[mythtv-users] Noobish network cable connection question, basement > upstairs

[Ian Clark]

2008/12/4 Bobby Gill <bobbygill at rogers.com>:
[snip]
>
> Right now I have mythbox (basement) > router (basement) > cable modem
> (basement) > ethernet cable going from basement to upstairs >desktop
> (upstairs).
>
> How can I have it so the router stays upstairs (if need be I'll grab
> something else)? I was thinking of a 3-way RJ45 splitter or something but
> they're a bugger to find here and I'm not so sure they're the best solution.
> Any help is appreciated, thanks.
>
How comfortable are you with setting up Linux? One of the options
noone has mentioned yet is useing your mythbox as a router.

If it has more than one network socket it would be possible to plug
the cable modem directly into the mythbox, configure linux to act as a
firewall/NAT box, then either run a single cable upstairs from a cheap
switch, or if your router has more than 1 port, just use that.

It does require more software fiddling though, and you would need to
leave the myth box on 24/7

>
> P.S. If it makes sense to go to gigabit ethernet or something perhaps now's
> the time (though I'm not sure what to get there either)...
>

As someone who's gone to gig networking at home I must say I didn't
notice a huge improvement. (I've not got hardware that supports jumbo
frames though, which I believe help a lot.)

Cheers,

Ian