Using a Network Switch for Home Setup | Generated by AI
Question: How can I use a network switch to set up a home network with 3 computers? I know I can connect everything directly to my router’s LAN ports, but can I use a switch instead or in addition, and how?
Answer:
Yes, you can absolutely use a network switch for 3 computers — in fact, it’s the most common and recommended way when you’ll run out of ports on your router.
Here are the typical setups (from simplest to most expandable):
1. Basic Setup – Everything to Router (No Switch Needed Yet)
Internet → Modem → Router
↘ Computer 1 (LAN port 1)
↘ Computer 2 (LAN port 2)
↘ Computer 3 (LAN port 3)
Works fine if your router has at least 3 free LAN ports (most have 4).
No switch required.
2. Most Common Home Setup – Router + One Switch (Recommended)
Use this when you have more devices > router ports, or you want all computers in the same room.
Internet → Modem → Router WAN port
Router LAN port 1 → Switch (any port)
↘ Computer 1
↘ Computer 2
↘ Computer 3
↘ (and more devices, TVs, etc.)
Key points:
- Only ONE cable between router and switch (plug into a normal port on the switch, not the “Uplink” port if it has one — modern switches auto-detect).
- The switch must be an unmanaged Gigabit switch (e.g., TP-Link TL-SG108, Netgear GS308 — ~$15–25) for best performance.
- All computers will get IP addresses from your router’s DHCP and will be on the same network (can see each other, share files, etc.).
- Wi-Fi devices still connect directly to the router as usual.
3. Switch-Only Setup (No Router) – Usually Not Recommended
Internet → Modem → Switch → Computer 1 / 2 / 3
This only works if:
- Your modem has a built-in router and multiple LAN ports, or
- You manually assign static IPs to every computer and one computer acts as gateway (complicated and slow).
In 99% of home situations you still need the router for NAT, DHCP, Wi-Fi, and firewall.
4. Advanced – Multiple Switches (Daisy-Chaining)
You can even chain switches if needed:
Router → Switch 1 → Switch 2 → more devices
Perfectly fine with unmanaged switches (just avoid making loops).
Summary Table
| Setup | Need Router? | Need Switch? | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 PCs → Router directly | Yes | No | Router has enough ports |
| Router → Switch → 3+ devices | Yes | Yes | Ran out of router ports or want neat cabling |
| Modem → Switch only | No | Yes | Only if modem is also a router (rare) |
For your 3 computers: buy a cheap 5- or 8-port Gigabit switch, connect one cable from any LAN port on your router to any port on the switch, then plug the three computers into the switch. Done — faster and cleaner than stretching cables to the router.