Thanks again for the excellent explanation about routing vs arping.
So as far as chosing either the cable modem or the ex2200 as the static address clients are pointed to, you are referring to the client's gateway, right? And my general understanding is that using the ex would be more efficient than the cable modem, not only because of the quality and performance of the switch over a $50.00 modem, but also due to the amount of traffic and how far it goes. And this makes the item that I choose essentially the 'router' for the network from the perspective of these clients I have. Is that right?
Is this right? : if the ex is the gateway, only traffic destined for outside the local network will go to the cable modem (and the Internet). but if the cable modem is the gateway, then all traffic has to go over the single link between the switch and the cable modem and then the decision to send Internet traffic on to the Internet is made by the cable modem and also the decision to send non Internet traffic back over the link to the ex for other destinations in the local network. So it is much more efficient to use the ex as the "Core Router", or in this case (the only router). Is that were this term kind of is applied only it kind of implies that there are some higher level routers in a complex network?
Thanks,
Robin Hood