Need 12+ Port Gigabit Switch Recommendations

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Jagercola

Senior member
Aug 23, 2001
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Hey Network Wizards,

Anyone have any recommendations for a 12+ port gigabit switch that handles jumbo frames? I'm redoing my home network and need that many ports for all my different drops. I thought about using two 8 switch ports Daisey chained, or one larger switch. Any brand / model recommendations that are fast, reliable, and economical? I saw this one at Newegg but thought there may be something out there better for the price, or cheaper that will do.

Thanks in advance
 
heymrdj

heymrdj

Diamond Member
May 28, 2007
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I can say first hand it works well. I chose the 24 port model of that for the Bainbridge College Computer Club. We use it out Lan Parties. 16 clients, 3 balanced web servers, and 4 serving machines, and it pumps it all around with no problems at all.
 
J

Jagercola

Senior member
Aug 23, 2001
384
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That HP unmanaged switch gets high marks. I see it still lists QOS, so you could have VOIP have a higher priority level. My only question is since it is a unmanaged switch, how do you set up the QOS?


Managed vs. Smart - By what I can gather, on a managed switch you have to use a serial interface, but smart switch is a web interface?

Looks like Netgear's 24 port smart switch is the same prie as HP's unmanaged ProCurve. Since both list QOS, I guess the big difference would be the ability to setup a future VPN, but I might be able to do that on my Linksys w54wrt w/ custom firmware.

Edit: How about this one? Good reviews on newegg, has QOS, 24 Port, rackmountable?
 
M

mcmilljb

Platinum Member
May 17, 2005
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Originally posted by: Jagercola
That HP unmanaged switch gets high marks. I see it still lists QOS, so you could have VOIP have a higher priority level. My only question is since it is a unmanaged switch, how do you set up the QOS?
Click to expand...

You can't setup QoS on a unmanaged switch. "IEEE 802.1p prioritization: delivers data to devices by honoring the priority and type of traffic." It's just going to trust the priority given to it. It won't know what to do with it though.

Managed vs. Smart - By what I can gather, on a managed switch you have to use a serial interface, but smart switch is a web interface?
Click to expand...

Both switches use a web interface. A managed switch just means you can do management operations on the switch.

Looks like Netgear's 24 port smart switch is the same prie as HP's unmanaged ProCurve. Since both list QOS, I guess the big difference would be the ability to setup a future VPN, but I might be able to do that on my Linksys w54wrt w/ custom firmware.

Edit: How about this one? Good reviews on newegg, has QOS, 24 Port, rackmountable?
Click to expand...

That Dlink doesn't have QoS listed in the specs.
 
M

Madwand1

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2006
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FYI, Dell 2716: 16 gigabit ports, fan-less, 9K jumbo frames in managed mode. Price varies; frequently on sale, currently $184 USD. Was ~$200 USD yesterday IIRC.
 
J

Jagercola

Senior member
Aug 23, 2001
384
0
76
Thanks everyone for your recommendations, I've got a great list to choose from. I've been trying to read up on QOS and different implementation in switches. I know the 802.1p has to rely on the application and network adapter to crank out the correct packet indentifiers. My VOIP modem doesn't do 802.1p, so I think I need something like port (physical), MAC, or VLAN (setup one Vlan for normal stuff, then one for high priority stuff). The NETGEAR GS724T has some sort of High vs. Normal port based QOS, but I like the no-fan on the dell and the HP managed switch.
 
RebateMonger

RebateMonger

Elite Member
Dec 24, 2005
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Is QOS on a switch really of benefit in a gigabit LAN in a house? VOIP and online games will likely be limited by the Internet connection speed long before any local traffic issues show up.
 
M

mcmilljb

Platinum Member
May 17, 2005
2,144
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Originally posted by: Jagercola
Thanks everyone for your recommendations, I've got a great list to choose from. I've been trying to read up on QOS and different implementation in switches. I know the 802.1p has to rely on the application and network adapter to crank out the correct packet indentifiers. My VOIP modem doesn't do 802.1p, so I think I need something like port (physical), MAC, or VLAN (setup one Vlan for normal stuff, then one for high priority stuff). The NETGEAR GS724T has some sort of High vs. Normal port based QOS, but I like the no-fan on the dell and the HP managed switch.
Click to expand...

What kind of VoIP setup do you have/want? I think that can help us make better suggestions.
 
M

mcmilljb

Platinum Member
May 17, 2005
2,144
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Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Is QOS on a switch really of benefit in a gigabit LAN in a house? VOIP and online games will likely be limited by the Internet connection speed long before any local traffic issues show up.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I wish low end switches would quit advertising QoS.

Implementing 802.1p by itself is worthless. An ethernet frame for a normal ipv4 packet will not have any QoS markings on the frame except in the layer 3 header which a lower end switch will not be able to read. Plus if you can't setup queues to prioritize traffic, you're still not getting any QoS benefits. If you're really worried about QoS, use a router that actually has support for prioritizing traffic by looking at IP headers.
 
mxnerd

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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So if a small business / home user wanted to have some kind of VOIP solutions, do they need a managed smart switch with QoS or no? Or all they need is a router with QoS support?
 
M

mcmilljb

Platinum Member
May 17, 2005
2,144
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Originally posted by: mxnerd
So if a small business / home user wanted to have some kind of VOIP solutions, do they need a managed smart switch with QoS or no? Or all they need is a router with QoS support?
Click to expand...

It would depend on the setup, but if you only have a few computers, I would look at a router.

You have to do your research on what VoIP services you want and then plan what protocols your hardware needs to support.
 
mxnerd

mxnerd

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Jul 6, 2007
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I'm using all Charter's service now. TV, Telephone and Internet. But their Telephone (on their own network, not through internet)is expensive, but quality is good, so I'm considering using generic VOIP. I can use Skype, but my parents don't know how to use a computer. So I need a VOIP solution. My router now is ASUS D500G premium with DD-WRT, will that be enough?

 
M

mcmilljb

Platinum Member
May 17, 2005
2,144
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Originally posted by: mxnerd
I'm using all Charter's service now. TV, Telephone and Internet. But their Telephone (on their own network, not through internet)is expensive, but quality is good, so I'm considering using generic VOIP. I can use Skype, but my parents don't know how to use a computer. So I need a VOIP solution. My router now is ASUS D500G premium with DD-WRT, will that be enough?
Click to expand...

Well if you want to switch from Charter's service, then you need to start identifying who has the service you want. There are not a lot of mainstream VoIP providers, so you're going to have to do some research on the providers available. The VoIP provider is the most important factor because if they have awful service, no hardware you purchase is going to be able to overcome that.

Skype doesn't have any stand-alone phone support or phone adapter?
 
C

chucky2

Lifer
Dec 9, 1999
10,018
37
91
We've got AT&T's U-Verse here in our house, with regular POTS service for voice, and I was reading up on their U-Voice service.

Basically, it's VoIP, however, it doesn't use the Internet portion of your bandwidth. Apperantly with U-Verse, the TV has a certain bandwidth segment, the Internet has a certain bandwidth segment, and if you get their U-Voice service, it has it's own bandwidth segment.

It'd require you to basically drop Comcast, but, it would get you away from the need to manage your VoIP traffic.

Just an option.....

Chuck
 
mxnerd

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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Well, I'm not in AT&T served area, so that's not an option.

And since I still have 4 months to finish the one year contract with Charter, I can't switch now.

 
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