If you already have a Gigabit router, and enough empty ports on it for all the devices you want to wire up, you’re all set. If you don’t have enough empty ports on your router, or if you’re using your Mac itself as your wireless base station, you can add more ports with an Ethernet switch.

A switch is just a box with a bunch of Ethernet ports that manages network traffic among the devices connected to it. Unlike Ethernet hubs, switches are intelligent, directing packets to the right ports, avoiding collisions, and allowing for much higher effective speeds than with hubs.

When buying a Gigabit Ethernet switch, make sure to look for full-duplex models (which send data in both directions at full speed simultaneously), with auto-speed sensing (so you can use them with both 100-Mbps and 1-Gbps devices) and auto-uplink capability (which can eliminate the need for crossover cables). You can find many good 5- or 8-port Gigabit switches that are suitable for home use for street prices under $100 (see “Gigabit Ethernet Switches.”)

Finally, when it comes time to wire these switches into your network, make sure that you use Cat 5e cable for all your connections. Cat 5e supports Gigabit Ethernet, while standard Cat 5 is rated up to 100 Mbps only.

How to Install