NETGEAR 8 Port Gigabit Network Switch (GS108) - Ethernet Switch - Ethernet Splitter - Plug-and-Play - Silent Operation - Desktop or Wall Mount

Product Information

To help you find the right Ethernet switch for your needs, we’ve rounded up some of the best models available on the market. We included both managed network switches and unmanaged Ethernet switches in our selection. For a business setting, you may want to get a managed Ethernet switch as you’ll have greater control over it, but for home use, a cheaper unmanaged network switch is perfect. Here's the problem; Wi-Fi is still a lot slower than wired internet. And because every new product is "smart," most people own too many wireless devices---their home Wi-Fi network is congested by dozens of competing signals, which makes the Wi-Fi slower and less reliable. Managed Switch: These types of switches allow users to manage network traffic coming in and out of it. This is where QoS comes into play, allowing users to prioritize bandwidth and traffic based on a connected device’s needs. For example, an online gamer would need more bandwidth than a PC used for day-to-day office work. A: Both Ethernet hubs and switches are networking devices designed to connect multiple computers to a network. Typically though, a switch is used to connect the various network segments, such as PCs, gaming consoles, etc., whereas hubs are usually used to connect multiple Ethernet devices together and make them act as a single segment. Due to this difference, switches are capable of performing better than a hub, by selectively forwarding data to the network segments that actually need it.

Its smart features do shine through for streamers and gamers, with gaming, streaming, and uplink taking up the first three ports by default. The link aggregation feature is also very cool, allowing two ethernet ports to be linked to provide double the bandwidth. Whilst this takes up ports fast, it’s perfect for small gaming/streaming households. KVM Switch: Used to manage multiple PCs from a single unit. This is more for large-scale companies that use this kind of switch to maintain server rooms. It can also be used by home users for various uses. For example, sharing a display between a desktop and Xbox. There’s an element of snake oil when it comes to QoS running on a gigabit switch for home network. If your router doesn’t support it, then great, but if it does, data gets a big QoS tag from the router first. It renders the QoS down the line on the gigabit switch useless, the Netgear Nighthawk s8000 is a great example of this. It’s not so much a mis-sell, more of a strange feature trying to solve an issue that technically doesn’t exist.Unmanaged switches are ideal for home users and anyone else with limited tech and IT knowledge. This type of switch is nothing but a simple hub in which you can plug in your devices. Once they are all connected, just put the switch somewhere and forget it exists. You won’t have to make any updates nor provide other types of input, as the switch will do its job smoothly and quietly all on its own.

This question cannot be so simply answered. A network manager or technician is usually the one best qualified to help you choose a network switch based on your needs. However, for smaller businesses that consist of a single office or freelance professional work, it is not likely that you’re going to need more than a smaller unmanaged switch. If there are thousands of users on the network at any one time, however, then managed switches are crucial. When purchasing an unmanaged Ethernet switch, it is important to keep certain factors in mind to ensure you select the right device for your needs. Consider the following: 1. Number of Ports: Modular switches – These give you all the expansion capabilities you need and are great for those looking to build a professional network. You can add more modules as your network grows without having to buy a new switch. These types of devices provide utmost flexibility but have exaggerated costs. Yes, the costs are justified by their complexity, but if you’re not planning to connect an entire neighborhood to your home network, a fixed switch could be a better starting point. Fixed switches – These are not expandable, and almost all models designed for home or small business use stand in this category. Digging further into the matter, we can break down this category into unmanaged, partially managed, and managed switches.

How did we pick?

The overall speed of each switch was also one of the most critical factors; every switch on our list features up to 100Mbps transfer speeds, with most selections able to attain even faster gigabit speeds — perfect for busy networks. Lastly, we provided options with power over ethernet (PoE) functionality so that you can easily supply power to supported devices on your network without the need for a power cable. Best Ethernet Switch Buyer’s Guide Features