Recommendations on a 24-Port 10/100MB Ethernet Switch?

[Turfzilla]

Im with DainBrammage on this one. The Cisco Catalyst 2950 is awesome. I put in thoes switches in the high school I attended alond with a few DHCP servers. 2950 bud!!

 

[Boscoh]

I disagree with that recommendation.

Bottom line is the 2950 is a great switch...for the right environment. If your company is as small and simple as it sounds like, the 2950 is going to be big time overkill for you. Your money will be better spent getting a PowerConnect 2xxx series, or even a 3xxx series if you need the managed version. You can use the 600+ dollars you save towards something else like a better firewall, or a comprehensive anti-virus solution.

It really just doesnt make sense to buy a Lexus when all you really need is a Ford, and by getting the Ford you can also afford to get that new waterfowl-slaughtering shotgun you've been wanting too.

That's what I'd do.

 

[blakeatwork]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: subgenius
I probably should have been more specific in my initial post, but I guess a healthy debate is never hurt anyone. I work in a small office with an unmanaged Netgear 8 port 10MBps Ethernet hub. Although it would be a bit of a stretch to call me a Sys Admin, I'm the geek in the office, so any computer question on any topic lands in my lap. Right now we're in the process of looking to replace our hub with an unmanaged 24-port Fast Ethernet switch with a budget of roughly $400. I don't think a managed switch will be necessary.

Thanks again to everyone who posted.

If you're just worried about amking sure everyone's connected, then definitely unmanaged, as you can get some decent network sniffers that will work in conjunction.

you won't be able to sniff much of anything with a unmanaged switch. The requires a span or mirror port.

??? What about Snort et al? Do they not monitor at the physical level?

 

[GTiBri]

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: blakeatwork

Originally posted by: subgenius
I probably should have been more specific in my initial post, but I guess a healthy debate is never hurt anyone. I work in a small office with an unmanaged Netgear 8 port 10MBps Ethernet hub. Although it would be a bit of a stretch to call me a Sys Admin, I'm the geek in the office, so any computer question on any topic lands in my lap. Right now we're in the process of looking to replace our hub with an unmanaged 24-port Fast Ethernet switch with a budget of roughly $400. I don't think a managed switch will be necessary.

Thanks again to everyone who posted.

If you're just worried about amking sure everyone's connected, then definitely unmanaged, as you can get some decent network sniffers that will work in conjunction.

you won't be able to sniff much of anything with a unmanaged switch. The requires a span or mirror port.

??? What about Snort et al? Do they not monitor at the physical level?

IIRC the problem is that by definition, a switch does not send any extra info to a port that the packet is not addressed to. Unless you have a managed switch and configure it to span ports (basically setting it up so that all packets get mirrored to a certain port so that a computer can monitor all the network traffic.)

And in Subgenius' case, it doesn't sound like there will be any kind of network monitoring/diagnostics run, so a regular ole dumb switch sounds like the thing to do.


Subgenius: Dell sells a Powerconnect 2324 10/100 + 2 Gb unmanaged switch for $178. Or without the Gb connections for $128. (2224)