New to switches, any recomendations?

[bob]

After being fed up with people using 10mb hubs at lan parties (sometimes 100mb if there are about 20-25 people), I have decided to buy my own switch. Ive read that hubs just basically tie everyones computer onto one line, and they all have to share. Switches make connections from computer to computer, so 25 people arnt sharing one 100mb line. Correct me if im wrong.

My criteria is:

Must be able to support a lot of people moving around files
at least 20 people can connect to it
I would like a 1Gb uplink server port, but its not required.
At least 100Mbs per user
$50.00 or cheaper.

Because of the price, I decided to look on ebay. This is what I have come up with:

3Com SuperStack II ENCORE 24 PORT NWAY Bay Networks 350T
Nortel BayStack 350 INTEL EXPRESS 510T

I was wondering If these switches would increase lag, I dont know much about them. I know some fancy switches or routers have a server or management port. Does this mean I can hook up my PII-266 linux box and use telnet or something to manage the swithc?

The whole purpose of lan parties is to stay up for a day or two straight, drink lots of pop, eat pizza, and copy everyones video and music files, watch movies, get free high speed internet, and play some halflife 2 or similar game. But, no one has patience for someone copying files, and plugging up the whole network and causing aggrivating lag.

Those 5 seem to fit my needs, I don't know which one to go with. Can anyone throw in their 2 cents?

 

[Fint]

Any 24-port 100bt switch should do just fine (24 port because you said 20 PCs, and they are usually either 8, 12 or 24 port). Switches should definately reduce lag and packet loss as compared to a hub.

A managed switch will cause the price to go way up, and in your scenario, not give any benefits.

Your price tag will be very hard to meet with new equipment; you can get a brand new, name brand 24-port switch from Newegg for $88, but as you've seen used can be quite a bit cheaper. Of the ones you listed, I'd go with either the 3Com or the Intel if you insist on less than $50 (or grab that Netgear for a few bucks more and a warranty)

 

[bob]

Its not something that will get a lot of use. It just needs to work flawlessly for about 20-30 hours straight a few times a year.

I have a half-assed fileserver/innernet-router/firewall for my pc. my Pc hookes to one network card in the computer, its running redhat, and then the other network card hooks to my 16 port linkbuilder FMS hub. I guess I dont really need a managed hub or switch, since redhat can manage whatever is coming in to and out of the line thats hooked to my pc, If i set it up right.

Thanks. I will look into those.

 

[Treyshadow]

No question, I would go with the Nortel Baystack 350T or 450T if you can find it at your price point. Those are very robust switches with a steady backplane. You may need to remove the fans from the chassis on the Nortel and give them a thorough dusting, but those switches can handle extreme loads and extreme heat.

Very good switch for the price.

 

[Blitzrommel]

I like the Baystacks. I was kinda novice at the time, but when I got one for my network a while ago, it was a bitch resetting the password cause the dork I bought it from didn't know the password. Just something to keep in mind. heh