switch question

[rcillig]

I'm looking to install a switch, what the difference between a managed and unmanaged switch ?

Looking to put on behind my DSL Modem/Router to help create a home network. Also a gigabyte ports only has to do with in the network right not out to the internet if I read correctly?

[Adragontattoo]

gigabyte is a company, you mean gigabit.

Yes, a gigabit switch will only speed up traffic insdie the network. No one has gigabit speeds into their home unless they had fiber pulled directly to their house.

[rcillig]

Yes I meant gigabit....lol I suck at spelling.

[TollhouseFrank]

unmanaged means it's NAT table is auto-managed, but if it gets stuck, you have to reset the switch (basically, pull power, wait 15 seconds for the caps to lose power, then plug back in). Have this issue a lot with my unmanaged gigabit switch at home (it's a netgear).

Managed switches, as far as i can tell, (haven't used one myself yet) let you change some settings in them about how they handle traffic and such. Nothing like a router, but they also have much smarter NAT handling and don't fizzle out whenever they forget to flush their own tables.

[rcillig]

I was told by a IT guy from the local collage its better to use a switch rather than a router, what do you guys think? Now I understand they may have some high dollar stuff and that may be true for them but what about for a home setup?

Also I was looking at a netgear switch, what one are you having issues with ?

[VinnyTAMU]

A managed CISCO switch gives you (not an all inclusive list):


802.3ad (Link Aggregation)
802.1Q (VLAN Tagging)
Port Security (Prevent multiple MAC addresses from talking on one physical port)
You can disable individual ports, force negotiation on certain ports, and you can mirror ports as well.
Also you have SNMP on a managed switch as well.

[VinnyTAMU]

I was told by a IT guy from the local collage its better to use a switch rather than a router, what do you guys think?

You indicated that you have a DSL Modem/Router, if that is the case (your DSL Modem also routes) then all you need is a Gbit switch.

Now I understand they may have some high dollar stuff and that may be true for them but what about for a home setup?

If I were you, I would not waste my money on a managed switch and just stick with a unmanaged switch.

I have this switch (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127082) and love it.

[Adragontattoo]

I rarely have ever had to reboot a switch, the only time I have ever had to was when we had either brownouts or very short blackouts.

Now with the UPS I shouldnt fight either.

[SuperMiguel]

what model is your DSL Modem/Router how do you know it is a router?

[rcillig]

what model is your DSL Modem/Router how do you know it is a router?


I got a actiontec pk-5000 modem/router, im guessing is a router by its name... ?

http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=195

[TollhouseFrank]

just make sure that whatever switch you get has a decent NAT table size. My brother didn't check before getting me the one I have and it only has like a 1k NAT. Something in the 8k+ range will help prevent bottlenecking whenever you want multiple connections for something (like you up the pipes in your browser, or multiple connections for MMO's or your linux torrents).

[rcillig]

ok good info....... let me browse a bit and ill post the ones I'm looking at for your guys opinions.

[VinnyTAMU]

just make sure that whatever switch you get has a decent NAT table size. My brother didn't check before getting me the one I have and it only has like a 1k NAT. Something in the 8k+ range will help prevent bottlenecking whenever you want multiple connections for something (like you up the pipes in your browser, or multiple connections for MMO's or your linux torrents).

To clarify, Network Address Translation (NAT) takes place on a router not a switch.

If you run bittorrent on your home network then you want to be concerned with the size of your routers state table.

[TollhouseFrank]

To clarify, Network Address Translation (NAT) takes place on a router not a switch.

If you run bittorrent on your home network then you want to be concerned with the size of your routers state table.

false. some switches have nat tables, and if it's an unmanaged switch, it auto uses that nat table vs. the one in the router. Mine is one of those that has it's own NAT table.

[VinnyTAMU]

false. some switches have nat tables, and if it's an unmanaged switch, it auto uses that nat table vs. the one in the router. Mine is one of those that has it's own NAT table.

Are you maybe thinking about MAC Address Table size?

[rcillig]

ok I cant find anything on NAT Tables with the switches..... here are the 3 I'm looking at...D-Link, Netgear & HP... Whatca guys think ?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010400030%201733045517%20115010988%201150210242&bop=And

[VinnyTAMU]

ok I cant find anything on NAT Tables with the switches..... here are the 3 I'm looking at...D-Link, Netgear & HP... Whatca guys think ?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010400030%201733045517%20115010988%201150210242&bop=And

That page does not work for me.

[rcillig]

D-Link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127082
Netgear http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122111
HP http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833316076

[Headstand]

There is a big difference between commercial switches/routers and home based equipment, a commercial layer 3 switch also routes. So, when it comes to home networking, I say get unmanaged, but don't get the cheapest radio shack special. I use Linksys for my wireless home connections and netgear for some non wireless connections. The netgear I put up at my dads place has not been power cycled in over a year and has never had a problem. It is wired only and has 2 computers and a printer on it. I put it on UPS so he never has to touch it. One of the most reliable I have ever dealt with. A lot of people like D-link, but I had one that kept crapping out when I used WEP, and I never went back to D-link.

Personal choice but I say go with the netgear. Also, what size network? Do you need VPN access or anything else special???

[Headstand]

Based on your links, I would go with the cheapest(D-link). They are all esentially the same.

[VinnyTAMU]

D-Link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127082
Netgear http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122111
HP http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833316076

I have two of those D-Link switches, I love them. I say get the D-Link.

[Headstand]

I say get whatever Vinny says. TAMU is the only school in Texas that is worth anything. :)

[TempliNocturnus]

false. some switches have nat tables, and if it's an unmanaged switch, it auto uses that nat table vs. the one in the router. Mine is one of those that has it's own NAT table.

Uhh, switches are layer 2 devices that have nothing to do with NAT, or network layer function. MAC tables, however, are a layer 2 function that has everything to do with switching, as VinnyTAMU pointed out. Read up on the OSI model...

@ OP:

If you simply want a bunch of computers/devices to be able to talk to each other, then get an unmanaged switch.

A managed switch will let you designate certain ports to be isolated from other ports (called VLAN's), as well as designate a port to allow the device attatched to it to monitor all other traffic attached to the switch (called Port Mirroring). You can configure the different methods used when forwarding frames. Some models will even allow you to use Port Security, which will only allow a devices with specific MAC address(es) access. Get a managed switch if these features appeal to you now, or you think you might want to integrate them into your network in the future.

Managed switches also have more memory and better processors than unmanaged, allowing them to more effectively build and maintain MAC tables and handle frames.

If you buy a poorly designed/manufactured switch, then you will probably end up resetting it every so often like TollhouseFrank's netgear switch. Over time, heat, and heavy use, the switching hardware becomes unstable and/or the MAC table become corrupt.

[VinnyTAMU]

I say get whatever Vinny says. TAMU is the only school in Texas that is worth anything. :)

Man after my own heart!

[rcillig]

I have two of those D-Link switches, I love them. I say get the D-Link.

awesome then ill prolly get the d-link.