What max current will the rear USB actually supply 5V at?

[Owen Smith]

$deity, what a family. I'd bloody leave 'em all to it and tell them to call $brother if he's such an 'expert'.

It's not that simple, and it probably reads worse than it is.

 

[bottletop]

How about
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/317142545021
TP-Link TL-SG1005D 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch
Label shows 5V 0.6A V9.0
But beware - it's a used item. That power requirement maybe specific to that iteration & model.
Maybe the V9.0 is the one you want?

Eg this one won't be suitable.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364917978923
TP-Link 5 Port TP Link TL-SG1005D Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch 10/100/1000
Label shows 9V 0.6A V6.0

Note1: other devices, sellers and sites are available. It was just me thinking out loud.

Note2: Murcusys MS105G or MS105GS probably 5V 0.6A
Note3: Slower Murcusys MS105 V2 - 5V 0.4A
https://www.mercusys.com/en/product/details/ms105/v2/#specifications
Rough electricity cost calculation
https://homenetworkgeek.com/how-much-power-does-a-network-switch-

 

[gomezz]

So many problems I have seen reported down the years with wireless/powerline connectivity with TV equipment. Wired ethernet all the way for me. Most recently by adding an ethernet to USB adapter to my Chromecast dongle plugged into the switch along with all my other TV boxes. Previously had been needing to reboot the Chromecast dongle every day.

 

[Black Hole]

TLDR, I might have missed some important detail, but if the problem is only how to connect TWO items to wired Ethernet over ONE cable, a PASSIVE SPLITTER offers (potentially) an ideal solution.

Assuming you don't need gigabit Ethernet (or PoE come to that, ie all 8 wires), it works by reallocating the conductors in one cable so that one link uses four conductors and the other link uses the other four. You need one at each end of the cable (to combine and then split). No power required.



I have obtained and used passive splitters in the past, but I can't now find a verifiable unit on eBay/Amazon* so you might have to make them yourself. It's easy enough:



* Beware that the units I found *might* simply duplicate all 8 connections on both ports. The description reads as if they do. That being the case, it is still possible to use them with an adapter cable:

 

[prpr]

a PASSIVE SPLITTER offers

That's the sort of thing likely to put me in to a mega sulk mode.

 

[EEPhil]

Beware that the units I found *might* simply duplicate all 8 connections on both ports. The description reads as if they do. That being the case, it is still possible to use them with an adapter cable:

I'd never heard of such a device. When I did the now almost obligatory web search I found the a similar problem. https://www.dcdi.co.uk/2-port-passive-hub Only one device can be active - pointless? There is a link to a RJ45 Economiser (link in red). Could this be what you were initially referring to?

 

[Owen Smith]

TLDR, I might have missed some important detail, but if the problem is only how to connect TWO items to wired Ethernet over ONE cable, a PASSIVE SPLITTER offers (potentially) an ideal solution.

I'm aware of those devices, we used them at one of my previous jobs. They would do the job at my parents apart from one problem: there are no spare sockets on the broadband router at the other end of the cable. Routers generally only have 4 ethernet ports, and it's surprisingly easy to fill them.