View Full Version : Which switch should I get?
I'm looking to upgrade my network to gigabit and don't normally deviate from Linksys for my network gear but I just want to be sure that I'm not locked into something I don't need to be.
D-Link has a "Green" gigabit (http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16833127083) switch that's cheaper and consumes less power than most others out there, but is it stable? Is it the same quality and level as Linksys? Should I just stick with a good thing and not look for the cheaper solution?
I've used DLink and found them to crap out very consistently after a year or so of service. This is collaborated by my IT manager (who works at HQ in another city) as well. So fuck Dlink.
Also, just in case- do you have extra routers lying around? If that's case, you don't even need the switch. Just configure the router to turn off the DHCP and NAT, make sure the LAN address doesn't conflict, then voila! a switch!
The overriding consideration you want to keep in mind is whether the case will keep stuff inside cool. Everything else is gravy, AFAICT.
That's the impression I had of D-Link.
I do have an extra router laying around, but it's no gigabit either.
Stick with Linksys, I've hear little good about DLink products. The few that I've setup (for other people) were far more complicated to setup than Linksys and had more problems.
Stick with Linksys, I've hear little good about DLink products. The few that I've setup (for other people) were far more complicated to setup than Linksys and had more problems.
This is quite interesting as my experience is quite opposite; I found DLink's configuration much easier to use and offered more control than Linksys. For example, Linksys WRT54G doesn't have anything that allows me to assign a specific MAC address a static IP; the manual says that I have to configure the device to ask for a static IP, but I don't like that because that makes the setup much more complicated and potentially buggy.
This doesn't change my poor impression of D-Link's crapping out after a short life, of course. I would generally prefer Netgear because they seems to have Dlink's simplicity in configuring while the hardware is at least as well designed as the linksys without those weird quirks.
Well, a WRT54G is considered a low end router. It's not made to give those controls. Their business class stuff supports those functions though. I personally find the Linksys stuff very easy to configure. Thankfully, an unmanaged switch doesn't require configuration, but stability and runtime. :)
Aha, that may explain the difference then, as I've worked with those sort of routers but not business type routers.
veryamusing
2008-04-29, 20:36
I realize you most likely won't be buying a D-Link product, but if you are still considering it...don't. Their stuff is, in a word, crap.
Please let us know what you do end up getting, ease of set up, use, etc. Thanks!
Well, it looks like I'll definitely be getting the Linksys switch. From what I'm looking to start with, it'll be the SD2005 (http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1123638180556&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=8055622279B25) to be exact. Now just to find it on sale or something...because I'm cheap! :D
I've used DLink and found them to crap out very consistently after a year or so of service. This is collaborated by my IT manager (who works at HQ in another city) as well. So fuck Dlink.x2, except they live ~2 years. Maybe due to EU's warranty laws ;)
I've had good experiences with Netgear and 3Com lately, although they haven't lived to see the 2yr mark yet.
In my own experience 3com and Dlink boxes tend to be re-badges boxes. Meaning someone else made the box, these companies just slam their badge of the front and often their own firmware.
If you want stablitly and performance avoid ranges like d-link, 3com and netgear. They use cheap components that mean the switches become easely saturated with data.
Poor fireware can also contribute to this saturation.
I can't stress enough using quaility switches made by manufactures such as Cicso and USRobotics. They're more expensive for a reason and usually cope much better with network saturation. When choosing a network switch pay particular attension to "Stacking bandwidth" (aka switch fabric). That number kinda equates to the throught put speed of the data going throught the box..(eg: 48gbps)If they don't quote those specs it's lowend.
Equally "managed switches" do exactly what it says on the tin. They manage the network traffic and streamline the through put to enable greater performance and uptime.
All of that said however it really does depend heavy on your budget and your usage requirments. For example it's a little overkill to throw a 24 port gigabit managed switch in an office with 3 computers that just web browse and throw the odd file across them.
High end switches are for high end enviroments, there rest is about finding a happy medium.
I personally use unmanaged switches in my enviroment and quiet a large amount of data is passing through them. However i've no need to think about managed switches yet as the load is just about right.
Well, my switches are only for the 10 computers (7 wire connected, 2 are servers) in my home. I'm about the only one who does a high volume data transfer, though once I've got a good gigabit network going I'll be streaming video through the network more so then my family will be more involved in bandwidth usage.
Most of the outbound traffic handled by the web/FTP server would be minimal, though passing large volumes in bursts. The bulk of the traffic is going to be in-network and certainly not to the point of managed switches. Right now I have 3 switches just due to the physical layout of my network. I'm hoping to knock it down to just two as we turn my office into a nursery.
So I ended up going with the Linksys SD2008, two for that matter!
Well, the first one I bought has a dead port three after less than a month of use. That's the port my AirPort Express was connected to for my 802.11n wireless network. The good part is the store I got it from is going to just let me exchange it. The second one is only 2 weeks old now so we'll see how it works out.
Too bad about that first one. Seems like Linksys stuff just isn't want it used to be anymore. In fact they are dropping the Linksys name on many products and using the higher end Cisco name.
It really does suck because I've always had "faith" in Linksys and have used them for years. Short of a bad WRT54G, everything I've gotten from them has been great. I recommend them to all my customer/clients who don't need "enterprise" level equipment.
How's Cisco's equipment? Is there actually a higher level of stability or is it just a more expensive grouping of features?
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