Recommend a good Gigabit switch for use with extenders

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

As cheap as gb switches are these days I wouldn't recomend a 100mb to anyone.

Ripping movies to my server from collection management made recordings stutter badly when using 100mb switch.

[RobJ]

That D-Link DGS-2208 is still a very strong favorite. It just works, and works well. I haven't heard of any issues with it, except for a small one I'll mention below. Like similar switches, you can hand it to the newest user with little explanation, and they will be connected successfully in no time, little they can do wrong. As with most routers and switches, make sure there is good airflow around it.

The only one I've heard of with even better ratings, for both quality and performance, are the HP Procurve's. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833316076 (currently unavailable, but read the reviews). They do cost more, but I think most users would say that this is a case where you get what you pay for. Not sure what is happening with Newegg and the 5 and 8 port ProCurves, the linked one (a 1400-8G) is unavailable, and the apparently newer 1405's have no pictures and no reviews!

My first 2208 was damaged by lightning, along with a lot of other network and telephone equipment. The lights still turn on, but then they all just blink on and off, over and over. Unlike other network devices, there is no way to reset or re-flash it, and it is not addressable. There is no apparent damage, visually (burnt coloration or busted or leaky caps) or by smell (burnt odor any where), but I can't find any way to reset it, seems like that's all it needs (perhaps some out there knows how?).

[Taddeusz]

You probably can't find that switch in stock because it appears that the 1400 series switches have been replaced by the 1410 series.

Current model is available here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833316155

[barney B.A.]

I have a Dell powerconnect 2808. It's an 8 port web managed, firmware upgradeable, does the green thing and is gigabit. It has worked great since I've had it.

[Apap]

Originally Posted by wrems

I'm thinking about picking up one of these switches Dlink 2208:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833127082

Are you guys still pretty happy with it? Any others that you recommend I should look at?

TIA

I definitely would. Mine is sitting right in front of me still cranking away with 4 extenders and 3 computers for over a year and nary a problem.

[bastafidli]

I have the 4 port one for about 6 months and I am very happy with it.

[OneOfMany]

We sell a lot of switches, including DLink and Netgear. In terms of overall RMA issues, I would have to recommend the Netgears. GS series is overall a great inexpensive switch.

Grant

[wrems]

I think I'm getting the Netgear GS608 found one locally NIB for $20 on CL. Can't beat that!

[wayner]

Sorry to hijack the thread but a few networking questions:

Why don't you really see 16 port gigabit switches for reasonable prices? Newegg has 16 port 10/100 switches for around $60 but it is over double the price for a 16 port Gigabit switch. Is this because not that many home users are geeky enough to need 16 ports?

Is there any problem with cascading switches? Anything I should be aware of?

I have three places in my house where I plug in Wifi routers to my wired LAN to use as both WAPs and switches - note that I turn DHCP off on these routers. This gives me good wifi coverage throughout my house. I have seen somewhere that the switch part of routers generally is that good - why is that? I haven't had any problems using my routers in this way.

[barney B.A.]

Originally Posted by wayner

Why don't you really see 16 port gigabit switches for reasonable prices? Newegg has 16 port 10/100 switches for around $60 but it is over double the price for a 16 port Gigabit switch. Is this because not that many home users are geeky enough to need 16 ports?

I has to do with the switching fabric of the switch. A 16 port switch needs to be able to move data twice as fast through the switch as an 8 port switch. that's probably why it costs so much more.

Originally Posted by wayner

Is there any problem with cascading switches? Anything I should be aware of?

No problems. however cheaper switches will get much slower as you add more. Some switches allow for link aggregation which will allow you to combine two or more ports together to increase the bandwidth.

[wayner]

One more question - my router is an older Linksys WRT54G with Talisman Firmware that is 10/100. I have a couple of 8 port Gigabit switches.

Should I connect the two 8 port Gig switches to the router or should I cascade them? If they were cascaded then shouldn't I still (theoretically) have a Gigabit connection to two devices on the two different Gigabit switches.

But if I connect them directly to the switch then this may somewhat shorten the path by one switch from network device to the WAN or even other devices on the LAN. Does that really matter? But then when going from one Gigabit switch to the other they have to pass through the router so they will be downgraded to 100mbit.

[barney B.A.]

If possible, I would use your best switch as the "main" switch. Plug the Linksys router and the other switch into the main switch.

[EnterNoEscape]

I use 3 D-Link DGS-2208 switches and have used them reliably for over 3 years now. I originally was using a Netgear GS605 and the thing flaked out randomly on me just outside of the return policy and was really finicky about the cables I used. I keep thinking about getting a new ProCurve, but I don't really have an excuse to until the D-Links start failing.

[MrD]

At the server I have a smc 8 port gigabit cascaded to a 8 port gigabit switch. At the extender I have a DLINK 5-port 100 mb switch.

At the extender, I have an xbox 360, extender, chink-link box, and a squeezebox.

You don't need gigabit at the extender; the 100mbit switches run at a fraction of the wattage of similar gigabit switches.

[Graygeek]

Originally Posted by OneOfMany

We sell a lot of switches, including DLink and Netgear. In terms of overall RMA issues, I would have to recommend the Netgears. GS series is overall a great inexpensive switch.

Grant

Can't agree more! Running a GS104 for last two years with two HD100's ..... flawless!

[najames]

I have an expensive 24port HP Procurve for the house but also a pair of cheapy Trendnet Green 5port switches in the room with my PC equipement and they still work well after 6 months.

A port died on the HP. I had an extender that was acting goofy, a circle of death type syndrome. When I switched ports on the HP it immediately all worked again.

[Hunter69]

I vote for the HP Procurve. I have the 1400 series with no problems. If it were today I would buy the 1800 series for the vlan capability.

[UgaData]

I have a Dell 2708 switch and a Trendnet gig wireless router. Both have been working great for me.

I believe the Dell 2708 has been replaced by the 2808. You can get a Dell 2800 series in 8, 16, 24, & 48 port versions and all have a managed/unmanaged mode.

[barney B.A.]

Originally Posted by UgaData

I have a Dell 2708 switch and a Trendnet gig wireless router. Both have been working great for me.

I believe the Dell 2708 has been replaced by the 2808. You can get a Dell 2800 series in 8, 16, 24, & 48 port versions and all have a managed/unmanaged mode.

Yes. and for those looking for a good 24 port gig switch. A dell powerconnect 2824 can be had for 178.99 through this link:
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...en&s=bsd&cs=04

[Menehune]

I haven't had any problems with the blue metal netgear switches. I liked my GS-105 and when I outgrew it, got a GS-108 "prosafe" switch. Never had a problem with transfers or lockups.
Never really liked plastic case switches, I always worry that they could overheat.