Network novice question

[integrale_evo]

We have bt fibre with their home hub router.

I have no issues with any of that, it all works nicely.

Unfortunately it only has 3 Ethernet ports.

Can I just by any network switch off the shelf to stick several inputs into and one output to the router and it all just work? Or is it more complicated than that and will need mucking about with?

[DeskJockey]

You can do that. Buy whatever unmanaged switch you want and plug it into the router, then plug devices into the switch.

[Sundayjumper]

Exactly. I’ve got three switches in different parts of the house to provide connections to everything.

I’m not sure if I was over-thinking it all but I tried to plan the load. So the lounge TV has a direct connection to the router as we stream Netflix a lot and I wanted the best possible connection. Everything else in the lounge is via a switch as they’re less demanding and very unlikely to be using them all at the same time.

[JonMad]

I got this one recently fwiw

[DeskJockey]

Exactly. I’ve got three switches in different parts of the house to provide connections to everything.

I’m not sure if I was over-thinking it all but I tried to plan the load. So the lounge TV has a direct connection to the router as we stream Netflix a lot and I wanted the best possible connection. Everything else in the lounge is via a switch as they’re less demanding and very unlikely to be using them all at the same time.

As long as they're gigabit switches I suspect it doesn't matter.

[Matty]

Exactly. I’ve got three switches in different parts of the house to provide connections to everything.

I’m not sure if I was over-thinking it all but I tried to plan the load. So the lounge TV has a direct connection to the router as we stream Netflix a lot and I wanted the best possible connection. Everything else in the lounge is via a switch as they’re less demanding and very unlikely to be using them all at the same time.

As long as they're gigabit switches I suspect it doesn't matter.

It won't. Unless it's a really shitty switch and/or you're spending a lot of time moving TBs of data around, a gigabit switch will barely break a sweat.