[Novalug] Re-configuring a dsl router as a switch to replace a hub

Ed James edward.james@gmail.com
Mon Jan 12 11:36:04 EST 2015


All,

   I have a dumb D-Link hub (downstream from the real router) which feeds
three desktops, let's call them "alpha", "beta", and "gamma".
The three desktops talk amongst themselves a lot.  Not usually a problem,
speed wise, but I'm aiming to use alpha as a digital tv back end and use
beta and gamma as front ends.  The slow hub might be an issue.  I also ssh
between them a lot, and do some C++/xlib coding where one machine is a
client and another is an xwindow server.

   The hub runs at 10 Mbits/sec, but my NICs can do 100 or 1000 MBits/sec,
so I should be able to speed up inter-machine communications quite a bit
with something faster than the hub.  So...

   I'd like to replace the hub with a switch, but instead of buying a
switch, I'd like to use an old Westell VersaLink Model 327W DSL
modem/wireless router, but configure it to basically be just a switch (no
DHCP, no DSL, no wireless...).  So far, it looks like I don't need to do
much more than plug the "upstream" cable into "the ethernet1" jack, and the
three PC's into jacks 2, 3, and 4.  The DSL jack will be unused, as will
the wireless "stuff".

   Any "gotchas" with this attempt that I should be aware of?

adTHANKSvance.

Ed James



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