Network switch help.

[Hom3r]

I'm looking at getting a network switch, the idiot IT guy at work suggested a "5-port Gigabit Desktop switch, TP-Link TL-SG1005D"

Now is there a Asus alternative that anybody can recommend, as I have a Asus Router.

[qasdfdsaq]

Only an idiot would think there's any real difference between brands when it comes to consumer grade unmanaged switches.

[chrispuk2004]

I've have had that exact switch running for over 2 years in my house. Am I an idiot?

[MovedGoalPosts]

Work we have the VM superhub fed into a Draytek router which connects to Netgear gig switches which in turn expand into dlink gig or 10/100 switches. As it is all unmanaged there are no issues with different branding.

At many of our NTHW lan parties we use a mix of netgear 8 port gigabit and TPlink 8 port gigabit routers connected to either cable or ADSL routers. Being critical the netgear stuff is a bit older and sometimes doesn't autodetect the port speed correctly but once up and running we've pushed terabits of leeched stuff over the LAN network, in only 24 hours, with no issues.

The point is that brand is irrelevant, as quas not quite so nicely said it. But look at the quality of the switch as even unmanaged some are better than others (and that isn't necessarily price the TP link were cheaper than netgear), especially for the backplane bandwidth ie. amount of data they will handle switching between ports before saturation.

---------- Post added at 20:00 ---------- Previous post was at 19:57 ----------

Originally Posted by chrispuk2004

I've have had that exact switch running for over 2 years in my house. Am I an idiot?

Probably not, I think quas was being a bit blunt at the ability to mix and match brands in an unmanaged network.

However, you must be very advanced intelligence for your age (3 according to your profile), to be needing a switched computer network

[progers]

I also have a TP- Link switch, excellent product and cheap too

[Matth]

The TP-Link can be had for £12.98
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-S.../dp/B000N99BBC

Asus - £19.31 - not sure if that includes delivery
http://www.newegg.com/global/uk/Prod...L8HBoCYu3w_wcB

The Asus features a "VIP port"

[cookie_365]

Originally Posted by chrispuk2004

I've have had that exact switch running for over 2 years in my house. Am I an idiot?

I stopped being an idiot last year when I stopped using that exact same switch.

Only the one I replaced it with was it's identical 8 port equivalent.

I must be really really stupid.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by Rob

as quas not quite so nicely said it.

Probably not, I think quas was being a bit blunt at the ability to mix and match brands in an unmanaged network.

Well, I am an"IT guy at work*" and I regularly recommend TP-Link equipment so to insinuate someone was an idiot for doing so was 'not quite so nice' a thing to say to begin with.

* Not his work but still.

---------- Post added at 02:03 ---------- Previous post was at 02:02 ----------

Originally Posted by Rob

However, you must be very advanced intelligence for your age (3 according to your profile), to be needing a switched computer network

Kids these days grow up fast!

Another vote for TP-Link - I've got one of those....although as my kit at home has grown I needed a decent managed GB switch. The TP-Link is currently in a box as a spare.

I think the "idiot IT guy at work" gave you the best advice actually - unless you need a managed switch for vLANS and bonding that is...

[Hom3r]

I have never used a switch but what does a managed switch actually do, and is it worth it for a home network?

Another question, what is better a Hub or a Switch?

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by LSainsbury

I think the "idiot IT guy at work" gave you the best advice actually - unless you need a managed switch for vLANS and bonding that is...

TP-Link routers are actually the easiest to mod into 'managed' switches with VLAN and bonding capability. Standalone switches not so much, but most of these consumer unmanaged switches actually have hardware chips that are quite capable of it with the right firmware modifications.

If you don't know what a managed switch is you don't need one.

Nobody makes hubs anymore because they are ancient and archaic. And vastly inferior.

[Matth]

Managed = remote stats via SNMP ... if you don't know it, you don't need it!

A "Switch" is actually a "Switched hub".

In a conventional (unswitched) hub, all traffic is carried on all ports.
In a switch, port 1 can be exchanging traffic with main, at the same time as port 2 is exchanging traffic with port 3.

In the simple case of sharing broadband, the switch does not make any real difference, because a single resource is being contended for.

With the right layout, switching (and all current routers are switches) may allow NAS access to bypass other traffic - but traffic passing over the link between router and switch will still be contending - so the thing which makes most use of the NAS, should be on the same device as it ... both on the router, or both on the switch.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by Matth

A "Switch" is actually a "Switched hub".

It's actually a bridge.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Matth

Managed = remote stats via SNMP ... if you don't know it, you don't need it!

A managed switch = a switch that can be managed. Usually comes with the ability to create and assign ports to VLANs and create aggregated port groups alongside rate limiting and whatever other functionality, else there's little point in being able to manage the thing.

An SNMP server isn't required, though it's certainly desirable.

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

It's actually a bridge.

It's actually either, a switching hub or a bridging hub

And if you work in IT and are modding switches to make them manageable I can only assume that trotters independent trading suddenly have moved to having a soho setup

You buy the proper kit ie Cisco or juniper catalyst/ex series

Oh and bonding is a term that's about five years out of date it's port channel hence the interface name po1 etc