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[Big HDD]

What are the differences between a router, switch, and hub......and any others comparable to these...i am talking with ethernet devices/ports, not usb....and i know this isnt supposed to talk about xbox in this froum, but it is the closest area that deals with networking, so which one of these would be best for setting up system link-xbox, avaluanch ftp between xboxes(no pc), networking with a computer, etc.
right now for $15 American, there is a d-link 5port switch at officemax, so would that do the trick for all this?

[EvilWays]

I'll start with the 7-layer OSI model (I point what layer the device works at, so hopefully looking up this model for more info helps):

Layer 7 - Application
Layer 6 - Presentation
Layer 5 - Session
Layer 4 - Transport
Layer 3 - Network
Layer 2 - Data-Link
Layer 1 - Physical

Physical devices don't worry about the top four layers.

A router is used to move traffic based on an IP address (layer 3). Routers can be used to apply an ACL (access control list) to filter traffic.

A switch is a layer 2 device since it works with MAC addresses. Instead of broadcasting out on all non-origin ports like a hub, a switch uses a table of device and port lookups to determine where to send packets.

A hub is nothing more than a multiport repeater. Traffic comes in one port and is broadcast on all the other ports. (A hub is considered to work at layer 1).

Sorry to confuse you about the layering stuff, but it's stuff I had to learn in the Cisco classes at school (hopefully CCNA certified after May) and I find it easier to remember what does what by knowing what layer it works at.

My setup is a Linksys BEFSR81 Router with 8-port switch.

Lag will be slighly increased with a switch, but the tradeoff is less broadcast traffic.

[GaijinPunch]

The easy answer.

-A router routes traffic (If you get only one global IP from your ISP, you need a router if you have more than one PC.  Usually, these have a mini-DHCP server in them, and assign IP addresses to your PCs.

-A switch is like a router w/o the DHCP functionality.  My last IP gave me 5 global IPs.  That's it, and that's all.  I had a switch hooked up to my fiber optic modem (yes, that fiber optic) and the rest was magic (I set up my devices statically).

-A hub.  You likely don't worry about these.  I'm no networking genius, but I bought one once.  It could've been b/c mine was a hunk of shit, but it split my bandwidth by the number of ports.  If I got 100kb/s from a site w/o the hub, I got 25kb/s when I used the hub.

Want to no more?  Check out the 7-layer OSI model above.  Not necessary to get by, but if you're taking any TCP/IP or other networking exam, that'll be on there.

[Big HDD]

ok, i must be network illiterate, b/c i didnt understand much of that at all.....so since u guys know, ill rephrase the question(it prolly changed too, cuz my thoughts have changed):

Which device will i need for the best performance/compatibility doin the following:
Having 2 or more xboxes networked so i can do xbox to xbox ftping through avalaunch, and also be able to set up a LAN with 2-4 xboxes, for example, to set up 16 Halo?

Also, in the future, I might get a wireless bridge to connect to my(this computer) computer. right now i have a 802.11b wireless netgear router, and it is set up wired to this desktop, and wirelessly to my laptop. so if i get a bridge, will i be able to hook the bridge straight to the router/switch(whatever one works) and be able to connect to the internet through linux, and do whatever i could do if the bridge were linked directly to just one xbox? because im prolly gonna get live, and go on the 'net with gentoox....
thanks....please give me an answer to each question, then give another answer to what would suit both of these questions' setup together.....thanks

[Big HDD]

bumpitty bump

[GaijinPunch]

QUOTE (Big HDD @ Feb 24 2004, 04:53 AM)

ok, i must be network illiterate, b/c i didnt understand much of that at all.....so since u guys know, ill rephrase the question(it prolly changed too, cuz my thoughts have changed): Which device will i need for the best performance/compatibility doin the following: Having 2 or more xboxes networked so i can do xbox to xbox ftping through avalaunch, and also be able to set up a LAN with 2-4 xboxes, for example, to set up 16 Halo? Also, in the future, I might get a wireless bridge to connect to my(this computer) computer. right now i have a 802.11b wireless netgear router, and it is set up wired to this desktop, and wirelessly to my laptop. so if i get a bridge, will i be able to hook the bridge straight to the router/switch(whatever one works) and be able to connect to the internet through linux, and do whatever i could do if the bridge were linked directly to just one xbox? because im prolly gonna get live, and go on the 'net with gentoox.... thanks....please give me an answer to each question, then give another answer to what would suit both of these questions' setup together.....thanks

It really depends on your internet connection.  Most likely, they give you 1 WAN IP address, and you're responsible for any routing on your home network.  You need to confirm this, but very few ISPs give you more than 1 WAN IP.  In this case, just get a router.

This will also solve your second problem depending on how many devices you have.  if you're router has enough ports to support your devices, just plug them in and you're done and dusted.  Even most g-wifi routers have atleast 4 ethernet ports (for your Xboxes) and then WiFi for your computers.

HTH

[Big HDD]

i ALREADY have a router....802.11b wireless, with 4 ports on the back, that dont matter, cuz my computer is 2 floors below my xbox(es), so i would just get a wireless bridge for that....
my question is which should i get if i wanna be able to ftp xbox to xbox through avalaunch and also be able to play 16 halo with it(LAN)? Router or Switch?
Also, what prolly made u give me that answer was when i said xbox live and tuff.....this is what i meant by that:
Phone line-->DSL Modem-->Netgear 802.11b Wireless Router-->wired to desktop and wireless to Laptop....and possibly, if i do so....this.....
from the router-->Wireless Bridge-->Xbox
and i want to know what device i would need if i wanted to be able to put that wireless bridge-->WIRED router/switch(which one?)-->all xboxes i own(they are in the same room, so i would then just use ethernet cables to connect them to the router/switch)...cuz i wanna be able to go on the internet with gentoox and on xbox live
which one would be best for just ftping and LAN, and which one for wireless bridge to router/switch to all xboxes?
then which one would be best if i wanted to be able to ftp and play LAN(16 Halo), but also be on the internet, with all of these xboxes at a time(i know it would be slow, cuz that 802.11b gettin split up if they are all on at once, but just for the instance)
i hope this is clearer....

[GaijinPunch]

QUOTE (Big HDD @ Feb 24 2004, 12:25 PM)

i ALREADY have a router....802.11b wireless, with 4 ports on the back, that dont matter, cuz my computer is 2 floors below my xbox(es), so i would just get a wireless bridge for that.... my question is which should i get if i wanna be able to ftp xbox to xbox through avalaunch and also be able to play 16 halo with it(LAN)? Router or Switch? Also, what prolly made u give me that answer was when i said xbox live and tuff.....this is what i meant by that: Phone line-->DSL Modem-->Netgear 802.11b Wireless Router-->wired to desktop and wireless to Laptop....and possibly, if i do so....this..... from the router-->Wireless Bridge-->Xbox and i want to know what device i would need if i wanted to be able to put that wireless bridge-->WIRED router/switch(which one?)-->all xboxes i own(they are in the same room, so i would then just use ethernet cables to connect them to the router/switch)...cuz i wanna be able to go on the internet with gentoox and on xbox live which one would be best for just ftping and LAN, and which one for wireless bridge to router/switch to all xboxes? then which one would be best if i wanted to be able to ftp and play LAN(16 Halo), but also be on the internet, with all of these xboxes at a time(i know it would be slow, cuz that 802.11b gettin split up if they are all on at once, but just for the instance) i hope this is clearer....

Okay... I see what you mean now, although I can't answer the latter question.  I just got my first wireless router myself.  I've not looked into putting two wireless routers (or wireless router + bridge) on the same network, although in theory I don't see why it couldn't work.  I just don't know -- I even got some WiFi info here before purchasing not long ago.

For you to FTP Xbox->Xbox you need nothing more than for the two Xboxes to communicate to each other. A router, or a switch will work for this.  If you have a piece of hardware that connects only your XBoxes, and another that'll be handling your Internet Connection and PCs, then make the one w/ your Xboxes a switch (sometimes called a switching hub) and the one on your PCs is a router.  

HTH

[Big HDD]

ok, im gonna go over and buy that switch in the next couple of days....but right now, can i unhook my router, and bring it up to my xbox-land, and just plug my boxes in to that, without messing up any of my settings with the router and my computers...then after i am done, bring it back down here, plug it back in, and not have to set everythign up....basically unplug-->use it for xboxes-->plug back in, and it be that simple to get my settings back.....my xbox network stuff wont mess up anything on the router or anything, right?