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Connect Ethernet to Switch

2367 Views 41 Replies 9 Participants Last post by plodr, Jan 27, 2022

Slyallt

Discussion Starter · Jan 22, 2022

We have a desktop computer connected via ethernet to a modem/router (the thing that makes the internet work). We do not have wifi. I bought a tp-link ethernet switch with 5 ports so I could connect my laptop to the internet using the ethernet cord.

We plugged the modem/router thing into the switch. Then plugged the desktop into the switch. Then the laptop. The laptop says “unidentified network” “no connection”.

Now instead, we plugged just the laptop (windows 10) into the switch...and it found the network and connected. It also worked with just the desktop plugged in.

it seems we cannot have both is use at the same time. Is there a setting to fix this?

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1 - 20 of 42 Posts

Gr3iz

· #2 · Jan 22, 2022

Hello and welcome to TSG!!

Are you sure the modem/router truly has a router built in? Or is it just a modem? Can you provide a manufacturer and model # for the device?

If it had a router, you should be able to connect the LAN port on it to a switch and be able to connect several devices to it. Normally, if it has a router built in (which technically makes it a "gateway"), there will be more than one LAN (Local Area Network, your home network) port, as well as Wi-Fi.

PeterOz

· #3 · Jan 22, 2022

As well as the modem info
TPlink make more than 1 kind of 5 port switch. Model number would help

Slyallt

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 22, 2022

Thank you for your response!
I'm not sure if it has a router built in. It is an Arris SURFboard mod: SB6190

The switch is TL-SG105. We have two of them and tried both the version 5.6 and 6.6

MisterEd51

· #5 · Jan 22, 2022 (Edited)

The Arris SURFboard SB6190 is a modem only and does not have a built-in router. To use it with more than one computer you need to connect a router to it.

Arris SB6190 SURFboard Cable Modem
Gigabit Ethernet Port: 1 port
Wi-Fi: No
Arris SB6190 Specs

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PeterOz

· #6 · Jan 22, 2022 (Edited)

Read this
Can a Network Switch Be Used as a Router? - Home Network Geek

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Slyallt

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 22, 2022

I understand. Thank you for your help!

Gr3iz

· #8 · Jan 22, 2022

Good luck!

PeterOz

· #9 · Jan 23, 2022

Did you have internet before this ?
If yes was it a standard modem/router connection via telephone line.
If yes can you should be able to connect that modem/router to the cable modem and use it as a router

TerryNet

· #10 · Jan 23, 2022

PeterOz said:
you should be able to connect that modem/router to the cable modem and use it as a router

How exactly could that be done? I've never heard of that being possible.

plodr

· #11 · Jan 23, 2022

This is what happens in the US when you try to use a switch as a router.

if you can connect a network switch to a modem, do you really need a router at all?
Yes, and the main reason comes down to you only typically receiving the one public IP address from your ISP (Internet Service Provider).

I can confirm this. When my router died, I connected 1 computer to the modem. Later in the day, I had to power down the modem and connect a different computer to the modem. My husband and I had to take turns using our computers this way for a week.
I have a 4 port switch which I tried and discovered it was useless as a router.)

zx10guy

· #12 · Jan 23, 2022

To expand on this discussion, yes in general for residential home services, ISPs will only allocate one IP address per circuit. But I have run across a few instances where even for residential home services, the ISP will allocate up to 5 public IP addresses from what I've seen. So to make a general blank statement that only one IP will be allocated for residential service is too broad.

If you're in that situation where you can only have one public IP, then yes, a router would be needed to allow multiple internal devices on your home network to access the Internet sharing that single public IP. This is called NAT overload (or some refer to this as PAT).

If you do have more than one IP allocated by your ISP, you can use a switch to utilize those IPs. If the pool of IPs you're given by your ISP is dynamically allocated, then all you would need to do is to connect each device to a switch connected to the modem. Each device will be dynamically assigned an IP up to the number of dynamic IPs you've been provisioned by your ISP. If they're static IPs, then you have to manually configure each device.

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PeterOz

· #13 · Jan 24, 2022

If you connect the cable modem into the wan port on a modem/router
You should be able to use that.
If you have the equipment worth a try. You can't loose anything

TerryNet

· #14 · Jan 24, 2022

PeterOz said:
If you connect the cable modem into the wan port on a modem/router

That's a really big IF!

The output from a cable modem is ethernet; the input (or "wan" port) to a modem/router is coax, phone line, etc. (not ethernet).

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plodr

· #15 · Jan 24, 2022

I have run across a few instances where even for residential home services, the ISP will allocate up to 5 public IP addresses

I'd sure like an ISP like that!!! I don't need 5 but 2 IPs would be nice.
Comcast/Xfinity gives me one IP and it has not changed since early November 2017 despite several long power outages of 18 hours, and 47 hours since December 2020. My UPS can't maintain the power to the modem and router for that many hours. When the power comes back, I have the same IP.

TerryNet

· #16 · Jan 24, 2022

plodr said:
I'd sure like an ISP like that!!!

Have you checked with Comcast? Many years ago I checked with Mediacom (my ISP) out of curiosity and at that time I could get a second IP for about $5/month.

zx10guy

· #17 · Jan 24, 2022

TerryNet said:
Have you checked with Comcast? Many years ago I checked with Mediacom (my ISP) out of curiosity and at that time I could get a second IP for about $5/month.

Comcast won't give more than one public IP on residential service contracts. They will if you change your service contract to business class. When you do this, you then have the option to get more than one public IP where it's allocated in blocks of 5 IPs for a monthly fee. I looked into this when I thought I needed a second IP to deal with the various services I run out of my home network. I found a work around which allowed me to stay on residential. Going to business class will increase your monthly bill and you'll get slower provisioned speeds at the same cost when compared to residential. The difference is the SLAs involved with business class and the support you get if there is a problem.

Also, you don't have to be in a physical building that one would equate to a business. You can get business class service on your residential circuit.

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PeterOz

· #18 · Jan 24, 2022 (Edited)

Connect a network cable from the Network port (8pin) on the Modem to The Wan port on the modem router (8 pin)
The WAN cable that is used to connect your router and modem can be a normal ethernet cable. I recommend using a CAT5e or CAT6 cable for the connection. CAT5e can handle 1gbit per second over a distance of 30 meters. From here https://lazyadmin.nl/home-network/wan-port-on-router-explained/#:~:text=WAN Cable,a distance of 30 meters.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://www.router-switch.com/faq/lan-wan-port-comparison-of-lan-and-wan.html&psig=AOvVaw0l8zLRFeex-GvcmGbHsBXS&ust=1643152319513000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCKjV3cTBy_UCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAL

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Gr3iz

· #19 · Jan 25, 2022

PeterOz said:
If you connect the cable modem into the wan port on a modem/router
You should be able to use that.

I can't say that I've seen modem/router combo devices that have a WAN port ...

cwwozniak

· #20 · Jan 25, 2022

Gr3iz said:
I can't say that I've seen modem/router combo devices that have a WAN port ...

I concur with Mark.

PeterOz, the device on the left in your illustration is a router and you keep referring to connecting to "modem router". A single device that most people refer to as a modem-router does not have a WAN port, but rather has a DSL phone line port or a coaxial cable port. The attached photo shows an example of a Zoom Telephonics cable modem-router. The WAN portion of the router is internally connected to the cable modem portion and is not accessible to the user.

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