100M : Switch or No switch

[DaMac]

I run my shub2 in modem mode, but between my develo 3 port 500av plug and my asus rt-65u ive basically run out of ports, would it make any difference enabling the ports on the shub and using them, or for better speed would i be better adding a switch like the Netgear GS108?
Thanks.

[General Maximus]

I would add a 3rd party switch as you have suggested so you are still letting your asus router do the routing. In order to use the ports on the shub you would basically be using it as a switch which means it would have to be taken out of modem mode and put into router mode and you are only asking yourself for a whole load of trouble if you do that. You have already taken the first step and got a proper router, now you just need a switch and you can get perfectly decent ones for £10-£20.

[DaMac]

Cheers general, what do you think of the GS108, its been out a while, i basically dont want any bottleneck with what i need to plug in.
Thanks.

[Sephiroth]

I've got a GS108 doing exactly what you want to distribute BT Infinity from the Devolo.

Also I use the Netgear FS108P to provide distribution from my router connected to the SH2 in modem mode.

[DaMac]

Ta mate, off to get one.

[horseman]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

I've got a GS108 doing exactly what you want to distribute BT Infinity from the Devolo.

Also I use the Netgear FS108P to provide distribution from my router connected to the SH2 in modem mode.

i've used the "managed" version of the GS108 for last few months but it's about double the price (Amazon) of the unmanaged switch and most likely an overkill for the OP anyway:

[kwikbreaks]

The stats available looked attractive until I checked out the price and saw this is only a 10/100 swich according to Amazon I see yours shows gigabit ???

[qasdfdsaq]

FS108(T) = Fast = 100M
GS108(T) = Gigabit = 1000M

I'm assuming you got confused over the model numbers since the Amazon GS108T does clearly say Gigabit in the title and description:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Netgear-GS10.../dp/B000RAILSQ

[MovedGoalPosts]

A managed switch seems rather overkill for domestic use. You'd have to be pushing loads of data for any difference to be noticeable. Even at NTHW's infamous LAN parties, we only daisy chain unmanaged gigabit switches, and don't have problems with people gaming, whilst others are leeching 10s of gigs of "stuff" between PCs.

[qasdfdsaq]

The point of a managed switch isn't anything to do with how much data or throughput you need, it's down to well, obviously manageability.

Even cheapo gigabit switches from ten years ago had no problem maintaining maximum wire-speed throughput, the advantage of managed is being able to see and control what goes where and how.

[DaMac]

Is there anyway to 'run' the managed firmware on the unmanaged device or are they different hardware?

[qasdfdsaq]

Probably, but if you screw up you'll get no help fixing it.

[DaMac]

I don't care I'm daft like that, do I get any help potentially breaking it that is what I'm asking...

[Kushan]

I wouldn't imagine they're the same hardware at all, unmanaged switches are incredibly dumb and don't need to do much but managed switches actually do quite a bit.

[qasdfdsaq]

The manufacturers certainly won't condone it - whether you can do it depends on the make and model of the specific device.

Actually you'll find most "unmanaged" switches have the same circuitry and hardware as required for those managed functions - hence even the £5 DIR-615 can be software modified to perform all the functions of the GS108T above. Except the gigabit part.

It's often actually cheaper to equip home wireless routers with switches incorporating those management functions than without, so most do by default - hardware wise that is. It's only the really high end (large enterprise/carrier/ISP grade rackmount chassis) that have real dedicated hardware for management features, often business/SME stuff is just a few lines of code layered on top of some standard ethernet chip