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Switches and hubs
- Thread starter Unknown_K
- Start date
sergey
Veteran Member
I've seen only a few 100 Mbps hubs and that was long ago - early 2000's or so. I don't think anyone is using hubs anymore (unless maybe for some special purposes, such as sniffing / monitoring the network). Switches are pretty cheap now, and have multiple advantages over hubs...
Ole Juul
Veteran Member
I've got a couple of hubs that I've never used but keep as collector's items. For my LAN, I currently use three routers with their built-in 4 port switches, as well as two small stand-alone switches.
I just got a gigabit enabled router, although not for that particular reason. I suppose the high speed may be handy for local bulk transfers and backup, but most of my stuff is 10/100 and waiting a tenth of a second for my document files hasn't gotten on my nerves yet. Since all the cable is Cat5e these days, upgrades will be easy. I guess people who shuffle a lot of movies or large scientific databases can get real benefit. I only watch one or two movies a year so the irritation factor of having to wait for a LAN transfer is tolerable, to say the least.
I don't do much wireless stuff, but find that with old WRT54Gx routers being $10 bucks on eBay, I don't mind having the extra channels to suit multiple purposes, and since those routers will take Tomato, they're a great multi-purpose solution (switch, or router, or access point). As for standalone switches, I use a Netgear 8 port 10/100, and a cheapo 4 port (Belkin I think) in the basement.
I just got a gigabit enabled router, although not for that particular reason. I suppose the high speed may be handy for local bulk transfers and backup, but most of my stuff is 10/100 and waiting a tenth of a second for my document files hasn't gotten on my nerves yet. Since all the cable is Cat5e these days, upgrades will be easy. I guess people who shuffle a lot of movies or large scientific databases can get real benefit. I only watch one or two movies a year so the irritation factor of having to wait for a LAN transfer is tolerable, to say the least.
I don't do much wireless stuff, but find that with old WRT54Gx routers being $10 bucks on eBay, I don't mind having the extra channels to suit multiple purposes, and since those routers will take Tomato, they're a great multi-purpose solution (switch, or router, or access point). As for standalone switches, I use a Netgear 8 port 10/100, and a cheapo 4 port (Belkin I think) in the basement.
Compgeke
Veteran Member
I 'm running a Linksys E1000 V2.1 with DD-WRT. I also have dual gigabit ethernet on my desktop and server which get used for file backups when restoring a system, just running a cable between two gigabit systems is a lot faster than either wireless or 100 Mb/s ethernet (if the system I'm working on supports Gigabit, most things do today).
I've been debating upgrading to gigabit although I'm not sure it'd matter much other than the thought. I have a router that has gigabit but upstairs (computer room) I'm using a very noisy Cisco Catalyst 2800 or something (24-port 10/100 switch). I did that to learn more cisco configurations/management although admittedly I basically set it up then haven't played with it much. Since then our company has decommed better equipment that I've thought about if we ever dispose of a gigabit switch but in honesty I'm getting tired of the hum (the decibels are probably higher than I'd approve if I knew) and I'm sure I'm wasting a lot of electricity running it. I'm thinking I'd be better off just running a lame little end user switch up there which can be found for cheap or gigabit for more but still cheap. I don't use 24-ports.. plus I have a Cabletron blade networking thing in the garage with fiber blades and 100 or so ports on it if I ever did need to do something stupid.
I still have my first 3com officeconnect hub (8 ports, AUI, and coax) that was purchased new sometime in the mid 1990's, still works but hasn't been used in ages. My first network here in the house was coax.
I have so many GB machines I figured it would be worth it to get a switch. Most of my vintage collection are connected to the 3com 10/100 switches since everything on the planet autoconfigs correctly with them. I have a couple DSS-5+ in my room for the machines I use most daily (D-link I think they are), the router is a Linsys B/G wireless.
Its not like GB ethernet is going to affect internet speeds since my cable is 20Mb anyway.
I have so many GB machines I figured it would be worth it to get a switch. Most of my vintage collection are connected to the 3com 10/100 switches since everything on the planet autoconfigs correctly with them. I have a couple DSS-5+ in my room for the machines I use most daily (D-link I think they are), the router is a Linsys B/G wireless.
Its not like GB ethernet is going to affect internet speeds since my cable is 20Mb anyway.
Jorg
Veteran Member
I'm using thin ethernet for my vintage machines, but if once in a while I need one of them to connect to the internet or my main network, I have a Gb switch for that... because I needed to buy one and that was the cheapest/readily available.
this one: http://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-SG1005D-Unmanaged-Gigabit-Desktop/dp/B000N99BBC
I used to use a 3-com 10 Mbps hub for that, but since I moved I can't find it
Actually I expected to find it immediately after I bought the Gb switch, thats how it goes most times.
this one: http://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-SG1005D-Unmanaged-Gigabit-Desktop/dp/B000N99BBC
I used to use a 3-com 10 Mbps hub for that, but since I moved I can't find it
Actually I expected to find it immediately after I bought the Gb switch, thats how it goes most times.