Best way to reduce lag on LAN?

The best solution if you need a switch is a non smart or non managed switch to use with any router that already has QoS and traffic management features. The smart or managed switches are generally needed at different configurations for use in other networks that need either specific traffic routing to other swtiches or in some cases VLAN configurations. Usually HW routers have most of these features already so by using a smart or managed switch with a HW router will be kind of redundent or over use of certain features and can cause problems. So using a non-managed switch is preferred with HW routers. If you have a managed or smart switch used with a HW router, then be sure to disable all the traffoc management features on the swtich and let the HW router do all that.

I've been using a 24 port non managed switch for years with HW routers with out any issues. Let the HW router do the job and be the main point of doing network management and handling. Use swithces for adding additional ports for devices that you need to add to the routers network since most routers are only 4 port capable. Nothing wrong in adding a non-managed switch. 

diehardbattery1 wrote:

So I have the XR500, and a gs108 switch.  Currently I have the Xbox One and my PC connected to the switch as well as other stuff. Everything is Gigabit.  When I stream my Xbox to my PC, I occassionally experience lag.  I am thinking there might be a way to isolate these 2 devices from other LAN traffic to increase performance and hopefully eliminate the lag.

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Back to the roots. 

Permitting the game does run without an Internet connection ...

• Create a direct connection between the Windows system and the Xbox. I would assume both go to a ZeroConfig address (unless there are static IPs in place). And test.
• Create a dedicated connection with just the Windows system, link to the switch, link to the Xbox, Xbox. And test.
• Create a dedicated connection with just the Windows system, link to the XR500, link to the Xbox, Xbox. And test.

What appears like lag could be simply a massive packet loss and/or errors. 

Another point worth checking: Some network interfaces come with really bad Windows drivers - which are leading to low performance in general.

I would disconnect or turn OFF all other devices as much as you can accept for the xbox and game. See if you notice any lag. Directly connect your game console to the router. Don't use a switch.

If your experiencing LAG while other devices are online and you don't when everything else is off, then one of these devices is probably the culprit. You'll need to graduate turning on each device to see when and where the LAG starts. One thing to look at if you have a switch that has LED indicators is to see if the switch LED actifivity is constantly ON and blicking when you feel that nothing else is going on, or not gaming or streaming anything. If this is happening, then one of the devices is doing something it shouldn't be.

Seems like this is not a router issue.