GoKawiil
Tech News
When a router runs out of Ethernet ports for devices like smart TVs, consoles, NAS drives and desktop PCs, the fix is an inexpensive plug-and-play Ethernet switch rather than a router upgrade. The switch connects to one of the router's LAN ports and instantly adds four, seven, 15 or more wired connections to the network.
Buying guidance for home network switches highlights two key factors: how many ports you'll actually need after accounting for the router connection, and matching switch speed to your router, internet plan and devices. A switch slower than your router or fastest devices becomes a bottleneck, negating any upgrades elsewhere on the network.
A tech explainer clarifies the difference between a router's WAN port, which connects to a modem or ONT for internet access, and its LAN ports, which link wired devices like PCs, consoles, TVs and NAS units inside the home. It notes that combo router/modem units skip the WAN port entirely, while some routers use flexible WAN/LAN or auto-sensing ports instead of clearly labeled ones.
Ethernet cables with four twisted pairs can be divided by passive splitters into two two-pair connections, but this only works for older 10/100Mbps standards that don't use all four pairs for data. A functioning setup requires two splitters, one at each end, since a router's single RJ45 port cannot talk to two separate devices at once. Switches, unlike splitters, actively manage multiple full-speed connections through dedicated hardware.