[polkadotpeeps]

I need to network our growing design and advertising studio. We have grown from one guy with a PC to 6 machines:

(2) MacBook Pro 17" intel laptops
(2) MacBook - intel
(1) iMac - new version
(1) MacBook Pro 15" intel laptop

in addition, we're all hooked to a pretty good wireless internet connection and I want to keep it that way. We also use an Airport Express to play our music... Also, we would like to connect our large-format printer via the network as well.

I want to add an 8 port switch to hard-wire all of our stations together because I want to use the iMac as sort of a poor man's server (as a central repository for all files for mutual access).

We've tried wireless connections, but they are too slow and the connection somewhat unreliable for some of the massive files that we use on a daily basis.

As we (management) are mac newbies, we're a little timid when it comes to the whole networking thing. I think I know what I need, but I would like to hear from you folks to validate my ideas and offer suggestions about how to most seamlessly integrate this initiative. Thanks in advance.

[besson3c]

When you mean hard wire your stations together do you mean Ethernet? Ethernet will give you faster transfer speeds and a more reliable connection, but of course you'll have to give up your wirelessness. Is it important that these machines be wireless in this room?

[polkadotpeeps]

No, as I said in the post, we've tried various wireless solutions and they've proven unwieldy and unreliable. I want an ethernet solution, but without losing the wireless internet connection.

I want to connect wirelessly to the internet, and to the Airport Express but link all the machines together with hard ethernet for file transfer. As I said, we want all of our files in one location for ease of use and backuop purposes.

What i need is advice about actual hardware (what type and models to use) and configuration (enabling the easy use of the both the wireless net and the hard wired ethernet.

The situation is this: We have our cable come into the building in a place that is impossible without major renovation to bring a hard CAT5 cable into the space in which the machines reside. So, we've located the wireless router in such a place to easily connect wirelessly. But we want an ethernet to facilitate the easy xfer of files.

[Krusty]

My advice would be pretty much what you said. Get a gigabit Airport Extreme and simply attach an 8-port, unmanaged gigabit switch downstream of it. That should be all there is to it really, the airport will continue to manage devices on the network and the switch is really just a gigabit port replicator. Maybe plug the "poor man's server" directly into the Airport and a network enabled printer as well if you have one (or use the USB port on the Airport if all you have is USB). If you use 2 of the ports on the Airport for the iMac and a network printer, that still leaves you one to attach the switch to it.

Sorry,no great advice on which 8-port switch is the best choice or has the best throughput. I found this site that compares a few but can't give you a personal recommendation as all I ever used was as 5-port 100bt netgear switch, which seems to work effortlessly.