Router or 10/100 Switch for my iMac & VOiP set-up?

1587 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by CanadaRAM, May 27, 2007

Betty Woo

Discussion Starter · May 26, 2007

My DI-604 router is dying - well... it's loosing the connection every now and then on the newish iMac and that's never happened before. I called up my ADSL provider (Telus) and the 'tech support' person was obviously reading everything from a script because the minute I told her I didn't want to unplug my VOiP for days to see if the connection problem was the router or Telus, she froze and just regurgitated the same answer in a slightly different way... .

Well, I need something reliable since I use a VOiP set-up. Unplugging it or the computer isn't going to be happening.

But do I even *really* need a router or will a much simpler 10/100 switch (like an AirLink101) do just as well?

Or would Telus, my ADSL provider, have a modem with switches installed?

Anybody experienced this quandary before and is willing to help me figure out which product to get?

Thanks for any help.

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CanadaRAM

· #2 · May 26, 2007

If you are distibuting your DSL broadband to more than one computer or VOIP device, then you need a router. A switch (or hub) just connects machines. A Cable/DSL router (or gateway) creates an internal network and interfaces that with the single IP address that the DSL provider gives you. Most routers also have a 4 port switch built in.

Be aware that when you replace your router, the DSL provider will likely have to reconfigure the DSL connection to the new router's identity.

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Betty Woo

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 26, 2007

Um... welllllll... I'd have my iMac and the VOiP adapter. So that means... what? I don't believe my adapter has a separate IP address.

In fact, when I first got the adapter, the VOiP company knew my pre-router set-up and sent me a two-plug switch that simply looked like a phone adapter.

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CanadaRAM

· #4 · May 26, 2007

Betty Woo said:
Um... welllllll... I'd have my iMac and the VOiP adapter. So that means... what? I don't believe my adapter has a separate IP address.

In fact, when I first got the adapter, the VOiP company knew my pre-router set-up and sent me a two-plug switch that simply looked like a phone adapter.

Sorry, I don't know what your VOIP adaptor is.
Does it plug into the computer via USB, or does it plug into the router via Ethernet.

If it plugs into the router directly, or if you use a switch to connect Either the VOIP OR the Mac to the internet, then the VOIP adapter by definition has to have its own IP address.

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HowEver

· #5 · May 26, 2007

You could see what d-link says. At a minimum, that router has a 2 year warranty now, and may have had a lifetime warranty when you bought it (you might have had to register it). d-link also has lifetime support and will walk you through the setup and verifying what the problem is.

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Betty Woo

Discussion Starter · #6 · May 26, 2007

I picked up the router on Craigslist about two years ago so I'm thinking the lifetime guarantee is out... .

I phoned up Telus and was told that the switch should be fine behind the modem. The Sipura adapter (http://www.sipura.com/products/spa1001.htm) doesn't have an IP address assigned to it.

Having said that, I still trust personal examples from fellow Mac-users than Telus technical support people who may read scripts well and know bupkiss about Mac set-ups

And calling my VOiP provider? HA! I've tried calling four times from the landline in the last 90 minutes. Technical support's suppose to be available until 5PM today. They don't even have voice mail and nobody's bothered picking up. If I could port my VOiP number somewhere else and get dependable service, I'd be outta there in a shot (no, the number wasn't my landline number, it was activated along with my VOiP service)

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CanadaRAM

· #7 · May 27, 2007

A router also incorporates a simple firewall (Network Address Translation or NAT) which is desirable, as it keeps outsiders from 'seeing' your machine.

O'course the DSL provider will tell you a switch is fine -- that means that you can only ever have one computer attached to your DSL modem, and that means less traffic for them.

I don't understand about the "no IP address assigned" on the Voice over IP telephone adaptor. By definition, if it attaches to an Ethernet/Internet network, it has to have an IP address. The adaptor acts as a DHCP client, so it gets its IP address from the DSL modem when it turns on. So the statement is correct only to the extent that it does not have a fixed IP address permanently assigned to it -- it acquires an IP address dynamically as needed.

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Betty Woo

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 27, 2007

CanadaRAM said:
I don't understand about the "no IP address assigned" on the Voice over IP telephone adaptor. By definition, if it attaches to an Ethernet/Internet network, it has to have an IP address. The adaptor acts as a DHCP client, so it gets its IP address from the DSL modem when it turns on. So the statement is correct only to the extent that it does not have a fixed IP address permanently assigned to it -- it acquires an IP address dynamically as needed.

Well... neither do I. And your explanation done exploded my mind; proof that I, at least, don't know exactly what I'm tying :lmao:

The second IP address assigned is for an old PC I had (used only for a few select programs and now sitting in a corner for more than a year) so, yeah, I'm under the impression (and Telus told me so and they *never* get things wrong

) that the VOiP adapter doesn't currently have a separate IP address. And I never did have to manually add the adapter to the Telus IP address screen - unlike when I used the old PC.

All this just 'cause I don't want to open the plastic on a $32 10/100 Switch without some assurance that I can use *that* rather than fork over for a new router

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guytoronto

· #9 · May 27, 2007

Never use a basic switch right after the modem. It gives your ISP an excuse to charge you for "extra IP addresses". Get a new router.

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CanadaRAM

· #10 · May 27, 2007

It sounds like your DSL modem was provisioned with 2 addresses from the start -- the Mac and the PC. Typically, a DSL modem will only assign one IP address. Depending on your deal with Telus, you may have been paying extra all this time for 2 IP addresses even if the PC wasn't being used.

For a device to operate on an TCP/IP network, it has to have an IP address, simple as that.

DHCP means Dynamic IP address allocation: It's an on-demand thing.

When your computer powers on, it asks the DSL modem "What IP address can I have?" and the modem says back: "Here, have 123.234.123 (or whatever number is available in its pool of numbers)" and your machine says "Okey Dokey" and loads that number as well as some other supporting settings, into the Network Preference Pane.

So there isn't a permanent IP address assigned to your Mac, or your VOIP adaptor, but each one gets a number assigned to it automatically when it asks.

Now: Routers.
A router will do the same with the DSL modem -- it will ask for a single IP address, and receive the number 123.234.123 from the modem.

But then, it acts as a middle man -- your computer(s) and VOIP modem ask the ROUTER for IP addresses, and the router creates and hands out a series of its own internal network addresses "192.168.1.101, -102, -103 etc"
-- this can be to as many machines/devices as you want. Telus still is only providing 1 IP address from their modem, so you only need to pay for one address only.

In addition, because your computers are insulated from the wild Internet by the router, it provides an extra measure of security.

Short answer - take back the switch, get your $35 back, and spend $45 on a router that includes a 4 port switch. The Telus rep (and possibly the salesperson who sold the switch) are telling you wrong.

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