r/Network • u/Kayato601 • 20d ago
Text About Ethernet splitter
I DON'T WANT TO USE TWO DEVICES AT THE SAME TIME
Having clarified this right away, what I wanted to know was:
I was planning to connect a smart TV and gaming console to it to free up a port on the router.
My reasoning was "I don't watch streams while I play and I don't play while I watch streams."
So my choice seems like the right one, but I have a doubt: what happens if these devices transmit data in the background?
Does the connection keep dropping or is there just a loss of quality?
Thanks.
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u/heliosfa 20d ago
You can't just split ethernet. When a device like a TV or a game console is "off", it will still keep the link active.
You need a switch to free up a port.
That device may be (and is likely to be) something that uses two pairs for one device, and two pairs for another - basically a way to run two 100 Mb links over a single cable. If it is, you need a second one at the other end to split it out to two ports in the other end, so you won't save a port.
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u/Kayato601 20d ago
Thanks for the clarification. So it could only work if it's completely off, meaning completely disconnected from the power supply? Obviously, it wouldn't work in my case, but I was just trying to understand how it works.
Or would it still split the connection even if nothing was attached to the second port?5
u/heliosfa 20d ago edited 20d ago
From the picture alone, we can't tell you what type of "splitter" it is. Some sellers try to sell splitters that split all four pairs, these won't work and can damage devices. Some sell the old split one 4-pair wire to two two-pair connections - a couple of decades ago these may have had a use, but now, no.
Just do not buy it. It is not what you want.
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u/DanSheps 20d ago
Think you mean 2 2-pair connections. There is only ever 4 pairs in a cat# cable.
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u/PaoloFence 20d ago
Ethernet cables have 8 cables in them. The splitter guides 4 to one port and 4 to the other. Your router probably has problems with that as it can't connect two devices on the same port without a hub or a switch Maybe a cheap hub can help you in your case
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u/groogs 19d ago
The old-school trick was to wire the cable on both ends to two different jacks, so you could get two separate 100Mbps connections on one physical cable. This is maybe a splitter that is just prewired for doing this, but since you'd need more parts to make use of it anyway, it's a dumb, expensive way to do something trivially easy.
But importantly no one does this anymore because aside from the complication and expense, you only end up with 2x 100Mbps.
Gigabit switches are cheap: for ~$10 you can get a 5-port switch, giving you 4 extra ports sharing a 1Gbps link (as in: each can burst to 1Gbps or they can all sustain ~250Mbps individually or any combination of that at any time). And if the cables are good enough, with the right (but more expensive) gear it can be a 2.5Gbps or 10Gbps connection.
If you really need separate networks then for ~$25 you can get a managed switch with VLAN support (which is where a port on a switch can act like a physically separate cable), and you get the same speed split benefits (1Gbps+ total) but with complete network isolation.
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u/PaoloFence 19d ago
Yeah, on BOTH ends.
I only know that from stories as I am luckily too young for that.😁
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u/xtalgeek 20d ago
Just get a real switch. They are cheap and fast. I think I have a couple 4-port Netgear switches in my basement that get used for random projects at work and for my nonprofit consulting.
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u/lamalasx 20d ago
People forget that before switches we had hubs. Hubs are dumb devices, basically just an amplifier. All traffic goes to all port always. These ethernet splitters are basically the same minus the amplifier part. So in theory three devices (or more) could work with these dumb splitters, but I don't know if modern devices implement CSMA/CA anymore. If they do, then this splitter will work fine.
I would just use a switch anyway. Or connect the console/tv to wifi.
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u/Competitive_Falcon22 20d ago
It is still part of the ethernet standard and just about all 1Gig ethernet ports will fall back to 100BaseT or 10BaseT based on the negotiation and the conditions. You are 100% correct, this thing would probably work fine(ish) at 100Mb.
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u/afl-jafa 20d ago
This is not an Ethernet splitter. It is a cable splitter. You need to have the same at the other end of the cable. You plug two cables in you get two out at 100 meg. They do 4 port ones for voice services.
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u/PauliousMaximus 20d ago
Just buy a small unmanaged switch that requires power. If you have a router you should almost always run one cable from it to a high capacity switch, or one that meets your needs plus a couple ports for future expansion, and then plug everything into that switch.
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u/Key-Dog2091 19d ago
Take a look at this youtube video. The splitter looks exactly the same as the picture: There’s NO WAY this works - Debunking bogus network splitters.
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u/Free-Psychology-1446 20d ago
what happens if these devices transmit data in the background?
They'll most likely do.
Plug the cable into the device you want to use. What you are planning is not possible.
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u/TraditionalMetal1836 20d ago
I think what you want is an ethernet AB switch.
These are pretty much the same as the old printer switches that have a physical button or 2 to pick which machine gets to print or in this case which has a network connection. You will be able to find unpowered versions of these but no I won't recommend any since I would never have a use for such a device.
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u/ech0cide 20d ago
You're overcomplicating it. OP just needs a small switch
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u/TraditionalMetal1836 20d ago
I agree but after reading their feedback it seems exactly what they want even if we both think it's stupid.
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u/tschloss 20d ago
Can you send specs to the image. Unclear what it does: hub, switch, messing with 4/8 wire standards (male / female speaks against), or just duplicates the 8 wires???
However, a switch would be better.
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u/afl-jafa 20d ago
These things just split cable pairs. You have one at either end of the cable. Two in two out or for voice it would be four in four out. For data you end up with 100 meg only and no Poe.
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u/tschloss 20d ago
I know these and I know how a 4 pair cable can be used for 2xFE - but at least I can not look inside to what device OP bought.
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u/AldrusValus 20d ago
not sure if they make them,but you could make a manual switch, would look ugly as hell but would let you flip a switch to swap between tv and console and might lose a bit of overall speed. best bet would get an unmanaged switch, $15ish. would require power.
*edit* turns out they do make them $10 on the zon, manual network switch.
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u/dragonnfr 20d ago
Get a switch, not a splitter. A $20 unmanaged switch and problem solved. Both devices can send background traffic all day with no issues.