Gigabit Switch with Megabit Router

[screensaver400]

So I've got a fairly standard issue router (WRT54G), but I want to take advantage of the Gigabit ethernet on my newer Macs. If I add a gigabit switch to the network, like below, will I get gigabit speeds? Or am I limited by the switch on the router itself?

Router
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Switch
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Computers

[Majost]

So I've got a fairly standard issue router (WRT54G), but I want to take advantage of the Gigabit ethernet on my newer Macs. If I add a gigabit switch to the network, like below, will I get gigabit speeds? Or am I limited by the switch on the router itself?

Router
|
|
Switch
| | |
| | |
Computers

Yes, if you get a switch (as opposed to a hub... but you don't want a hub anyways). Switches are typically (always?) designed such that they allow for individual speeds on all ports. At my office, I've run 10, 100 and 1000 devices on the same switch at the same time, and all devices operate at their maximum.

Even hubs are typically designed such that the 'uplink' port can be a slower protocol - I remember owning a 100Mbit cheapo hub that had a 10Mbit uplink port. It's usually assumed that your LAN is a faster protocol than the rest of the world.

[Banana]

I've wondered if one had available ports on the slower router, and cables to spare, could you connect two ports on one computer to two ports on same switch for an increase in speed?

[Dave]

I've wondered if one had available ports on the slower router, and cables to spare, could you connect two ports on one computer to two ports on same switch for an increase in speed?

Sure, if the OS supports it. I *think* it's called "bridging", but I might be wrong.