New network from scratch

[stephenlewis]

Hi Guys.

Fed up with the dismal performance of my Virgin Media so called "Super-hub" I'm thinking about setting up an Apple-based network from scratch. I thought I'd run the plans by the ever-helpful people here just to be sure i'm not missing something. So, here goes;

1. Turn the "Super-hub" into modem mode.
2. Connect a new Airport Extreme to the "Super-hub" using ethernet cable.
3. Connect my Imac into the Airport Extreme via ethernet.
4. Run an ethernet cable from the Airport Extreme into the loft, and into an un-managed, 5 port, ethernet switch.
5. Connect 2, or possibly 3, Airport Express units via ethernet to the switch, and position them in the extremities of the loft for best coverage.

One alternative would be to replace the switch with an Airport Express and forget the ethernet cables.

I know I could leave the Superhub on wifi mode and run the cable to the loft from it, but I would prefer do everything with Apple components rather than mix hardware. I presume that would make setup and management more straightforward.

I live in a 1930's house with brick internal walls and timber floors, so the signal should penetrate the floors down through the house. Any thoughts on this setup would be appreciated.

Stephen.

 

[ColdCase]

Where would the new AP extreme sit? It could provide coverage for the entire house if placed in a decent location. My New Extreme easily sees though a dozen walls, about 70 feet where my three year old one does not. You could run an ethernet cable up to the loft and place the AP Extreme there, connect the Extreme WAN port on one end and the modem on the other, see how it works. If insufficient coverage, then start adding access points.... If it works it would save you some effort.

 

[opinio]

Hi Guys.

Fed up with the dismal performance of my Virgin Media so called "Super-hub" I'm thinking about setting up an Apple-based network from scratch. I thought I'd run the plans by the ever-helpful people here just to be sure i'm not missing something. So, here goes;

1. Turn the "Super-hub" into modem mode.
2. Connect a new Airport Extreme to the "Super-hub" using ethernet cable.
3. Connect my Imac into the Airport Extreme via ethernet.
4. Run an ethernet cable from the Airport Extreme into the loft, and into an un-managed, 5 port, ethernet switch.
5. Connect 2, or possibly 3, Airport Express units via ethernet to the switch, and position them in the extremities of the loft for best coverage.

One alternative would be to replace the switch with an Airport Express and forget the ethernet cables.

I know I could leave the Superhub on wifi mode and run the cable to the loft from it, but I would prefer do everything with Apple components rather than mix hardware. I presume that would make setup and management more straightforward.

I live in a 1930's house with brick internal walls and timber floors, so the signal should penetrate the floors down through the house. Any thoughts on this setup would be appreciated.

Stephen.

Sounds perfect except try and turn your super hub thingy to bridge mode. Disable WiFi, NAT, DHCP as well in the super hub if bridge mode doesn't do that anyway. Basically try to get the AE to do everything and have the super hub simply as a base bridge.

It is preferable that the AE does the internet connection and the NAT and DHCP. You should be able to get the AE to connect to the internet in the internet tab in the Airport App. ADSL usually uses PPPoE (with your ISP pass/user). IPoE usually uses DHCP (no pass/user).

If you must use the super hub as the modem to connect to the internet (for example if it is 3G/4G wireless), then the next best option is to do that but disable WiFi, DHCP and NAT in the super hub and just get it to push the internet to the AE and have the AE do the rest. In that case, the inetrnet setting in the AE is DHCP from memory.

P.S. use the switch but make sure it is gigabit. The expresses are not gigabit but the AE is.

Also you might want to read this. It is only a 'rumor' but may be worth waiting.

https://www.macrumors.com/2013/09/0...-shortages-hint-at-potential-802-11ac-update/

 

[stephenlewis]

Thanks for your input guys. Initially I will install the Extreme next to the super-hub and see what happens. I suspect it will be an improvement, albeit with some dead spots. In this case I'll wait for the Express upgrade (thanks for the heads up on that) then extend the wifi into the loft as planned.

Stephen
www.landscapesofwales.co.uk

 

[blanka]

I just added a D-Link DGS-108 behind my media box: what a relief!
The network is always online, even if the media box has its regular hiccups (if the dhcp server is down, that does not give immediate trouble).
It is super fast, I transfer big MKV files from machine to machine in no time.
It has smart ports with indicators: you can pretty much use any cable laying around, including cat 5 ones, and they will all work at gigabit full duplex speed. The lights show the actual speed, and mine are always green (orange is 100mbit).
For 30€ this solid steel low energy box really made everything fly and its 8 ports are usually enough for a home network.

 

[drsox]

Thanks for your input guys. Initially I will install the Extreme next to the super-hub and see what happens. I suspect it will be an improvement, albeit with some dead spots. In this case I'll wait for the Express upgrade (thanks for the heads up on that) then extend the wifi into the loft as planned.

Stephen
www.landscapesofwales.co.uk

Sounds fine, but why are all your new AEs in the loft ? WiFi coverage is basically spherical so any passing pigeon will be well connected ! Is there a logistical reason why one of the AEs can't be on the ground floor ?

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I just added a D-Link DGS-108 behind my media box: what a relief!
The network is always online, even if the media box has its regular hiccups (if the dhcp server is down, that does not give immediate trouble).
It is super fast, I transfer big MKV files from machine to machine in no time.
It has smart ports with indicators: you can pretty much use any cable laying around, including cat 5 ones, and they will all work at gigabit full duplex speed. The lights show the actual speed, and mine are always green (orange is 100mbit).
For 30€ this solid steel low energy box really made everything fly and its 8 ports are usually enough for a home network.

I doubt if you will get reliable gigabit rates from cat5 cables.

 

[stephenlewis]

Sounds fine, but why are all your new AEs in the loft ? WiFi coverage is basically spherical so any passing pigeon will be well connected ! Is there a logistical reason why one of the AEs can't be on the ground floor

The principle dead spots are at the two corners of the house furthest from the hub. By putting the Expresses, connected via ethernet to the Extreme, in the loft above these dead spots the signal should have no difficulty in going down through two timber barriers i.e the loft floor and the first floor.

If I put the Expresses on the first or ground floors it would be impossible to cable them, and I'm not sure the Extreme could reach that far for wireless connection. The biggest problem is the huge chimney flue which runs through the centre of the house.

Again, putting the Extreme in first will give me an idea of what's possible. It may be I don't need ant Expresses at all

 

[opinio]

The principle dead spots are at the two corners of the house furthest from the hub. By putting the Expresses, connected via ethernet to the Extreme, in the loft above these dead spots the signal should have no difficulty in going down through two timber barriers i.e the loft floor and the first floor.

If I put the Expresses on the first or ground floors it would be impossible to cable them, and I'm not sure the Extreme could reach that far for wireless connection. The biggest problem is the huge chimney flue which runs through the centre of the house.

Again, putting the Extreme in first will give me an idea of what's possible. It may be I don't need ant Expresses at all

I use this flat cat6 cable. Cheap, super fast and runs under carpet if needed. It's also a lot more flexible than normal cables. Might work for you.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/30M-RJ45-CA...hernet_Cables_RJ_45_8P8C_&hash=item25706baed9

 

[drsox]

I use this flat cat6 cable. Cheap, super fast and runs under carpet if needed. It's also a lot more flexible than normal cables. Might work for you.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/30M-RJ45-CA...hernet_Cables_RJ_45_8P8C_&hash=item25706baed9

I've used the CAT5 version for a few years as it is supplied with new Sonos gear. In my experience it's fragile. Of the 5 I had, 3 broke with little reason to explain why. On the other hand my main LAN links and patch cables are conventional CAT6 cable of the same type. So far none have failed (20+ in use)

 

[Giuly]

Sounds perfect except try and turn your super hub thingy to bridge mode. Disable WiFi, NAT, DHCP as well in the super hub if bridge mode doesn't do that anyway. Basically try to get the AE to do everything and have the super hub simply as a base bridge.

It is preferable that the AE does the internet connection and the NAT and DHCP. You should be able to get the AE to connect to the internet in the internet tab in the Airport App. ADSL usually uses PPPoE (with your ISP pass/user). IPoE usually uses DHCP (no pass/user).

If you must use the super hub as the modem to connect to the internet (for example if it is 3G/4G wireless), then the next best option is to do that but disable WiFi, DHCP and NAT in the super hub and just get it to push the internet to the AE and have the AE do the rest. In that case, the inetrnet setting in the AE is DHCP from memory.

P.S. use the switch but make sure it is gigabit. The expresses are not gigabit but the AE is.

Also you might want to read this. It is only a 'rumor' but may be worth waiting.

https://www.macrumors.com/2013/09/0...-shortages-hint-at-potential-802-11ac-update/

The Virgin Media Superhub is a Netgear EuroDOCSIS 3.0 cable modem with built-in router, so disabling WiFi and connecting it to the WAN-port of the AEBS should be enough.

 

[opinio]

The Virgin Media Superhub is a Netgear EuroDOCSIS 3.0 cable modem with built-in router, so disabling WiFi and connecting it to the WAN-port of the AEBS should be enough.

It depends on whether you want the AE to run DHCP and NAT instead of the Netgear router. I prefer to have the AE do the lot instead of spreading it across devices. You can access 100% from the AirPort App then. More pain in the setting up for more simplicity in the final setup.

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I've used the CAT5 version for a few years as it is supplied with new Sonos gear. In my experience it's fragile. Of the 5 I had, 3 broke with little reason to explain why. On the other hand my main LAN links and patch cables are conventional CAT6 cable of the same type. So far none have failed (20+ in use)

I've had no problems with the CAT6 (30+cables), although most of mine is in the ceiling and walls. You're right though, I wouldn't regard it as robust cable compared to the stiff thick CAT6 cable you get from the local computer store.

 

[blanka]

I doubt if you will get reliable gigabit rates from cat5 cables.

Read the D-Link info page about it. All I can tell is that it performs flawlessly and always gets to like 100MByte/s transfering files.

 

[drsox]

I think it's more related to how often the cable is plugged/unplugged. I've had problems with using these as patch cables.