I have a question about using switches on a network. I am setting up a wired network in a home that I just moved into. The construction of the home is a little odd and to have all the network cables terminate at one (perhaps 24 port switch) while not impossible will be a challenge nevertheless. I am doing my best to build as much future as practical into this network and intend to stream video (eventually Hi-Def) so wish the best performance possible without adding insane expense i.e. fiber (I am using cat 6). If I use switches in perhaps 3 or 4 locations all going back to a switch at my router instead of terminating all network cables at one location what inefficiency might I introduce over a single larger capacity switch?

Any advice is appreciated as I am an amateur at best...

Thanks...
Dave

Common switches are damn fast at packet switching so if you add up a couple of intermediate devices between an eventual workstation and your main switch/router you aren't risking lowering performance. The only thing you might risk is lowering stability cuz switches tend to hang down/ hickup sometimes and you gotta get to them restarting. And since you're on the DVR/HDDVR , you might consider gigabit interconnectivity via you copper cat.6 cable.

It completely depends on how you do this, and as the other poster said, switches are crazy fast as long as you get a decent one. I have a 3Com 100Mb switch that I have yet to bog down. The thing to keep in mind is how you're going to be bogging down a switch. If it's just video, you probably won't have an issue. If it's data and video, you need to see how badly you're going to be utilizing the switch. Chances are, if you're going to be slamming a 24 port switch on all 24 ports for all the bandwidth it's got, well. . .you could very well get some shitty transmission out of it.

Things to check on a switch are the memory and backplane speed. Things to keep in mind on your network is to try to balance load evenly. For example, if you'll have one computer that'll be utilizing your DVR the most, put them on the same switch to ease congestion for the rest of the network.