I've always kept my modem and router in the living room (cable internet) and kept my servers there also, while my office where I do all my ripping, etc. is connected via powerline adapter. That's created a bottleneck writing to the server but has worked fine otherwise (and since I handbrake my movies I'm never in a big hurry on that anyway). Now though I'm thinking of switching it up and moving modem, router and servers to my office instead. The router I'm currently using (Netgear Nighthawk R7000) can be set up as an access point and since I only need wireless inside the house I'm thinking of configuring it that way and getting a new wired router for the office (I don't need wireless in there).
Where I'm confused is shopping for wired routers. I didn't expect manufacturers to still be putting out a lot of these considering most people only want wireless these days. But the only affordable ones (>$200) I can find with gigabit LAN connections are all marketed as VPN routers for business. Since I don't need or want VPN, would you assume that could be turned off? Or if I go for a wireless router with gigabit ports, is it standard that you can turn off the wireless signal and have it function as a wired router only? I'm trying to find answers in the product descriptions and reviews but they are pretty buried. Right now the only router I know for sure would work would be the same model Nighthawk to pair with the one I already have but that's $200 where I'd like to spend half that at most.
BTW, leaving the modem and router in the house and just putting a switch in the office is how I'm set up now but that's not going to work if I move the servers to the office. I'd be going through the powerline adapter both ways to write from my desktop to the server sitting right next to it. (I know I said I'm not in a hurry writing to the server but that would annoy the heck out of me).
Where I'm confused is shopping for wired routers. I didn't expect manufacturers to still be putting out a lot of these considering most people only want wireless these days. But the only affordable ones (>$200) I can find with gigabit LAN connections are all marketed as VPN routers for business. Since I don't need or want VPN, would you assume that could be turned off? Or if I go for a wireless router with gigabit ports, is it standard that you can turn off the wireless signal and have it function as a wired router only? I'm trying to find answers in the product descriptions and reviews but they are pretty buried. Right now the only router I know for sure would work would be the same model Nighthawk to pair with the one I already have but that's $200 where I'd like to spend half that at most.
BTW, leaving the modem and router in the house and just putting a switch in the office is how I'm set up now but that's not going to work if I move the servers to the office. I'd be going through the powerline adapter both ways to write from my desktop to the server sitting right next to it. (I know I said I'm not in a hurry writing to the server but that would annoy the heck out of me).