Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)With switch prices coming down to about $10-per-port, it's hard to justify buying anything less than a 10/100-switch for all but the most cost-conscious buyer.
As most 5-port 10/100 switches have the same capabilities and cost about the same, there's not much to distinguish one from another. Still, I particularly like the Netgear FS-105 5-port switch. Like other products from Netgear, this switch is a little nicer than the competition because it has:
- Nice sturdy metal construction instead of plastic. The case also has a grounding tab in case you're using the switch in a (electrically) high-noise environment.
- Connection status indicators built into the jacks, so you can easily tell which cable is connected and is active. (The "vistajack" feature.)
- Right-angled barrel power connector which reduce the likelihood of disconnecting power accidentally.
- An easy-to-access switch to toggle port 1 between station mode and uplink mode. Unlike some hubs where two jacks are wired together, this design prevents accidentally shorting a station to an uplink.
- Screw-mount notches on the underside allows for easy attachment to the wall, underside of a counter, etc.
With a 1000-MAC address buffer and 200 Kbytes-per-port packet buffer, this switch can easily handle the typical traffic load of small- and medium-sized networks.
The Netgear product is not the cheapest 10/100-switch (check out the D-Link Fast Ethernet Switch, for example), but for overall design and value-for-money, I still like the Netgear the most.
Click Here to see more reviews about:
Netgear FS105NA Switch 5Port MetalThe NETGEAR FS105 ProSafe 5-Port 10/100 Desktop Switch provides your local area network (LAN) with a reliable 10/100 Mbps auto-sensing connectivity for five users.
Sturdy and Reliable Design NETGEAR's FS100 series desktop switches are housed in a compact sturdy metal case designed without the need for internal fans, keeping operation both silent and more reliable. It can be placed on a flat surface or you can use the included wall mount kit.
Simple Setup and Stellar Performance Plug in your Ethernet cables and connect a power cord, and you're ready to go. There is no software to install or settings to configure. The switch features auto negotiation, which automatically obtains the fastest possible connection, and Auto Uplink takes care of the MDI/MDI-X connection. There are no toggle switches or special crossover cables. If your network has existing 10BASE-T devices, they will work seamlessly within a higher bandwidth environment with each port achieving its full speed.
Every port supports up to 200 Mbps in dedicated bandwidth. Automatic flow control ensures smooth traffic. The FS105 has 64 KB of buffer memory and an address database size of 1,000. The switch has status LEDs for power, and link, speed, and activity for each port.
The NETGEAR FS105 ProSafe 5-Port 10/100 Desktop Switch has a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of 390,000 hours and is backed by a lifetime warranty. The power adapter is backed by a 2-year warranty.
What's in the Box FS105 Desktop Switch, wall-mount kit, power adapter, quick installation guide, warranty/support information card.
Click here for more information about Netgear FS105NA Switch 5Port Metal
