In reply to a post by rob54:

Router is the Plusnet supplied Thomson TG582n so 4 ports. I'm using two presently, one to the PC and another to a Humax PVR. Phone also connects wirelessly.

I don't understand why you would want, or need to install a 4-port switch and power supply - or any additional hardware. You are using two of the wired ports on the Thomson router, so you still have two spare ports. Use an Ethernet cable to connect the new printer to one of the spare ports. Depending upon the hardware, you might also need to install printer drivers on each computer connected to your LAN. However, everything should work well. Incidentally, there is nothing to prevent data from passing simultaneously through multiple ports on your router.

You might be overcomplicating this. If the switch and printer are both plugged into the distribution block then the block will need to be powered on in order to use the printer anyway.

If you've got one of those blocks with a "master" socket that makes all the other sockets turn on and off automatically then you might need an alternative arrangement.

As to chaining switches together I have four switches and a hub interconnected here, as far as I know the only way to mess it up is to make a loop.

Oh and those "passive" splitters work in pairs because 100M Ethernet only uses 4 of the 8 wires in a standard cable so if you have one cable between rooms and you want two ports you use one splitter at the router end to merge two router ports into one cable, and another one at the other end to split it in two again.

Edited by obroad (Mon 02-Feb-15 09:33:26)

Wireless printers are very reliable. This would be your most convenient way forward and lets you use it from any number of PCs on your network. You still have the option of connecting it to a PC via the USB cable.
This saves you further expense and gives you the option of relocating the printer anywhere convenient.

In reply to a post by bob_lucas:

In reply to a post by rob54:

Router is the Plusnet supplied Thomson TG582n so 4 ports. I'm using two presently, one to the PC and another to a Humax PVR. Phone also connects wirelessly.

I don't understand why you would want, or need to install a 4-port switch and power supply - or any additional hardware.

My router is in one room the PC etc in another. The ethernet cable goes through a wood partition, under a carpet then through another partition wall to the PC presently. I don't want to have to put in another cable. The only other device I have on the network is a phone, so actually I'm not even sure (and it doesn't much matter) if I would be able to print from the phone with a new printer.

In reply to a post by BXW:

Wireless printers are very reliable. This would be your most convenient way forward and lets you use it from any number of PCs on your network. You still have the option of connecting it to a PC via the USB cable.
This saves you further expense and gives you the option of relocating the printer anywhere convenient.

Think you might be right there as ling as wireless is reliable. Phone certainly works OK where PC is. Thanks.

In reply to a post by rob54:

In reply to a post by bob_lucas:

In reply to a post by rob54:

Router is the Plusnet supplied Thomson TG582n so 4 ports. I'm using two presently, one to the PC and another to a Humax PVR. Phone also connects wirelessly.

I don't understand why you would want, or need to install a 4-port switch and power supply - or any additional hardware.

My router is in one room the PC etc in another. The ethernet cable goes through a wood partition, under a carpet then through another partition wall to the PC presently. I don't want to have to put in another cable. The only other device I have on the network is a phone, so actually I'm not even sure (and it doesn't much matter) if I would be able to print from the phone with a new printer.

In that case, it would probably be better to purchase a printer with Wi-Fi capability. That works very well on my LAN, where the printer is connected directly to a USB port on the PC in my office (upstairs). I can also print wirelessly, using my laptop computer, from anywhere in the house. Many wireless printers are also compatible with Android phones - and may also be compatible with iPhones (although I have no experience of iPhones).

In reply to a post by bob_lucas:

In that case, it would probably be better to purchase a printer with Wi-Fi capability. That works very well on my LAN, where the printer is connected directly to a USB port on the PC in my office (upstairs). I can also print wirelessly, using my laptop computer, from anywhere in the house. Many wireless printers are also compatible with Android phones - and may also be compatible with iPhones (although I have no experience of iPhones).

In that case I think I'll make sure my choice is wireless. Thank you.