Which ethernet switch

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GavinB
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Which ethernet switch

Post by GavinB » Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:58 am

Question for all the computer boffins on here. I need a network switch to set our new office at home it only needs 4 ports minimum but would prefer to have some space for expansion so 16 port one is probably a better idea as it would be sods law that I would get say an 8 and then need to replace it with a bigger one.

If it matter it's all run in cat 5 cable and the supply is a virgin box with over 100mbs

Needs to be plug and play as don't know about these things

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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by mzplcg » Fri Jun 13, 2014 5:18 am

HP procurve 1410. Pick one to suit the amount of ports you want. There's an 8G, 16G and I think even a 24G. Gigabit to all ports with a non-blocking backplane so even if all ports were max'ed out it would still pass all packets. Good bit of kit.


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by Stu » Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:32 am

Going to disagree with Dom here. We had a spell of buying pro curves and we found them to be very unreliable. That was a good few years ago, but just my experience.

We now buy Cisco for our big switches and Linksys for small ones. To give you an idea we probably have over 200 linksys 8 port switches and never have an issue. Linksys is now owned by Cisco and I'm sure that has an influence on their products.

Also if anyone is thinking that having a vast number of 8 port switches is bad network design. Then there are reason for it and it was done in full knowledge that it isn't best practice but it is perfect for our environment! So nerrrrr.


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by MrClayton » Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:35 am

The HP 1410-16G does look like a good bit of kit. Not used one myself but if Dom recommends then I'd be happy to buy. It's an unmanaged switch which means it's about as plug and play as you can get and can be bought for around £100. Don't buy the cheaper version for half the price as that looks like the 100Mbps version


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by mzplcg » Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:41 am

Simon, Procurve did go through a rough patch back in 2004/5. Long since fixed though, now full of 3COM technology as well after HP bought 3COM. Lifetime warranty which I've personally tested on a 7 year old Procurve 2650 - replaced FOC inside 48 hours. You don't even need to keep the receipt.

Cisco = 5 times the price it should be.
Linksys used to be owned by Cisco so was a good bet. No longer the case.
3COM - May as well buy HP. Same stuff, cheaper.
Netgear = Poo

Outside of those you're either into Commercial territory, i.e. Foundry, Nortel, Juniper etc. Below it you're in the cheap-as-possible consumer market, i.e. junk.


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by Stu » Fri Jun 13, 2014 11:06 am

TP link seem to make some pretty good kit as well.

Didn't know Linksys was no longer owned by Cisco. So having just checked, we are buying the Cisco ones £35 for an 8 port switch from Cisco is hardly worth worrying about paying the extra for the Cisco name!

http://www.stuff-uk.net/p-1196793.aspx? ... tAodtyIArg

I would question whether you need gigabit - you may well if you are moving lots of files over the network (which you might be with photos etc), but if it just to provide a network for things over the internet then I really wouldn't bother with gigabit as your bottle neck will still be your broadband. It would be a bit like buying a Ferrari to only drive up and down a road that had a speed bump every 5 meters - not a lot of point.


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by anglefire » Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:24 pm

I have a gigabit internal network but it is purely for data transfer between the pc and the nas drives. I would guess Gav would be the same tbh.


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by mzplcg » Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:03 pm

Stu wrote:I really wouldn't bother with gigabit as your bottle neck will still be your broadband. It would be a bit like buying a Ferrari to only drive up and down a road that had a speed bump every 5 meters - not a lot of point.
Media centre, Streaming media and stuff like Netflix all need gig unless your old 100 meg swutch is non-blocking (which it won't be unless it's a Cisco/Procurve/Foundry etc)

Everything's going that way now Stu.


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by MrClayton » Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:20 pm

mzplcg wrote:
Stu wrote:I really wouldn't bother with gigabit as your bottle neck will still be your broadband. It would be a bit like buying a Ferrari to only drive up and down a road that had a speed bump every 5 meters - not a lot of point.
Media centre, Streaming media and stuff like Netflix all need gig unless your old 100 meg swutch is non-blocking (which it won't be unless it's a Cisco/Procurve/Foundry etc)

Everything's going that way now Stu.
Plus if they already have over 100Mbps broadband from Virgin then Gb is still the way forwards as that speed will only increase.


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Re: Which ethernet switch

Post by Stu » Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:44 pm

No no no!

Stop believing all the marketing rubbish!

Right firstly something like Netflix works fine over say a 10mb connection so let's discount that side of things.

I run over 5000 machines through a single 100mbps connection without issues and on a 100mb network internally. So to say you need gigabit is rubbish. The weekist point on the network will be the internet connection. Don't forget that 100mb advertised won't actually be that. With Virgin it will probably be close but not all the time. Firstly there is contention. I think virgin run at 30:1? Then you also have to consider their fair usage and bandwidth throttling. So it's never going to be as good as a 100mb in your home.

Gigabit makes sense if you shuffle lots of data internally which Gav may well do, but you don't need gigabit for the Internet!

Next you'll be telling me you need a megapixel camera for a decent A4 photo!


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