My home network has been going through an “evolution” over the past few months as a result of continued outages and “growing pains” but I think I’m finally done changing configurations and running wires for at least the next few months. For those of you interested, I’ve posted pics below…
Original Configuration
As primitive as this was, I ran my home network like this for nearly 2 years! I purchased the router from a local dude off eBay for around $30. Not too bad since it’s nearly an “enterprise level” router probably just a few steps below a Cisco router. I had very little trouble with it over the time I used it. Towards the end of the year, I started getting what I thought was internet outages and would have to cycle the power on my router, modem, and my gigabit switch to get things up and running again. So I decided it was time to call my ISP (SBC-Yahoo) and see what they could do for me. Here was their solution…
Configuration#2
Time to get serious! The SBC-Yahoo device is the small white box at the top. It was a “SOHO” router, wireless access point, and modem combined in a single box. Slick! I thought this was time to re-locate my network equipment in the hallway (where we’re doing a little bit of construction as I’m sure you can see) along with our cordless phone. I also got around to adding an UPS to the system to keep things going in a power outage.
Configuration#3
I quickly found out that running a cordless phone base station right next to my wireless access point is a really BAD idea! Every time the phone rang, the wireless network went down! So… Out with the phone.
Configuration#4
Well that SOHO “all-in-wonder” box managed to last just one month before it started crashing nearly every hour. We got SBC to send us a replacement unit that did the exact same thing so it seems like the problem was somewhere else (or so I thought). I got rid of the SOHO router / wireless / modem unit and went back to the original modem and tried to use the wireless router as my main router. This lasted about a week!
Configuration#5
So I returned the wireless router to just “wireless access point status” and bring my old SMC router back into the mix. This seemed to work for a little while but I still would have to reboot the router about once every 24 hrs.
Configuration#6
Finally a working solution!! (well sort of) As it turns out, the real problem was the fact that I am running a BitTorrent client on a nearly 24-7 basis and that sort of traffic just brings home-based routers to their knees (as I have been finding out). The solution is either to purchase an “enterprise-class” router, or build a Linux-based router out of an old PC. I chose the latter. I snagged up a distro of Smoothwall Express and managed to get it up and running in less than 4 hrs (including building up the donor PC). I have to say, it has been nearly 10 years since the last time I installed a Linux system. Boy have things come a long way! The only problem now was that I had a quite powerful router now connected to a wireless router that had its router abilities disabled. Sadly, the wireless functioning worked terribly now and the real need was to get a true wireless access point device. Off to eBay…
Configuration#7 – FINAL
Replaced the wireless router with a Netgear gigabit 5-port gigabit switch and a Linksys wireless access point. I probably spent about $70 for both items thanks to eBay. I couldn’t be happier with the configuration. My throughput is just amazing. BitTorrent downloads that would have taken 2-3 days to complete were now going through in a single evening! The wireless works better than ever too.
Here’s some of what I feed in my office / workshop with this present configuration:
A 16-port KVM switch that is soon to be nearly completely populated with working computers for the business I’m working on.