Suggested network setup using two adapters?

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 03, 2005 Posts: 8

This is for a small office, so we have two adapters (currently the Motorola and the Linksys w/4-port router) for two voice lines and one fax line. The problem is that with the Vonage router/adapter and adapter we currently have, there are only 4 ports available but I have 5 devices I need to connect to the network.

So what would the best solution and schematic be? Add a switch, but where? Exchange the Motorola adapter for another Linksys adapter/router? And if I do that, is there a best practice for what to connect to what? The network will have two PCs, two printers and one network drive. And should there be any priority to what numbers are going to what adapter based on how they're connected? I assume Vonage can re-assign those if there's any need to.

I could also try to find a router with 5 ports, which would solve my problem. Anyone know of one that has 5?

Thanks,
Jim

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

jwb96 wrote:

This is for a small office, so we have two adapters (currently the Motorola and the Linksys w/4-port router) for two voice lines and one fax line. The problem is that with the Vonage router/adapter and adapter we currently have, there are only 4 ports available but I have 5 devices I need to connect to the network.

So what would the best solution and schematic be? Add a switch, but where? Exchange the Motorola adapter for another Linksys adapter/router? And if I do that, is there a best practice for what to connect to what? The network will have two PCs, two printers and one network drive. And should there be any priority to what numbers are going to what adapter based on how they're connected? I assume Vonage can re-assign those if there's any need to.

I could also try to find a router with 5 ports, which would solve my problem. Anyone know of one that has 5?

Thanks,
Jim

Jim, you've posted this to the house wiring forum. You might get better response by asking the administrator to move it to the Voip forum. In the meanwhile, you seem to have a good handle on the issues. I like the idea of a good router with 5 or more ports and good QoS capabilities to run the whole show. Unfortunately, I don't have any model numbers to pass on.

The next best, in my mind, would be to replace the Motorola with another Linksys (RTP300?), and set things up with the Linksys providing two phone lines plugged into the modem and the second Linksys plugged into that. The first Linksys will give priority to your two voice lines, but you could have QoS issues with the fax line.

There have been threads in the Voip forum about hooking the second router up to act just as a switch, so that you have connectivity throughout your LAN. If I remember correctly, the trick was to run an ethernet line from a LAN port on the first router to a _LAN_ port (not the WAN port) on the second router. Then a second cable is run from a LAN port on the second router to the WAN port on the second router (!). Do a search in the forum for a discussion of this. Without doing something like this, you'll probably have issues with devices plugged into the first router communicating with devices plugged into the second.

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

jwb96,

I believe if you have both the motorola and the linksys adapters working, I would just buy a switch and connect it to one of the linksys ports. That is the simplest and easiest solution in my opinion. I mean simplest and easiest b/c it means you do not have to deal with Vonage CS to get the router mac addresses changed etc.

Steve48,

I think Dan must have changed this forum's name because it now says "Hard Wiring - Installation" which implies a dual subject forum.

Just my own thoughts.

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

mundy5 wrote:

I think Dan must have changed this forum's name because it now says "Hard Wiring - Installation" which implies a dual subject forum.

Good point. He still might get better response in the Voip forum. There's more discussion of networking issues there.

Posts: 1179 · Member of the Week Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 1179

You're correct Steve48. Perhaps Dan, would you change the title to strictly "Hard Wiring" only?