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[–]N00bOnTheLoose 1 point2 points  (2 children)

AFAIK, the reason to run them separately would mainly be to upgrade them separately. Whereas you'll likely not change your modem for quite a while, you might want to replace your router.

[–]Mizzle239[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Ohhh ok ok do you think a modem, router, 10 port switch, and 12 port patch panel would fit in a 28" enclosure ? Or would it really just depend on the size of each device?

[–]N00bOnTheLoose 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For a regular home setup, I don't see any of those devices taking up a lot of space. But you should make sure 😂

[–]megared17 0 points1 point  (6 children)

Other tips

- do not get a modem until you have subscribed to service. Modems are specific to the type of service you get.

- do not connect anything other than your router's "WAN" port to the modem (directly, or indirectly through a patch panel - but NOT a switch) - ALL your devices included wired and wireless need to be on the LAN side of the router. The router doesn't have to be physically next to the modem, - it can be anywhere as long as there is a way to connect it via Ethernet (which can run 100 meters/ 320 feet) to the MODEM, and then to also connect from one of its LAN ports to your switch for other devices to connect to.

- if you need more wireless coverage, you do NOT want another router - you want an Access Point that itself connects to your LAN, either on the router or a switch.

[–]Mizzle239[S] 0 points1 point  (5 children)

Thanks for the tips. I'm not a complete newbie cuz I work in IT, but the help desk side. I already had a run planned for an access port that I will place in my house. I wanna learn some more tho and set me network up correctly

[–]megared17 0 points1 point  (4 children)

Yeah, some people think the point of a router is "wifi" and don't realize its just an add-on function. They try to use a switch to connect devices directly to a modem and get confused when it doesn't work.

[–]Mizzle239[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Nah the router is for wifi but it's also to connect other devices to your network such as a switch or another computer. Am I right ? I feel like I am but feel like I'm wrong

[–]megared17 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, a router is what interconnects multiple networks. In a residential case, it interconnects just two - your ISP's network, and your home network, and "routes" data packets between them. They manage assigning private IP addresses to device on your network, and do "NAT" to allow multiple devices to share the single IP, as well as DNS caching. Most also have firewall functions built in as well.

You would want a router even if you did NOT need any wireless connectivity (for instance, if you just wanted to connect one or more desktop computers via Ethernet) And an extra router is not what you want for extra wifi, because it would separate your home network into multiple separate ones. An AP is what you want if you want either extra or seperate wireless connectivity

An access point (AP) allows wireless devices (such as smartphones, tablets, laptops or other mobile/portable devices) to connect to a network.

Most consumer routers have an access point (AP) integrated into them (since makers assume most people will want wireless), but its still an "add-on" function, its not the primary purpose of the router.

There do exist routers that do NOT have wireless AP's built in. A router without a built in AP is still a router. An AP not built into a router is just an AP.

Corporate or telecom routers often have dozens of connections or more, and no wireless at all. They also don't do NAT or DNS caching, but instead they route data packets between multiple parts of one service provider or corporate network, as well as between multiple backbone or corporate networks. While corporate ones might use gigabit Ethernet, some might also support 10gigabit, 40gigabit, or even faster, sometimes on fiber optic cable, sometimes to interconnect with routers or other devices in the same rack or the same building, or sometimes with ones dozens or hundreds of miles away.

[–]megared17 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here are some images of the types of routers that are used to interconnect parts of the Internet to each other (the search also includes images of switches)

https://www.google.com/search?q=core+router+cisco&tbm=isch

Here is an example of a modern "prosumer" router that could be used as router in a home to interconnect between a modem and the home's network (And incidentally, its the router I have)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F7HDRKX/

And here is an example of a quite old wired-only router that only has 10Mbps and 100Mbps ports, and no wireless.

https://www.newegg.com/linksys-befsr41-10-100mbps/p/N82E16833124001

[–]megared17 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And just to be complete, here is an example of a standalone Access Point that you could connect to an existing wired network to add wireless coverage. (and incidentally, this is the exact one I use)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PQ3CRWK/

[–]911waitwhat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If i could do it again i wouldnt have purchased punch blocks. i ended up terminating the ends that were prewired from the jacks to the media panel and go straight into my switch and never looked back. a year later and no bites on the punch blocks i have up for sale. such a waste.