the cable is all run, the router is configured, just have to connect the drops
and we're good to go.
final question: because of a recent printer addition, I have more networked
devices than ports on the router or runs of cable. looking around turns up a
'switch' which seems to be a variation on the router.
sooo...is the switch roughly analogous to a cable splitter in that I can
connect a switch to a router port and then run two lines off the switch to two
printers? or even three? and if I can do that, can I just skip running
another cat-5 line through the attic and just run it off the outet in this room?
or:
now:
coax-->cable modem-->router-->4 individual cat-5 lines through
attic-->individual computers/printers in different rooms
can I:
coax-->cable modem-->router--> 1 & 2
where
1. three individual cat-5 lines through attic-->individual computers/printers
2. switch-->two individual cat-5 lines through attic-->individual devices
and if I can do that, what's to stop me from (in theory) just running one cat-5
line to each room, then a switch in each room connecting to the networked stuff?
and if I'm totally off about all this, what exactly is a switch, and how do it
know where to send the stuff? how's it different from a router? googling
makes it seem like just a simpler/dumber version of a router.
thanks.
scott
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