Do I need to have a router for this to work? I just want to hook up my computer and tivo. Will it slow down my computer download speed?

People confuse routers and switches all the time. A router has brains, it logs in to your service provider and gives you access to their internet and controls your home network IP's. (DHCP Server which actually routes traffic for your home network) Most Routers have a built in 4 port switch, so thus people associate that is a router. it really isn't...it's a switch built into your router. ...This device you are looking at is simply a switch, and will work automatically with your router to assign IP addresses to each port/device. It will NOT slow down your throughput, but remember, you can only get a dedicated amount of speed from your service provider. So if you have a 100mb internet connection, that is all you can download at anyone time...so if you have two devices downloading constantly at the same time, they will both only get 50mbs each essentially. That said, most of the time, the internet traffic you are using does not conflict with each other and you will not notice any difference. On thing to remember, for the full speed of this switch, or any router/switch, to be utilized, you need cat5e or cat6 Ethernet cables. Cat5e is just as fast as cat6 but for shorter distances. If you have to go a long way, use the 6, but that is overkill for most home networks. Still I would go with 6 to save yourself the need for future cable upgrades if they are hard to get to, and with this day and age of HD TV, and sharing video, I would over build rather than under-build.

Which port do I connect my router to?

When I connected the router to port #1 I got about 10 mbit speed to any device that was plugged into any other port. when I plugged the router in #5 as the instructions illustrate, I got 100 mbit. verified with speedtest.net.

It lets you plug more things into your router. This does not replace your router.I use this switch at my entertainment center. My Blu-ray player, Xbox 360 and an external hard drive plugged into the switch. I then have a cable running from this switch to my router. I believe the wired connection is faster and more dependable. It took me longer to type this reply then it did to hook it up. You plug in your devices, and plug in the power cord. Done.

Product dimensions	12.7L x 6.7W x 2.3H centimeters
Item weight	0.11 Kilograms
Voltage	9 Volts (DC)
Case material type	Plastic
Upper temperature rating	40 Degrees Celsius
Interface type	RJ45
Data transfer rate	16 Gigabits Per Second
Current rating	0.6 Amps
Manufacturer	TP-Link
UPC	840460603874 845973085476
Item model number	LS1008G
Series	TP-Link 8-Port LiteWave Gigabit Switch
Color	black / black
Number of Ethernet Ports	8
Wattage	3.9 watts
Are Batteries Included	No
Item Weight	110 g

Litewave 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch | Desktop Ethernet Splitter | Plastic Case | Unshielded Network Switch | Plug & Play | Fanless Quiet | Unmanaged (LS1008G)

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