Managed and Unmanaged switches

[hennessy1]

Now I know someone will say if you don't know the difference then you don't need a managed switch. On the other hand I know that managed switches have a access utility like a router or access point but what situation or enviroment would require a managed switch and what are the advantages and disadvantages compared to unmanaged switches.

 

[filetitan]

okay bud, let me put it this way, unmanaged switch I use it at home, for my xbox, pc's, san, etc.... keep in mind I also use a router,

now at my workplace I use managed switches such as cisco 3750's ($10k switch)
I access that switch by ether serial port, or telnet) depends if its near by or not. Long story short by being managed I am able to set vlan's, mac security, port trunking, forwarding, DHCP, vlans, etc.... (Iam also able to set a dedicated up address to my managed switch) which you cannot do for unmanaged switch's which are just like hubs)

hope that helps!

 

[hennessy1]

so is there any benefit to a managed switch in a small office or home setting?

also can managed switches assign ips? I ask because you said dhcp.

 

[skyking]

No, a swtich is not typically used as a DHCP server. In a small office network, a managed switch is not needed.

 

[NickOlsen8390]

I use a HP 1800-24G here at home. I use the Vlans on it to separate my network from my work network which i constantly have spyware/virus'd up computers. I use the Vlans so that they can see the internet and nothing else on my network. But there is a side i do on my router also and i have a whole different ip range on that vlan interface and filter rules set so it cant see my network.
If i didn't set the filter rules i could get to 192.168.0.0/24 from a 10.10.105.0/24 ip, which in any other environment wouldn't work, Just another feature of my router.

Basically the switch separates the networks and i add the vlan on my router by id.