Mrs LJ has been working remotely since March due to Covid. It seems this will a permanent situation. This involved creating a work station in a spare bedroom. Her gear requires an ethernet connection. In order to place WIFI router in center of home, I need to configure a set up like this.

Terminology may be incorrect, forgive me.



Looking for recommended gear for box with question mark. Another router, switch gear, some kind of splitter, duct tape, box of bandaids?

Thanks

Your ISP may be able to help you better.

Move your WIFI router to the ? box and pass-through it to this. Extends the wifi range and adds more ethernet ports at the end of the line. This thing will almost pop microwave popcorn through walls. WIFI extender

You need a switch, we have a few around the house, even though our home has ethernet hook ups in every room out ATT router only has 4 plugs.

Always start with a router as it will assign IP addresses to all down stream connections if you run DHCP on your network nodes (most devices are setup for DHCP to accept the IP address handed to them by router) and make sure to setup firewall and security on your wireless connection feeding the house.
You can run a cat5 from radio provided by ISP to the router and place it in center of house, then run a cable back to workstation.

The NetGear device is good, you could also go ASUS. The ASUS box replaces the ? and the wifi-router.

Depending on the number of things you need to connect via Cat 5 (not including the modem and not counting wireless only things)

4 or less
Dual-band-Dual-core-AiProtection-Compatible-RT-AC86U

or

8 or less
Dual-Band-supporting-AiProtection-Accelerator-RT-AC88U

I have the 88U and it works great.

Yep, network switch. They come in 5 port, 8 port, 12 port or larger, depending on how many devices you want to connect.

Netgear 5 Port Switch

Excellent suggestions and education.

I added several cat5 and coaxial drops into various area in home when we went from DSL to highspeed.
So. I think I can move modem, with existing coax fed under floor, and WIFI router to my old office. Using a switch where modem is now, I can feed the bedroom converted office.

Push come to shove, I can live with wiremold covering a short run of cat5 on baseboard. Her retirment is within striking distance. Just trying to keep this short term install neat as possible.


Any better ideas?

Thanks very much.

A wireless mesh system is an easy fix. Wireless will run at speeds faster than your Internet. Your wireless router needs to be connected to your cable modem and then run everything behind it like said above.

Orbi is a good solution.
https://www.netgear.com/home/wifi/mesh/rbk50/

The Orbi has ethernet ports so you can plug a PC in that may not have a wifi adapter.

This is a good option. I have a Linsky mesh now. If I buy any other router this is way to go. Signal will be almost line of sight. Area is L shaped, down a hall, then through the kitchen into back of house. Thanks

Like Vern said, put the new switch AFTER the Router.
(your WAN wire should only run from Modem to Wan port on Router)

Does your Router have (4) LAN ports already? (you may not even need a switch).
Of course, if not, or 4 already used, you can add a switch on any Lan port, to give you more in 'your old office'.

You can even put (another) switch in the spare bedroom at the end of the Cat5 run to it, in case her devices need multiple ports (computer/printer, etc) in that room.
A switch simply lets you expand your LAN, and keep all devices on LAN connected just the same.


Modem-------------WiFiRouter=======(Switch? in office)===================( +Switch? - in spare bedroom)=======Workstation / +printer / +Laptop / , etc.

-------- (wan)
=====(LAN)

Router has ample LAN spaces for needs. Knowing proper locations of hardware will allow me to make minimum runs of Cat5.

Thanks for diagram. As I mentioned, Mrs will be probably working remotely, possibly for remainder of career. It is time clear some clutter and make her a proper work area. I am fortunate to have the space and resources to provide for her.

Thanks again to all.

Since the Mrs's will be working home for the remainder of her career and since more and more things in our homes are Internet connected, do yourself a favor and budget to spend closer to the $200 mark than the $50-$70 mark. There are a lot of sub $100 routers out there by really big named companies that will make your life miserable. They may work fine when you only have one person and a 50M Internet connection. However, get a couple of people connected, add a couple of phones and a TV or two and they will fall flat on their face. Odd are good that you will have this router for the next 5-10 years. So this is one of those buy once, cry once situations.

Since you mentioned that the Mrs's will be working home full-time, you may want to consider her desk chair as well. Sitting on a dining room chair works OK when you are doing it occasionally. However, when you are working from home full time, it's time to start looking at real office chairs. Just be prepared for sticker shock. If people knew how much office furniture cost, you wouldn't see them smashing their chairs around in their cubicles. With everyone shutting down their offices, Craigslist is your friend here.

Sorry for delay.

Sprung for a new high end chair and foot rest, extra screen, and of course, an electric heater. She had nice wooden desk. She is comfortable and plenty of room.

Thanks