Hi all

I have a router with 4 wired ports

Then I have two sixteen port switches connected

From there my house it hardwired like a mad man.

My question: Should I plug 2 ports from the router to each switch, will that free up a bottle neck?

the way I have it now there are 2 unused ports on the router. Seems a waste.

And I got like 10 things on each switch with only 1 Ethernet going to the router, isn’t that a terrible bottle neck ?

Thx

  • dshepsman@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Back in the old days, if you connected 2 ports to 1 switch it would cause routing issues/network storms etc.

    Modern switches should prevent that, but unless you have managed switches, and know how to configure link aggregation, just leave it as 1 per switch

    • Jmkott@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      It still does. Not sure many unmanaged switches support either spanning tree or automatic link aggregation.

      Connecting two ports to the same network without specifically configuring spanning tree or loop detection, or link aggregation will destroy your network.

      Here is why. A broadcast packets coming in one port is sent out all ports. If port A and B are both connected to the router, a broadcast packet received on A will be sent out B. The router will receive it and send it back to port A. Switch will receive it and send it back out B. This will repeat until the network is swamped.