Ethernet splitter or router for Airport Express?

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Ethernet splitter or router for Airport Express?

Im using my Express to connect my DirecTV DVR to the internet but also want to use it to stream my media files to my Xbox. Only problem is that the Express has only one ethernet port. I rarely use either Xbox or the DirecTV for the above listed functions so I usually just switch the ethernet cable from one to the other when I am actualy using one of them.

I never need them simultaneously so dont need another express and I know that I can only use one at a time and not both at the same time....so will a splitter be fine? I have been reading online that a splitter splits the 8 wires in two so that each side only gets 4....is this right? Will this slow down the connection when I am actually streaming media?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7), 3.00 GHz Quad Xeon, 8GB RAM, ATI Radeon X1900 XT, 4x500GB WD Cav

Posted on Jul 11, 2011 9:12 AM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

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158,370 points

Jul 11, 2011 9:49 AM in response to The3rdMan

I assume by "Splitter," you are referring to an Ethernet switch. If so, the purpose of this switch is to provide additional Ethernet ports. It does not do this by only using a limited number of wire pairs within the Ethernet cable itself. Instead, each port has all eight wire (actually four pairs or wires) available for network connectivity.

The key is, for Internet connectivity, the Broadband modem is only expecting a single device directly connected to it to provide the proper IP address information. This device can be a single computer or a router. The AirPort Express, as you know, has a single Ethernet port and this port was designed to be connected to the modem. The AirPort Extreme, on the other hand, as the same Ethernet port for the modem connection, but has three additional ports to connect wired network clients or additional Ethernet switches or wireless access points.

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Answer 2

Bob Timmons

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Jul 11, 2011 9:51 AM in response to The3rdMan

You need to get an Ethernet switch for the purpose that you describe.

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Answer 3

The3rdMan Author

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Jul 11, 2011 10:59 AM in response to Bob Timmons

This is the product I was referring to:

http://www.amazon.com/Premium-12-Inch-Splitter-Adapter-Female/dp/B004MU241C/ref= sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1310407088&sr=1-5

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Answer 4

The3rdMan Author

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Jul 11, 2011 11:03 AM in response to Tesserax

...and I do have an Extreme that everything else is connected to but because of the way the wiring in my house is configured the TV/home Theater/Xbox is on the other side of the living room and would mean running 20 to 30 feet ethernet cables which I really do not want to do.

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Answer 5

Bob Timmons

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Jul 11, 2011 11:47 AM in response to The3rdMan

I think that it will work OK if you mean that the device that you are not using is actually turned off. If both the DirectTV box and Xbox are powered up, my opionion would be that the splitter would "halve" the signal. That may or may not do what you want.

If it were me, I would use a switch. If you try the splitter, please post back with your results.

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Answer 6

Tesserax

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158,370 points

Jul 11, 2011 11:36 AM in response to The3rdMan

Per your stated requirements of not using both connected devices simultaneously, this may work. Per the limited information on the specs, it appears that both splitter output ports will use the same 8-pin input so I don't believe there will be any issues connecting Gigabit devices to this splitter as well. However, I don't have one of these to verify its functionality.

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Answer 7

The3rdMan Author

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Jul 11, 2011 3:13 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Just as a follow up - I just found an old d-link router that has done the job so won't be able to test the splitter.

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Answer 8

Bob Timmons

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Jul 11, 2011 4:01 PM in response to The3rdMan

Thanks for posting back, at least you know how a switch would perfom, since that is what is included on the router.

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Answer 9

The3rdMan Author

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Jul 11, 2011 4:18 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Well here is the weird thing...I connected the D-Link router to the Express (which is hooked up to my extreme through WDS) and the DirecTV still connects through the router but the Xbox doesn't...I still had to unplug the ethernet from the Dlink and connect the Xbox directly to my express for it to work. So now Im stumped again...

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Answer 10

Bob Timmons

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Jul 11, 2011 4:44 PM in response to The3rdMan

I sounds like the D-Link router may not be configured in bridge mode. In bridge, it acts just like a switch.

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Answer 11

The3rdMan Author

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Jul 11, 2011 4:46 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Actually I was wrong about the DirecTV working this way....neither work through the router, only when hooked up directly to the Express. Any advice?

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Answer 12

Bob Timmons

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Jul 11, 2011 4:48 PM in response to The3rdMan

Can you verify that the D-Link is configured in Bridge Mode?

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Answer 13

The3rdMan Author

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Jul 11, 2011 5:15 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Have spent the last hour trying to access the D-Link and trying to figure out how to put it in bridge mode...totally lost at this point.

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Answer 14

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,426 points

Jul 11, 2011 5:25 PM in response to The3rdMan

This is not the procedure to configure the D-Link in Bridge Mode....you'll have to get on a D-Link forum for that....but this might work.

On the back of the D-Link, there is likely a WAN port, which sometimes has a world or circle icon next to it. And, there will probably be 4 LAN ports, which usually have an icon that looks like this: <->.

Plug the Ethernet cable from the Express into one of the LAN <-> ports. Connect the other devices into LAN <-> ports as well. Do not use the WAN port.

Power down the entire network.....everything, including the Direct TV and Xbox......order is not important

Start the modem first,let run for minute by itself

Start the next device connected to your modem

Continue starting devices one at a time until everything is powered back up

Test for operation

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Answer 15

The3rdMan Author

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Jul 11, 2011 5:43 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Tried all that (incidentally you can't restart extreme without express also plugged in when in WDS mode - shows WDS error) and thought you were on the right track because I read in some forums not to connect into the WAN port...alas it still doesn't work. Will continue to search on other forums to try and turn dl-604 into a switcher through bridge mode. Thanks for your help.

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