My XBOX is hardwired. I'm pretty sure its is crapping out on both connection types.