Need help choosing a cheap gigabit switch

[Lightning983]

Okay, since i can get it i'll go with the netgear GS105GE, its not very expensive and has all the ports i'll need in the next 2 years

So realistically i can expect something in the range from 35 - 55MB/s? because that's what i was hoping for... my old 100MBit network was really slow...

 

[alevasseur14]

Maybe I missed it, but do you have a router? If you're just hooking directly into your modem right now I'd recommend getting a router to put between your computer and the net. It will have a switch built in and will provide a bit more security than just a straight switch. Gigabit routers are quite common these days as well...

 

[Lightning983]

I have a router i got from my ADSL provider, and its more than enough for my needs (net and security wise) , so i don't feel like investing in a gigabit router which is probably more expensive

But for my home net i'd prefer something with a bit more speed (the router i have is only 100MBit) + i have 2 LAN ports on my motherboard so that i can keep them separated, and i only need 1 computer to go online.

 

[alevasseur14]

Oh, sure! If your modem already has a router built in you're all set!

Glad to hear it!

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: Lightning983
So realistically i can expect something in the range from 35 - 55MB/s? because that's what i was hoping for... my old 100MBit network was really slow...

The particular gigabit switch typically has very little to do with how fast your file transfers are -- the OS, tuning, file system, NIC, etc. will matter much more and typically limit you before the switch does.

You can test gigabit performance without a gigabit switch -- by directly connecting two gigabit-enabled computers with a network cable (straight through or crossover generally doesn't matter these days), adjusting for IP addresses, and measuring file transfers/etc.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: Madwand1

Originally posted by: Lightning983
So realistically i can expect something in the range from 35 - 55MB/s? because that's what i was hoping for... my old 100MBit network was really slow...

The particular gigabit switch typically has very little to do with how fast your file transfers are -- the OS, tuning, file system, NIC, etc. will matter much more and typically limit you before the switch does.

You can test gigabit performance without a gigabit switch -- by directly connecting two gigabit-enabled computers with a network cable (straight through or crossover generally doesn't matter these days), adjusting for IP addresses, and measuring file transfers/etc.

It doesn't matter on gigabit what kind of cable, auto detection is part of the specification.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: Crusty
It doesn't matter on gigabit what kind of cable, auto detection is part of the specification.

It is optional, not mandatory in the standard. But as I wrote, it's typically supported with modern hardware, so it's a non-issue.