Need Switch Advice

[VladTrishkin]

I have decided on a 5 to 8 port 10/100Mbits Switch... Whats your recommendations on Switch under $60? Any links with good deals are appricieted.

 

[Kanly]

I haven't checked prices in about 2 months, but $60 for a router with 5-8 ports seems unrealistic.

Also, most of the routers I've seen have been 4-port. Haven't seen a 5 port one.
Umax makes a 7-port one, but that's a lotta $.

Some routers use a switch others use a hub.

For @ $120, the Netgear RT314 router is a champ. Has a built in switch.

You can also get a 1-port router, then hook it up to a 4-8port hub/switch.

Some great reviews of routers are at PracticallyNetworked

 

[VladTrishkin]

Thanks DukeLeto. I did a little more research and found out that i need a Switch, not a Router.
The Switch i need must support DSL sharing.

 

[err]

I just bought linksys 8 port switch at buy... I think it is $77.xx

The 5 port version is 49.xx

these are decent switch. It doesn't have SNMP capability (obviously) but it work fine in my small network.

You can use $10 off $30 or $20 off $100 coupon over at buy. PM me for links.

eRr

 

[Kanly]

Vlad,

any switch will support DSL sharing but you need to be sure of a few things first:

1) Does your ISP give you multiple IPs?
If so, then each comp just gets it's own IP.

2) If you have only 1 IP then you need to:

A) Share that IP through a hardware solution such as a router

or

B) share that IP through a software solution like Sygate or ICS.

As for the Linksys 5-port EZX55W, it shares port #5 with the uplink port so it can do only 4 computers if you are using the uplink port for DSL/CABLE sharing.

 

[VladTrishkin]

Thanx people. I think i will look at the 5-port linksys one, and i will only have one DSL IP, so i will have to use routing software. For now there will be 3 PC's connected.