Does this network setup work for time being?

[Three_Emcees]

Hi,

New Rogers customer. Need some help confirming that my network will work as intended. I am currently running most of my house off wifi as cable enters corner of home and I do not have any other cable outlets! (at least until I am willing to begin larger renovations that will allow me to update my current scenario). In the future I will add outlets and supply ethernet to other areas but not willing to get into that yet.

This is what I am hoping to do...

Run the Hitron CGN3 in bridge mode to a switch at my desk. Switch will handle my PC, laptop and VOIP phones. From the switch I will run Cat5 ethernet cable to a router located more centrally in my home. It seems like the ASUS RT-A68U is getting great reviews for wifi capabilities so will likely purchase that unit. The router will also feed our main TV, Xbox, Android box etc via ethernet.

I just want to confirm that this setup will work for the time being.  Let me know if you have any further comments, suggestions or things I need to be aware of.

I currently have Rogers 150u plan. Should I upgrade to a better Rogers modem?

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[Gdkitty]

I think what you will run into with that.. will be that because you have the switch in line first.. that you may see ALL devices trying to grab an external IP from the modem while in bridged.

Optimally, you would need to do two runs.. one from the modem up, to the router, then one back down to your switch.
(I had this set up for quite a while)

[Datalink]

An additional problem is the exposure to the internet for any devices connected to the switch.   Exposure without a hardware firewall in front of those devices.  

Fwiw, running an Asus RT-AC86U with the Skynet add-on installed, when I run Skynet in debug mode, I can see 4 to 5 external probes per minute, probing the router for open ports, logins, etc.  So, I don't recommend running any device with an internet connection without a firewall ahead of the device.  The only exception would be for very very short test periods. 

The next hurdle is that the Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), which provides modem control and data services to the connected modems, will only supply two IPV4 addresses to connected devices and (in theory) an unlimited number of IPV6 addresses.  This is with the modem in Bridge mode.  So, connected directly to the modem or running thru a switch, the IP address situation should be the same.  End result, for more than two devices connected to the switch, two of them will receive both IPV4 and IPV6 addresses, while the remaining devices will receive an IPV6 address only.  So, your plan to run a number of devices off of the switch won't work.  

So, as @Gdkitty indicates, you need a router connected to the modem, so that you can connect all of the devices to the router, and, you will need an access point at some other point in the home, connected via Mesh network, or a repeater, or via powerline connector.  Personal opinion, none of those options are great, so, unfortunately you might have to use the best of those options and put up with poor to middling performance until you can renovate and run ethernet and RG-6 cabling throughout the home.  Fibre would also be a consideration for future growth purposes. 

[Three_Emcees]

Great information. Thanks to both of you.

I do have the option of running additional coax outside to a different location in my home. That will allow me to install the modem in my preferred location in which case I can run ethernet to my desk where the switch will be located. That should eliminate any of the issues that you both have mentioned.