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Router, switches and LAN

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navveed

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Hi, Back again after such long time.
Well i wanted to connect around 20 computers to a local LAN that would then be connected to the main server and finally to the Internet. I am new to this stuff so dont have any idea as what to do.
Do i use routers or combination of router and switches.
Do I connect the computers wirelessly to the router or if not since most routers have only four ethernet ports than what should i do, if i want to connect the computer via ethernet cable. Please give detail of both options.
If i am using a private address say 10.0.0.0/8, how do i make an addressing scheme for the LAN for each PC.

thanks in advance, any help will be apprciated.
 
You are better off keeping internet modem and router separate as their technology evolves differently and you might want to change from DSL to cable or back so that is another reason to keep internet modem separate. You should get a simple non-managed 24 port switch. Router should also be wireless capable to provide that capability for your network. 24 port switch and router should be gigabit speed.

So hook up is internet modem, then router, then 24 port switch. Most home routers have four output ports but you only need to connect one to your 24 port switch. Router has separate input for internet modem. The router assigns local IP addresses and translates local computer IP's to the single internet IP access and keeps straight what computer it came from and need to go back to. The router is the network manager. 24 port switch is just dumb port IP matching, store and forward, traffic director.

If you put network hard drives storage (NAS) on the switch you should setup them up with fixed IP addresses. (just about everything defaults to automatic floating IP assignment, DHCP)

Never run a wireless router without security. That is password and preferably WPA2 encryption.
 
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Actually a lot of things can go into putting a network together. There are level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 switches and their are managed switches. They have many more options than the 4 port router.

One option is virtual LANS which can keep traffic a little more segregated.

Since your talking about a network server, then the backbone might be better off being gigabit, but it depends on the intended traffic.

10/100 with a Gigabit trunk port is a good working standard when people browse the internet and connect to the backbone.

If your going to relay a lot on the server, then Gigabit ethernet for everyone would be the way to go.

Only if the 20 locations exist on different floors then it could make sense to have a switch for each floor.

High end switches and routers have the ability to have their uplink port be fiber.

Now, you didn't really say what the speed of your internet connection will be, nor how many IP addresses will be assigned by the ISP. That's where things start getting messy.

As an example, suppose you get two IP addresses from your ISP. A run of the mill router isn't going to help. One possible reason for that is to use one IP address for say an Http/mail server and have everyone else share.

"Server" is a loose term. Is this a file server, back up server, http server for the internet, mail server etc. Will it be a a fixed IP address from your ISP?

A lot of questions need to be asked.

With 20 ports, this appears to be a business and not a home network.

You also have to ask whether people are going to connect to the inside network from home, etc.

So, I have to ask: What are your needs?
 
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