Gigabit switches

I've been trying to find info re best low-budget 8-port Gigabit switches.
Plugged common model numbers into Google: Zero hits! I've heard
various reports about the following:

SMC8508T
Netgear: GS108, GS108NA
Netgear GS608
D-Link DGS-1008D
Linksys SD2008
Linksys EG008W

All are in the $100 range.

I've used other Linksys products in the past, so I initially picked up
an SD2008. The thing may be functionally perfect (I dunno) but it
deserves its reputation for Loud. It's distracting. EG008W is supposed
to be just as bad.

I never thought I'd want to specify a computer part by noise level,
but are any of the other switches above decent AND quieter than
the Linksys? I'd love to hear functional comparisons as well as
noise. I can probably deal with 5 ports if necessary.

I am not familiar with individual model numbers, but if you buy commercial
grade 19 inch rack mountable equipment it will probably be "loud" with more
powerful, heavier duty fans. If you want quiet, you will probably have to
go with the cheap, light weight, "home user" products which often don't have
any fans at all.

--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com


"__BCW" <__(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've been trying to find info re best low-budget 8-port Gigabit switches.
> Plugged common model numbers into Google: Zero hits! I've heard
> various reports about the following:
>
> SMC8508T
> Netgear: GS108, GS108NA
> Netgear GS608
> D-Link DGS-1008D
> Linksys SD2008
> Linksys EG008W
>
> All are in the $100 range.
>
> I've used other Linksys products in the past, so I initially picked up
> an SD2008. The thing may be functionally perfect (I dunno) but it
> deserves its reputation for Loud. It's distracting. EG008W is supposed
> to be just as bad.
>
> I never thought I'd want to specify a computer part by noise level,
> but are any of the other switches above decent AND quieter than
> the Linksys? I'd love to hear functional comparisons as well as
> noise. I can probably deal with 5 ports if necessary.
>
>

On Fri, 8 Apr 2005 11:57:09 -0500, "Phillip Windell" <@.> wrote:
>"__BCW" <__(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> I've been trying to find info re best low-budget 8-port Gigabit switches.
>> Plugged common model numbers into Google: Zero hits! I've heard
>> various reports about the following:
>>
>> SMC8508T
>> Netgear: GS108, GS108NA
>> Netgear GS608
>> D-Link DGS-1008D
>> Linksys SD2008
>> Linksys EG008W
>>
>> All are in the $100 range.
>>
>> I've used other Linksys products in the past, so I initially picked up
>> an SD2008. The thing may be functionally perfect (I dunno) but it
>> deserves its reputation for Loud. It's distracting. EG008W is supposed
>> to be just as bad.
>>
>> I never thought I'd want to specify a computer part by noise level,
>> but are any of the other switches above decent AND quieter than
>> the Linksys? I'd love to hear functional comparisons as well as
>> noise. I can probably deal with 5 ports if necessary.
>>
>I am not familiar with individual model numbers, but if you buy commercial
>grade 19 inch rack mountable equipment it will probably be "loud" with more
>powerful, heavier duty fans. If you want quiet, you will probably have to
>go with the cheap, light weight, "home user" products which often don't have
>any fans at all.

These *are* SOHO units, in rather tiny cases...

__BCW wrote:
> I've been trying to find info re best low-budget 8-port Gigabit switches.
> Plugged common model numbers into Google: Zero hits! I've heard
> various reports about the following:
>
> SMC8508T
> Netgear: GS108, GS108NA
> Netgear GS608
> D-Link DGS-1008D
> Linksys SD2008
> Linksys EG008W
>
> All are in the $100 range.
>
> I've used other Linksys products in the past, so I initially picked up
> an SD2008. The thing may be functionally perfect (I dunno) but it
> deserves its reputation for Loud. It's distracting. EG008W is supposed
> to be just as bad.
>
> I never thought I'd want to specify a computer part by noise level,
> but are any of the other switches above decent AND quieter than
> the Linksys? I'd love to hear functional comparisons as well as
> noise. I can probably deal with 5 ports if necessary.
>
>
Fry's had 5 port Airlink switches on sale for 30 bucks a few days ago.
A pair of those will give you 8 net ports for 60 bucks. I've been using
them and they seem fine.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

CJT wrote:
> __BCW wrote:
>
>> I've been trying to find info re best low-budget 8-port Gigabit switches.
>> Plugged common model numbers into Google: Zero hits! I've heard
>> various reports about the following:
>>
>> SMC8508T
>> Netgear: GS108, GS108NA
>> Netgear GS608
>> D-Link DGS-1008D
>> Linksys SD2008
>> Linksys EG008W
>>
>> All are in the $100 range.
>>
>> I've used other Linksys products in the past, so I initially picked up
>> an SD2008. The thing may be functionally perfect (I dunno) but it
>> deserves its reputation for Loud. It's distracting. EG008W is supposed
>> to be just as bad.
>>
>> I never thought I'd want to specify a computer part by noise level,
>> but are any of the other switches above decent AND quieter than
>> the Linksys? I'd love to hear functional comparisons as well as
>> noise. I can probably deal with 5 ports if necessary.
>>
>>
> Fry's had 5 port Airlink switches on sale for 30 bucks a few days ago.
> A pair of those will give you 8 net ports for 60 bucks. I've been using
> them and they seem fine.
>

BTW, they don't have (or need, apparently) fans.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 04:04:24 GMT, CJT <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>CJT wrote:
>> __BCW wrote:
>>
>>> I've been trying to find info re best low-budget 8-port Gigabit switches.
>>> SMC8508T
>>> Netgear: GS108, GS108NA
>>> Netgear GS608
>>> D-Link DGS-1008D
>>> Linksys SD2008
>>> Linksys EG008W
>>> I never thought I'd want to specify a computer part by noise level,
>>> but are any of the other switches above decent AND quieter than
>>> the Linksys?
>>>
>> Fry's had 5 port Airlink switches on sale for 30 bucks a few days ago.
>> A pair of those will give you 8 net ports for 60 bucks. I've been using
>> them and they seem fine.
>
>BTW, they don't have (or need, apparently) fans.

Thanks. I'm not familiar with Airlink, but I'll give them a look.
Someone must have come out with a 5-port chipset, cause everything is
5-port rather than 4. Kind of strange in a binary world.

BTW, to other responses: Yes, all of the switches above could
probably be considered 'consumer' items these days. I didn't know
anyone bothered to make an upscale 8-port switch (thought they
were all 16+).

I think the SMC and maybe the DLink support jumbo frames. Linksys and
Netgear do not. I guess it's no big deal for the moment.

You'd think that others would be using the same chipset as Linksys,
but as far as I know, Linksys is the only one with the loud fan. Some
say it gets warm despite, but I haven't noticed a heat problem. It
is, however, louder than a complete tower enclosure with several fans
and 500W supply. Quite an achievement for a tiny case.

Also, Linksys's tech support people, with an individual extension for
switches, didn't know their own model numbers. Needless to say, they
had zero technical info. I tried to bring them up to speed on their
own model numbers at least. <g>

_R wrote:
<snip>
> Someone must have come out with a 5-port chipset, cause everything is
> 5-port rather than 4. Kind of strange in a binary world.
>
I think the rationale may be that one will be used as an uplink,
leaving you with 4 net.

<snip>
> Also, Linksys's tech support people, with an individual extension for
> switches, didn't know their own model numbers. Needless to say, they
> had zero technical info. I tried to bring them up to speed on their
> own model numbers at least. <g>
>
That might relate to their buyout by Cisco, whose folks probably
wouldn't know much about their newly acquired product lines.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 16:33:00 GMT, CJT <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>_R wrote:
><snip>
>> Someone must have come out with a 5-port chipset, cause everything is
>> 5-port rather than 4. Kind of strange in a binary world.
>>
>I think the rationale may be that one will be used as an uplink,
>leaving you with 4 net.

I follow. Maybe they didn't think 8-port switches were likely to be
extended.

><snip>
>> Also, Linksys's tech support people, with an individual extension for
>> switches, didn't know their own model numbers. Needless to say, they
>> had zero technical info. I tried to bring them up to speed on their
>> own model numbers at least. <g>
>>
>That might relate to their buyout by Cisco, whose folks probably
>wouldn't know much about their newly acquired product lines.

I think their tech support is in India and the Pillipines. Linksys
has two 8-port switches. They are roughly the same price and
spec, but but they look completely different. One is supposedly
a Cisco product and one a Linksys. Theiir tech support was
familiar with neither.

I've had good luck connecting with competent techs in the
past, even a few months ago. Not sure what happened.

switches I asked about was

On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 18:02:49 -0400, daytripper
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>These *are* SOHO units, in rather tiny cases...

Yes but the SMC8508T come with a kit to make it rack mountable. It
has no fans so its silent and supports Jumbo frames up to 9K. It's a
safe buy IMHO.