Setting up network for restaurant...help with router/switch/hub

[ty423]

Setting up a POS system in a restaurant. There will be 3 desktop computers using ethernet connection and the rest will be personal computers which will connect wirelessly for internet. The register computer will have 1 printer and cash drawer. The other 2 computer are soley for putting in orders or modifying orders so I don't think I will be attaching printers for these. I will also have 2 ethernet printers...one for kitchen and one for the bar. I also have a DVR security system that connects via ethernet. I think I'll need a total of 6 ethernet connection for my network. I've looked on best buy and seems they are all 4port. How should I go about with this? BTW I want to connect to the internet through all the computers.

Right now I have no POS system but I have a wireless router that connects a bunch of my employees laptops and mine via wireless and one ethernet connection for my security DVR system.

[the_natterjack]

Get a 4 port router with wireless and firewall, buy an 8 port switch for about $45, connect the switch to any one of the ports with a network cable, call it a day

Please don't shop at Best Buy.

Brian

[us.marshal]

Get a 4 port router with wireless and firewall, buy an 8 port switch for about $45, connect the switch to any one of the ports with a network cable, call it a day

Please don't shop at Best Buy.

Brian

+1 Might be a good idea to go gigabit all the way around too.

[the_natterjack]

+1 Might be a good idea to go gigabit all the way around too.

+1 Absolutely, should of mentioned that. Thank you!

[2Bear]

Heh. I still read the Point-Of-Sale, (POS), abbreviation as "piece of sXXX"...

Which makes this funny:

Setting up a POS system in a restaurant.

Typical install.

[Ricky-Ray]

Yep, 4 port router and an 8 port switch and your good to go. Buy.com, Newegg.com, Fry's Electronic's are just a few places that will sell them.

I personally don't see the need to go gigabit for a restaurant POS system, I would just stay with regular 10/100 connections and save some money. For the amount of data traffic that's going to be going thru your network for the restaurant orders 10/100 is more than capable of handling it.

[freonr22]

whats the cost difference between the 2?

[howellsg]

I did a quick check on NewEgg.com, and well a 4 port gigabit router will cost from $90 on the low end to $150 for a small business class router and an 8 port gigbit switch $60 up to $400. For a 10/100 router $20 up to $125 and for the switch $15 - $125.

Either way you should be able to find a decent router & switch and cables to connect them for under $500. Again these are small business class routers and switches, no need to go outside of that price range. Ideally you could do it for two to three hundred bucks.

[bigpappa0095]

don't forget to encrypt your wireless network and to change the default password for the router's admin account