[StereRowe]

I only have the one ethernet cable going into my living room from my router. It can be a pain swopping the internet connection over, so wish for them to share the cable.

Obviously I could buy a hub. However, my searches suggest I could use a simple splitter - as long as I use one at BOTH ends of the cable. That is: Both TV & Sat box connected at one end of the cable then 'split' again at the other end to utilise two ports on my router.

Anyone tried this & although it looks like it may work, does it effect the speed of the connection to the devices?

Thanks

[Chris Simon]

No, this won't work. Do you have a link to such a splitter - where did you find it?

A network splitter is indeed a hub or, more commonly and better now, a switch.

[Chris Simon]

Actually, thinking about it, in a 100mbps network, 4 wires in the cable are used and 4 are unused. Is there a product that will take two separate network ports and feed them down one CAT5 cable? It's the first I've heard of such a thing.

[StereRowe]

Linky

It was the first review - scroll down - that suggests it will work.

[gomezz]

Originally Posted by Chris Simon

A network splitter is indeed a hub or, more commonly and better now, a switch.

Plenty to choose from:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&k...l_4gr8v867p0_b

[Chris Simon]

Well, there you go! Yes, I don't see why it shouldn't work. But remember only on a 100mbps network, if you have a gigabit network then this won't work.

[chrisjr]

Originally Posted by StereRowe

Linky

It was the first review - scroll down - that suggests it will work.

Not so sure. It says in the description it is parallel wired on all 8 pins. In which case it is most certainly NOT suitable for sending two ethernet connections down one wire.

For that you need a pair of port doublers. eg

http://www.lindy.co.uk/utp-port-doub...ort/34006.html

You have one at each end of the cable and connect to two router ports at one end and the TV and sat box at the other. These types are for structured cabling with patch bays one end and wall sockets the other. Not seen any that plug direct to a cable though no reason why they should not exist.With this type you'd also need a pair of back to back couplers.

http://www.lindy.co.uk/rj-45-female-...ler/34007.html

[StereRowe]

Originally Posted by chrisjr

Not so sure. It says in the description it is parallel wired on all 8 pins. In which case it is most certainly NOT suitable for sending two ethernet connections down one wire.

Yes, that's what put the doubt in my mind. Hence asking here.

Mind-you, it won't break the bank to try it I suppose!

Thanks for the links however.

[chrisjr]

Originally Posted by StereRowe

Yes, that's what put the doubt in my mind. Hence asking here.

Mind-you, it won't break the bank to try it I suppose!

Thanks for the links however.

If you do buy a pair (assume they come in pairs, doesn't really make it clear) then I would suggest you do a quick test first.

Plug a cable into the router and the other end into the IN port of one of these splitters. Then use a second cable in one of the OUT ports to a laptop/PC see if you can get a connection. Then swap the laptop to the other OUT port.

If you still get a connection then it's a parallel wired splitter. If you don't then it's either knackered or is a port doubler

The other thing that makes me think it's just a splitter is the lack of any identification for the two OUT ports. All the ones I have ever used have coloured or numbered markers so you can easily identify which port is which at each end.

[grahamlthompson]

I have a high speed ethernet switch in the lounge, one cable back to the router. Connected directly PS3, laptop, blu-ray, HD FOX T2. Denon AV amp. Connected via pair of homeplugs Foxsat-hdr. Not found any combination that fails to work. I can surf while using VOD on the PS3 or the Foxsat-hdr. I imagine only traffic requiring access to the router goes via the single cable ie streaming upstairs to a Smart TV and net access to/ from the internet. Traffic between all the kit connected to it is just routed directly by the switch. For instance the web interfaces of the Foxsat and the Denon amp which I can use at the same time. Or am I deluded

There's no ins/out you can plug any cable into any socket.

I always imagined the switch is the same as the one you get in a router typically to 4 sockets. Plug a 5 way switch into one of these you get 8 local connections.

Theres no pair of items though a seperate cable from the router to grandsons bedroom to a seperate switch has a PC, X box 360 and Smart TV again with no issues.

[c4rv]

You can get a 5 port switch cheaper then a cable doubler, why don't you just do it properly.

[Chris Simon]

Originally Posted by chrisjr

Not so sure. It says in the description it is parallel wired on all 8 pins. In which case it is most certainly NOT suitable for sending two ethernet connections down one wire.

Is the issue that the Tx and Rx wires would be wired wrongly? In which case, most routers are auto-sensing these days so that they know whether they've got straight-through or crossed wires?

[chrisjr]

Originally Posted by Chris Simon

Is the issue that the Tx and Rx wires would be wired wrongly? In which case, most routers are auto-sensing these days so that they know whether they've got straight-through or crossed wires?

No. The issue is that all three sockets are wired in parallel. Hence if you did plug two devices into the splitter the TX pairs on both would be joined together as would the RX pairs.

Which might not result in any serious damage but certainly would screw up communications between each device and the router!

Compare the way a Port Doubler is wired
http://www.lindy.co.uk/lindyshop/pictures/34006big.jpg

to a simple splitter
http://www.lindy.co.uk/lindyshop/pictures/34001big.jpg

and the issue becomes obvious.

[Chris Simon]

Ah yes, LOL! That's exactly why I originally thought a splitter wouldn't work!

[Glawster2002]

Originally Posted by gomezz

Plenty to choose from:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&k...l_4gr8v867p0_b

I brought a Edimax ES-5500G 5 Port 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet Switch for @ £25.00, which I've found works perfectly in such a situation. I've got a Blu-ray player, Denon AV amp, and a Humax Foxsat connected to it with no problems at all.

[Chris Simon]

I swear by these D-Link green ones! http://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-DGS-1...2605034&sr=8-2 (as long as you get the correct UK version! I have two 8-port versions actually, rather than the 5-port versions)

[bobcar]

Originally Posted by chrisjr

No. The issue is that all three sockets are wired in parallel. Hence if you did plug two devices into the splitter the TX pairs on both would be joined together as would the RX pairs.

Which might not result in any serious damage but certainly would screw up communications between each device and the router!

I doubt very much it would cause any damage as the physical Ethernet is transformer isolated and designed to have conflicting signals such as during negotiation. Also Ethernet has built in collision detection and retry and is perfectly capable of working in such a mode. I don't know how the electrical problems of having 2 devices would affect things as Ethernet is quite finely balanced. Auto negotiation would fail but the port could be set up manually, you would probably want to set it half duplex (of course that depends on the consumer device having these set up options).

I have serious doubts that a splitter would work (to be honest its not worth the effort of trying it as there are better alternatives anyway) but I don't think it's as clear cut as you make out.

Compare the way a Port Doubler is wired
http://www.lindy.co.uk/lindyshop/pictures/34006big.jpg

to a simple splitter
http://www.lindy.co.uk/lindyshop/pictures/34001big.jpg

and the issue becomes obvious.

Agreed that a doubler is much more desirable providing of course there are 2 ports available on the switch rather than just one, if not then sensible thing is to increase the number rather than trying to get a splitter to work even if possible.

[chrisjr]

Originally Posted by bobcar

I doubt very much it would cause any damage as the physical Ethernet is transformer isolated and designed to have conflicting signals such as during negotiation. Also Ethernet has built in collision detection and retry and is perfectly capable of working in such a mode. I don't know how the electrical problems of having 2 devices would affect things as Ethernet is quite finely balanced. Auto negotiation would fail but the port could be set up manually, you would probably want to set it half duplex (of course that depends on the consumer device having these set up options).

I have serious doubts that a splitter would work (to be honest its not worth the effort of trying it as there are better alternatives anyway) but I don't think it's as clear cut as you make out.



Agreed that a doubler is much more desirable providing of course there are 2 ports available on the switch rather than just one, if not then sensible thing is to increase the number rather than trying to get a splitter to work even if possible.

I have never known a splitter working successfully unless only one device at a time is powered on. I have seen people try and it all go horribly wrong when both devices try talking to the network at the same time.

As a quick and dirty solution a port doubler does the job. If you absolutely have to feed two devices but only have a single cable to their location it can be a life saver. Then again I have manly used them in situation where I have a rack full of 48 port switches to play with, so free ports are not usually a problem.

In the OP's situation I agree a better solution would be to plug a simple network switch onto the end of the cable. I use an old Netgear cable router for this at home. Just plug a cable from the main router into a LAN port on the Netgear and the Netgear acts just like a simple switch. Perhaps not the optimum but I had the bits to hand.

[bobcar]

Originally Posted by chrisjr

I have never known a splitter working successfully unless only one device at a time is powered on. I have seen people try and it all go horribly wrong when both devices try talking to the network at the same time.

I'm not surprised by that though if set up for it then it should work especially if it works with one switched off (loading probably okay) - I think half duplex would be essential for the collision detect as otherwise the sender wouldn't know about the collision. Both devices talking to the network at the same time shouldn't cause problems as after all that's how Ethernet originally worked and the Ethernet chips I've programmed still have all the collision detection built in (obviously the settings that work for a single connection to a switch won't work and it may be that much modern consumer equipment cannot be set up for anything else, I haven't looked).

In the OP's situation I agree a better solution would be to plug a simple network switch onto the end of the cable. I use an old Netgear cable router for this at home. Just plug a cable from the main router into a LAN port on the Netgear and the Netgear acts just like a simple switch. Perhaps not the optimum but I had the bits to hand.

That's what I would do, it's guaranteed to work and small switches are incredibly cheap nowadays. Also unlike with a doubler you don't need to use 2 ports on the switch at the router end.