Separating TV traffic from Computer Traffic (minimizing multicast traffic)

[houston01]

I have no specific issues right now but I'm curious about the concept of IPTV multicast traffic and the best way to grow my home network as my family gets older and more tech reliant.

All connections are Cat 5e or Cat 6 and are homerun back to a central closet.

I have the following:

Motorola Residential Gateway (3801)

Three Motorola Set-Top-Boxes

One AT&T Microcell

One Apple Timemachine

One Netgear GS116e Switch with various computers, iphones, printers, ipads connected

One Netgear Router WNDR4500 (set-up as a wireless access point NOT a Router)

One Netgear GS108PE POE Switch (with 3 IP Cameras)

Would like to add the following in the near future:

One Slingbox 

One Netgear NAS

One Xbox 360 (not being used as a STB) 

Right now I have two of the STB's plugged into my 16 port switch along with my computers.

Here are my questions

(1) To minimize multicast flooding should my STB's be on a separate network switch from my non-STB equipment?

(2) Should my DVR be plugged directly into the RG3801 or can it sit on the same switch as my other STB's?

(3) Should my wireless access point be plugged directly in the RG3801 or is it okay to sit on the same switch as my other non-STB equipment?

(4) Should my AT&T Microcell be plugged directly in the RG3801 or is it okay to sit on the same switch as my other non-STB equipment?

(5) For optimal performance where should a NAS sit, should it be on the RG3801 or should it be on the same switch as my other non-STB equipment?

(6) Where should my POE switch that I use for my IP cameras be plugged in, the RG3801 or should it be on the same switch as my other non-STB equipment?

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

1. To eliminate multicast flooding, hang two switches off the RG. Put all STB and DVR units on one switch, and all other computer-related equipment (basically everything else) on the other switch. Multicast flooding will be limited by the RG to only the switch that has the STBs/DVR on it.

2. Yes, the DVR can be on the same switch as the STBs, it doesn't need to be directly into the RG.

3 & 4. Keep those pieces of equipment on the "computer equipment" switch so that multicast won't reach them.

5. Keep the NAS on the computer equipment switch.

6. Hang that POE switch off the computer equipment switch. If you put this switch on the RG, that means that camera video traffic will flow through the POE switch, then through the RG, then through the computer equipment switch, and then to one of your computers where you are viewing the camera. The RG doesn't do well with high amounts of camera/video traffic like this, so attaching the POE switch to the computer equipment switch eliminates having the camera traffic flow through the RG.