Router Advice Needed

Got 1gig fiber coming to the house.

Due to the economic situation, I have two adult children that had their rentals sold out from under them and both have no place to go because of high prices/rents ... but back home. We have ~30 days. Sucks, but I gotta make it work somehow.

Both do business on the net like I do.

I can’t get two more fibers into the house to make it simple because of distance, timing and none of us use massive data anyway.

So I need a router that splits one ISP Ethernet port into effectively three independent ISP ports that are wide open like the first, set and forget, just routing with no filtering, no diddling ... simple setup just passing packets ... so it looks like there is three fibers there ... and each just sharing the capacity, but not the password to fiddle with it and booger the other (or my work).

I need a simple, reliable setup where there is no finger pointing between siblings as livelihoods are involved. I am not a network wonk and just want to give them ports where they plug in their own routers.

If you were in this tight situation, what router would you recommend as a master and how would you suggest it to be set up?

Any alternate suggestions that I haven’t thought of are definitely welcome as well.

I appreciate any and all comments.

B

 

I don't understand this. Why do they need their own routers?

The typical set up would be the gateway device - typically the modem that connects your LAN (everything on your side of the modem) to the WAN - wide area network or in this case, the Internet via your ISP.

Then a (as in "1") router connects to your side of the modem. Most routers have an integrated 4-port Ethernet switch that allows you to connect via Ethernet cable 4 computers. These 4 computers are, by default, isolated from each other and each share the bandwidth provided by the ISP. Kid A cannot see what is on Kid B's computer or vice versa unless they purposefully setup sharing and allow access. Same with your personal computer.

If more than 4 computers need to be connected, you can add another Ethernet switch to one of the original 4 ports, then connect the extra computers to the new switch.

Or, most routers today have an integrated WAP (wireless access point) so multiple computers can connect via wifi.

One or more networked printers can also be connected to this 1 router via wireless, or one of the Ethernet ports. Even VoIP phones.

There is no reason that I can see why you would ever need more than one fiber connection. Even a fast cable connection should easily support you and your two kids, plus your wife and grandkids - as long as the wife and grandkids are not all streaming hi-def videos at the same time. And fiber is MUCH faster than cable!

That said, even if you went with multiple routers, ultimately they would all funnel the bandwidth down to the one modem and ultimately share the single Internet connection. Separate routers would just add latency.

 

Appreciate your response and understand the odd nature you point out. Here is more info.

Son in law works for a bank and he tells me their IT dept gave him a router that he must use between his work equip and any internet connection. I presume it’s a security/VPN/etc setup with throughput as a secondary consideration.

Frankly, I would be tickled for, at least, him to have a second ISP connection so none of the responsibility for faults, pressure of troubleshooting and repair or possibly loss of business liability can blow back on me, but given the circumstances I’ve no choice to help ... and I am looking to get out in front and mitigate the worst of it. (Frankly I’m pushing 70 and more suited to growing blueberries than setting up port forwarding/QoS/abc/xyz).

Maybe another way to look at this deal is I want to put together the absolute KISS, bulletproof setup possible so as to make it just sit there and work without a bunch of finger pointing when problems arise. (I will be the only admin for the primary router and I am adding UPS/surge protection/etc). Better HW that makes this more reliable seems like a good investment.

I am just thinking abundance of caution to minimize pissing contests that are all too common with siblings. As you might imagine, stress in this situation is pretty intense already with them getting blindsided, uprooted with 30/60 days to move/store housefuls of possessions ... one with two babies.

Getting to see more of the kids/grandkids is great, but you can see the other side of that coin too going 24x7 by some potentially long, indeterminate number of day/months.

Interesting times ...

Thank You for your thoughts!
B

 

I'll be there on my next birthday so I understand completely.

His router should be able to connect to yours and be used as a switch. That will satisfy his bank's security issues but not sure that will satisfy his bank's policies.

I can see where running a second fiber link would be a challenge, if not impossible. Perhaps you could use a totally different ISP for him - maybe through the cable company or by going with DSL from the phone company? Then his and your networks will be totally separate.

 

Unfortunately, cable doesn't serve our area so only Hughesnet/et al is the alt.

I think I will suggest that as a hot standby. If he bites, I'm in the clear. If he doesn't, I can remind him of his choice. LOL ...

 

There you go!