8 (or more) port gigabit switch Recommendations?

I currently have a Netgear 5 port gigabit desktop switch and now find I need more ports so need a switch with at 8 or 16 ports? Any recommendations? If I get an 8 port switch will I be able to daisy-chain it with my existing 5 port switch?

TIA

In reply to a post by joconnell:

Any recommendations?

I would run both switches independently from one source, rather than daisy-chain them. Save yourself the hassle of configuring the chain.

In reply to a post by camieabz:

I would run both switches independently from one source, rather than daisy-chain them. Save yourself the hassle of configuring the chain.

So you'd plug each switch into ports on the router? Hmmm, given how I've currently got my network wired I not that that'd be feasible.

I probably would if the setup allowed for it. Bear in mind that your router is probably a switch too, so it shouldn't lose any speed. However, if daisy-chaining, the cable between the router and the first link will have to serve both the first link and the second link. It probably won't matter, but bear it in mind.

Something to bare in mind is how many ports do you need now and in the future.
If daisy chaining the 8 and 5 you will end up with 10.
If direct to both you will have 11.

If your current requirement is close to 10 already, may be worth jumping to 16.

By the way you helped me out around 18 months ago when I was putting my 16 port switch in

My recommendation would be to replace your existing switch with a 16 port switch, otherwise the link between the two switches will be an unnecessary bottleneck on your LAN. 16 port gigabit switches are cheap enough now, especially if you are happy with an unmanaged switch.


That said, looking around, moving up to a smart switch or layer 2 managed switch attracts a relatively small price premium at 16 ports. It may be worth buying something that supports 802.1q tagged VLANs, which will allow you to run multiple virtual networks over the same physical switch. For example, I can reconfigure a port between my DMZ and my LAN using the web interface of the relevant switch. With the right network cards and configuration, you can run multiple networks into one device over the same cable.

If you have advanced features and don't need them, the only down side is the slightly higher purchase price. If you don't have these features and land up needing them later, you have to buy a new switch.


I have a couple of 24 port layer 2 managed gigabit switches - one in the house, and one in the server installation in an air conditioned outbuilding. There's fibre between the two. The house switch is now out of ports as our needs keep on growing! (Some family members work from home and we all use IT extensively).

In reply to a post by David_W:

My recommendation would be to replace your existing switch with a 16 port switch,

Mmm, that's a better idea than 2 on two router ports.

This one?

http://www.netgear.com/business/products/switches/pr...


Out of sheer noseyness...if you all want to keep it private, fine, but are these switches in you home setups? If so, what's running?

The Netgear GS116E you mention is exactly the sort of switch I was meaning - 16 ports, VLAN support and a relatively modest price tag. I've checked the documentation - they do support 802.1q tagged VLANs, not just simple port based VLANs. However, they lack a web server on the switch itself (as would be typical for a more expensive layer 2 managed switch) - you have to configure them using a program on a computer.


The switches I mentioned are indeed in our home setup - but there's a lot more kit here than most people have. Off the top of my head, the devices with some form of Ethernet interface are:

House

• two desktop PCs
• three laptop PCs
• three Virgin TiVo boxes
• UPS management card
• laser printer
• scanner
• wireless access point
• two VoIP adapters
• music player
• BT FTTC modem (this is carried over a dedicated VLAN, as the router is in the outbuilding)

Outbuilding

• rack mounted server with four network interfaces and a management card with its own network interface (five ports total - this is our router / firewall / intrusion detection system)
• rack mounted server with two network interfaces and a management card with its own network interface (three ports total)
• small form factor server with two network interfaces
• ancient server (that I will get round to decommissioning sometime)
• UPS management card
• wireless access point

In between the two switches are two 1000BaseSX (gigabit) links over a four core fibre, running as an aggregated pair.


The switches are a now discontinued Zyxel 24 port layer 2 managed gigabit switch (GS-2024), which has some nasty bugs in the more advanced functions but are solid in the basic switching, link aggregation and VLAN functions.

If I was buying now, I'd go for the new range of Cisco Small Business switches, which are excellent on price/performance (significantly cheaper than the competing HP ProCurve ranges) and the highest models support 10 Gigabit on a few ports. With the right optics, the fibre between the buildings is capable of 10 Gigabit links - in a few years' time, I may need that kind of capacity with the way speeds are going!

Edited by deleted (Mon 28-Jan-13 01:32:18)

In reply to a post by gmoorc:

Something to bare in mind is how many ports do you need now and in the future.
If daisy chaining the 8 and 5 you will end up with 10.
If direct to both you will have 11.

Good point.

After some further thought I only need one extra port for a Raspberry Pi-based Airprint box that I plan to build as my wife now has an iPad, so I might just plug that into the router but it'll mean a small extra box in the living room which may or may not be visible.

Once some major building work is done to convert the dining room and kitchen into a single kitchen/diner, there'll be many more network points so at that point I'll be more ready to invest in the 16 port switch, and by then they'll hopefully be cheaper

In reply to a post by gmoorc:

By the way you helped me out around 18 months ago when I was putting my 16 port switch in

I'm chuffed you remembered that - thanks

In reply to a post by David_W:

House

• two desktop PCs
• three laptop PCs
• three Virgin TiVo boxes
• UPS management card
• laser printer
• scanner
• wireless access point
• two VoIP adapters
• music player
• BT FTTC modem (this is carried over a dedicated VLAN, as the router is in the outbuilding)

Outbuilding

• rack mounted server with four network interfaces and a management card with its own network interface (five ports total - this is our router / firewall / intrusion detection system)
• rack mounted server with two network interfaces and a management card with its own network interface (three ports total)
• small form factor server with two network interfaces
• ancient server (that I will get round to decommissioning sometime)
• UPS management card
• wireless access point

One router, one PC, one NAS here (Laptop and spare PC and router in a cupboard).

Cheers for the info, and cheers for the bullets. I didn't know you could do that.