Help/Advice for Network

[gwilson]

I am going to build a massive file server but need suggestions for
redoing the network before I start.

Currently I have:

1. Linksys b/g wireless router with cable Internet ran to it

2. Three PCs - One is connected directly to the router (my main PC).
The other two access the network wirelessly (one is a htpc.)

3. Two Laptops

The main PC and HTPC both have Windows XP Pro and everything
else has XP Home.

On the file server I am building, I plan to put a wireless card to
access it. Standard DVDs play over my current network wirelessely
but since I am using b/g, I am worried that HD movies
wont.

If HD video wont play or play well, can I use a cat5 crossover cable
and connect it directly to the HTPC (for file transfers) and still have
the wireless card work for net access for the server and the htpc?

I hope that makes sense.

MTIA.

Garrie

[slaveofconvention]

This can work but it might be a little flaky. What you'll effectively be doing is creating two networks and using windows network bridge to make them interconnect - you'll still be limited by the wireless speed when it comes to connecting the fileserver to anything else in the house other than the HTPC. You won't get HD content to stream flawlessly over wireless G so I'd personally recommend looking into N for the router and HTPC - that way you'll still have the best, wired connection between the fileserver and HTPC and the connection to your main PC from the server will be faster too - N routers will do G too, so the laptops will still connect albeit at the slower G speed.

The ideal solution is, of course, wire the whole house and use wireless only when you have to, but I understand it isn't always practical.

In short, yes it can be done, but that N upgrade will make it a lot better between the 3 main computers at least.

[x88x]

Ok, if I'm reading this correctly, what you're proposing is:
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq3/x13931x/gwilsonnetmap.png

There are a couple problems here, but the main one is this.
Never connect your fileserver wirelessly. Never never never never.
Assuming that you actually want to be able to connect more than one computer at a time to the fileserver, it should never be connected wirelessly.

Other than that, I would highly recommend that you connect the HTPC wired if possible, but that's about it.

[gwilson]

Hi slave,

Thanks for the reply.

I use to have an N router (the Linksys that looks like a spaceship) cards but for some reason, the router stopped letting my laptops and one PC connect. I tried firmware upgrades, resets, reconfigs, tried it w/out authentication, etc. Nothing would allow them to connect. It would see them and then stop. But my htpc and direcTV box would work. After spending hours trying to get it to work and finally gave up and ordered a new b/g router and tossed the N.

I guess I should just go ahead buy another N router and see how everything works wirelessly and then if it to slow for my liking on the HTPC, run a few CAT5 cables and do everything the "correct" way.

Thanks again!

[gwilson]

x88x,

We must have posted at the same time.

Yes, that's basically what I was talking about and using a cat5 crossover between the file server and htpc.

But you and slave have convinced me to wire everything correctly (directly to the router with the exception of one PC thats only for surfing and the laptops).

Thanks for the help and nice picture x88x. :)

Garrie

[x88x]

Ah, ok. A crossover cable will actually give you less overhead than passing through a router, but imo a large part of the point of a fileserver is to get the noise and heat far, far away from your living room, and to do that with a crossover b/n those two would require you to run two cables, and generally just be largely pointless.

As long as you're running the fileserver and HTPC wired to the router; upgrading to a gigabit router (assuming both systems have gigabit adapters) will give you a great improvement, especially for HD content.

[Outlaw]

I actually have a very similar setup. I went the cheap rout and just hooked up our HTPC (if you want to call it that) directly to my computer with a crossover cable. Both pc's have gigabit. We have 2 laptops that are wireless and use the wireless router, my computer and my dads computer is hooked directly up to the switch. I wanted a gigabit but didn't want to order one.. let alone didn't have the money for one. I went to my local pc shop and they had some cheap used ones. I already had a spool of cable, connectors and the crimper so my only cost was the card. I was able to squeeze the data cable through the hole for the cable TV. The biggest pain was moving all the drop ceiling tiles in the basement to run the cable.

here is a quick pic
http://i36.tinypic.com/o6aceh.jpg

[Luke122]

A good trick for pulling cable through ceilings is to attach the cable to a weight of some sort (I like to use a roll of tape), and throw the weight as far as you can. Then go to where it stopped, and move that tile, and then throw it again. Repeat until you reach your destination. This is the easiest way to cross large expanses of tiled ceilings.

I also vote for cable between all devices, except the one PC and laptops. :)

My home setup is cable modem and router in the basement, cat5 to the basement PC, and two runs of cat6 from the basement up the airspace for the chimney. One to the mainfloor which feeds a wallplate behind my tv, and a second up to the second floor, which feeds a wallplate in my bedroom.

2 laptops, a pda, and a smartphone all use wifi.

[Outlaw]

I wish we could just run jacks to the bedrooms but we don't own our house. Also with our ceiling tiles, they are about 2-3" from the floor joists so it was a lot of pull over this support, move over, pull over...etc. With the hole in the floor, I had to run the cable through, then terminate it because the connector wouldn't fit through with the tv cable already there. I will have to remember the weighted route though when we get our own place.

[haha49]

they work but sometimes you get some lag.. I would recomend runing giga wired network after I did that to all my pcs all 30 of them in my home everyone have more then 1 computer media compter ect... It works alot better.. I use gig switchs and 4 wired routers and 3 wireless ones the wireless will play it but it can drop and stutter because of the wireless signal and transfering files through wireless sucks because you looking at 19 hours for g for 100gigs and wired in gig it was 2hrs... that was from a slow laptop hardrive..

you can also play some games through the network as well like guild wars that way all the files are downloaded to 1 computer instead of many..

[haha49]

I wish we could just run jacks to the bedrooms but we don't own our house. Also with our ceiling tiles, they are about 2-3" from the floor joists so it was a lot of pull over this support, move over, pull over...etc. With the hole in the floor, I had to run the cable through, then terminate it because the connector wouldn't fit through with the tv cable already there. I will have to remember the weighted route though when we get our own place.

wired every bed room basment were all the tvs are.. with phone wired network and satlight... ran them all at the same time and its nice once its down you can run the wires around the floor boards if you dont want to put them through the walls and you can tape over them so you dont trip on them if they have to go over carpet or if you pull the modleing off you can stick it under the rugs,, then pull it out when done..

[x88x]

When I have to run a cable across a carpeted room, I just use a thick flathead screwdriver to squeeze it under the molding, between the carpet and the wall. The molding keeps it in place, and it's nice and out of the way.

When running cable through a drop-ceiling, you want to watch out for fluorescent lights. If you pass the cable too close to the fixtures, the signal gets muddied. A couple years back at a place I was volunteering, we ran into this problem; with the cable running over a fluorescent light fixture, it cut the speed from 100Mbps to about 20, IIRC. It may not have been quite that drastic, but it was a lot.

[Airbozo]

At a couple places I worked (Amoco Oil, McDonnell Douglas, SGI, we used to compete in the "Drop Ceiling Toss" and the "Raised Floor Toss" (among other things). Money was involved as well as drinks... (yes we got bored on the midnight shift). Lots of fun. The lower the ceiling/floor the better. Good times!

To add to the florescent light issue (which I have seen with networking, video, and sound), if you must be near any lights or power lines, cross them perpendicular for the least effect.

Thanks for the info guys I am also working on a similar issue at my house. I actually looked into a wireless GB router that has 2 wireless networks plus a 4 port wired one. On the "N" network, I will put my htpc and on the separate "G" network I will put my Laptop. They are separate networks so streaming movies will not affect the SO's NHL Game Center Live Hockey games! The router also has a USB port for storage or a printer. There are a couple of companies producing these routers and I have seen them on sale for under $100. The wireless card for the htpc is ~$70.

[SgtM]

http://i36.tinypic.com/o6aceh.jpg

Your switch is backwards. It should be behind the router.

Here's my suggestion. Wire everything that's not a portable device. GigEthernet isn't a requirement, but if you can afford the hardware and cat6, then go for it.

[x88x]

Actually, from what I've heard and seen, Cat5e can carry 1GigE just fine. Though if Cat6 isn't any more expensive, definitely go with that.

[slaveofconvention]

Cat 5e can carry gig but only over shorter distances, cat 6 is better for longer runs - my house is cat5e wired and i have gig np everywhere but the longest run is probably about 20 metres

[Outlaw]

Your switch is backwards. It should be behind the router.

Here's my suggestion. Wire everything that's not a portable device. GigEthernet isn't a requirement, but if you can afford the hardware and cat6, then go for it.

whoops, you are correct, the blue line is stopped early. It is hooked up correctly though. :D

We are just using standard cat5. When the pc's connect it shows gigabit. We haven't had any issues streaming vid from the main to the htpc.

[Luke122]

Cat5e CAN run gig, BUT...

As mentioned above, longer runs wont be reliable at high speed. Also, though it might register as 1gigabit, chances are the speed wont be that high, most likely around 300mbit.