Gigabite Switch (8 port) - Recommendations

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aphasia

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 15, 2011
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finding reviews and performance / spec comparisons on the net for gigabit switches doesn't yield a lot of results. the best i could find is here;
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/lanwan-reviews/30195-8-port-gigabit-switch-roundup

but it's fairly old (2007). it compares the following switches;

-Belkin F5D5141-8
-D-Link DGS-2208
-Linksys SD2008
-Netgear GS108
-Netgear GS608
-Trendnet TEG-S8

the review in a nutshell shows the 'Netgear GS608' as the best performer, its a pitty it stuck in a shitty cheap looking white plastic case. if i came in the standard blue metal casing (like other netgear stuff) with front facing ports, i'd serioulsy consider getting that one.
a couple of forums swears by HP ProCurve (unmanaged & managed) devices though they are a little more difficult to source locally (and a bit more expensive).
i can find most of the switches in the roundup locally.
my local retailers also have the ones below as well;

Asus GX-D1081
D-Link DGS 1008D
TP-Link 8 port
Tenda 8 port
Edimax 8 port

as you can tell by the models listed here, i'm not looking for a managed switch. looking for a unit;
-spend $100 max.
-full 16Gb bandwidth
-jumbo frames support
-some sort of eco / energy switching feature to reduce wattage when idle,
-excellent thru-put performance
-bit of a warrantee would be nice
-not too fussed on wether is uses store and forward or straight thru for transmission. i understand 'store and forward' used to create a performance hit, not sure if this is still an issue any more.

if anyone can find some linkages for a more recent comparison on the net or want to share their experiences with their own equipment, be much appreciated.

cheers.
 
To be fair, I thing all Gb switches are pretty much Gb switches.

Providing you compare models from different vendors within the same price brackets they`ll all be more-or-lesss the same.

Another thing to note... stick with known brands, don`t be tempted to go for el-cheapo brand from your corner shop, it will be just that...cheap but with added nastiness!

Work out what you`re willing to spend, and look around in that price point area.

Netgear seem good stuff, I myself have a HP Procurve but that`s managed and the interface is terrible, the switch itself is top notch but they really need to work on the webgui.

I also have a Netgear GS105 the 5-port prosafe, the small one, I use that on my bench for testing and clients stuff.
 
I have a dgs 2208 and it has been great so far, no problems at all. Supposedly it turns off idle/unused ports to save energy also.
 
agreed, will definitely stick to name-brand networking gear.
i know i can get around 70 - 80MB/s (sustained) on large file transfers over cat5e between 2 pcs. if i can match this over a switch, that'll be good.

these are the prices i can get from shops near me;
-Asus GX-D1081 : $62
-D-Link DGS 1008D : $85
-D-Link DGS-2208 : $79
-Linksys SD2008 : $95
-Netgear GS108 : $85
-Netgear GS608 : $79

i'm curious about the asus but unless someone already has one (and can comment on it), i'll play it safe a go a d-link or netgear probably. the linksys is fairly expensive, wonder if there is anything special there. never had a linksys. used to have on old netgear router. i like how they keep their cases simple & sturdy (blue metal boxes).

appreciate the feedback.
 
3Com has inexpensive 8-port models. I have one in used and it is holding up well under sustained 200GB copying operation.

Though now that HP bought 3Com, old 3Com models are no longer commonly available.

For low-cost gigabit ethernet switch, the most important thing is that it does not overheat/overload under heavy sustained operation. Do not block the unit's air vent.
 
yeah i'm aware these networking devices can get fairly hot.

my current billion 7402 used to freeze up and would require a reboot every 3 to 4 weeks. one day i put my hand on top of the unit & it was toasty. ever since i put the unit on top of a couple of chocks to give it a few more centimetres clearance off the desk, hasn't needed a reset for well over a year.

if anyone else has any comments on their switches (or ones not in the list above) @ $100, chime in.

cheers.
 
I have two of the older non-green TRENDnet desktop switches, 5- and 8-port. My parents also have a 5-port. I've had no problems with them at all. I recently upgraded to a TRENDnet TEG-S16DG ($80 SlickDeal). It's working great so far, just like the one I had my friend pick up when he wired up his house a couple months ago.

If you don't need anything fancy, the TEG-S80G is currently $30 with free shipping.
 
BigBadAl said:
To be fair, I thing all Gb switches are pretty much Gb switches.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that was true, and I've bought, tested and implemented MANY gigabit switches in my time. I'd say that was fairly true of FastE, but certainly not gig. The distance between the worst and best is greatly amplified.

However, to the OP, most of the switches you listed are indeed junk. The only unmanaged 8-port gigabit switch that I would consider and rises to the top is the HP 1400-8G.
 
Why is that? I have the 8-port TrendNET and I get 99% saturation transferring files between two machines with SSDs.
 
Vote for the 1400-8g here. The most of the other switches may be gigabit, but only have a 1gbit/s backplane... Granted for the average home user that doesn't matter.
 
I have a Procurve 1400-8g that works great as well. More than enough for a couple workstations etc at home.
 
btw its Cisco SD2008 not Linksys, I have them running through my house and they're great I can usually hit around 90MB/s when I'm transferring files across computers.
 
SD2008 v3.0 is great. It's the rebuild after Cisco started slapping their name on all the Linksys gear.
 
Another vote for the Procurve 1400-8g although I think it may be above your $100 budget. Some of the new "HP" (old 3com) switches may fit the bill but I have not looked into them.
 
I too run an older HP Procurve model, it allows me to transfer at saturation between multiple machines without bogging down.
 
THREAD NECRO:

requesting an update on this topic. TEG-S80G is still like $25 on sale, and SD2008 and 1410-8g are both around $100. But you can get an older cisco or HP used for less. and I think both have unlimited lifetime warranty.

the problem is there are no reviews of these things. for all I know they could vary wildly. I cannot assume every 8-port gigabit switch supports 8gbps of action, can I?

what should one get? should one settle on a $30 tp-link or trendnet?
 
I haven't had any issues with my 8 port green-net trendnet but I don't really care if it dies or not I have a ton of spares so for me $25 is worth it.
 
I have the Trendnet 8 port switch in my server rack. The first one worked fine for a few months and managed to toast itself. Its RMA replacement has been going just fine for the past 9 months.
 
I have a trendnet 8 port gigabit switch that does not like one of my devices, which works fine on all other switches I have tried.
 
I'd have a look at Allied Telesyn(sis) which is a large network player and their consumer products seems solid and reliable. At least my switch works fine after years of usage and I like metal casing too.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...+-+Switches-_-Allied+Telesis++Inc.-_-33379025 (POE version is actually cheaper than non POE)

I'd day that this one seems very nice too (and builtin PSU), also gotta promote Swedish companies (Ericsson) a bit. ;-)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833218019

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833218016
This one seems nice to and actually something that doesn't look hideous on your desk, no built in PSU though.

//Danne
 
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