Home network question

[03ozwhip]

so I have Cat5 installed in the house, but until now we haven't needed ethernet connectivity in the bedrooms or office as we don't use our laptop very often until now.

My modem is installed on my main floor(shaw bluecurve).
In my basement I have this...
https://i.imgur.com/M99joOm.jpg

What is my best option here? My modem only has 3 ports and the main, I wouldn't even know which one of these to connect to if I moved the modem downstairs...any help?

[BigDL]

Keep the modem where it is, plug everything else in that box into a gigabit switch.

[03ozwhip]

Keep the modem where it is, plug everything else in that box into a gigabit switch.

That's what that black box is, isn't it? It doesn't connect to anything.

[01RedDX]

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[revelations]

Looks like youll need an 8 port gigabit switch - and these stupid panels are way too small for anything but a small modem. Anything serious I usually end up mounting outside of the box on their own shelf.

[03ozwhip]

Looks like youll need an 8 port gigabit switch - and these stupid panels are way too small for anything but a small modem. Anything serious I usually end up mounting outside of the box on their own shelf.

Ok so I get a gigaswitch and where do I plug it in so I can use those cat5s in the basement?

[taemo]

there should also be an ethernet cable that runs from your main floor where the modem is to the basement right?
you connect all ethernet cables to the basement switch in the basement.

then all devices connected to this switch to the modem will become a network.

[modem]--[basement switch]--[devices]

[03ozwhip]

there should also be an ethernet cable that runs from your main floor where the modem is to the basement right?
you connect all ethernet cables to the basement switch in the basement.

then all devices connected to this switch to the modem will become a network.

[modem]--[basement switch]--[devices]

Ya thats what I thought too...but there isn't anything plugged into it.

[01RedDX]

.