In this article, I will tell you about the Best Ethernet switches of 2023. There are many types of switches, one of which is the Ethernet switch. A device widely used in some homes requires many devices to be connected to the network via wiring, offices, and servers. And, even though wireless networks have been imposed, they still rely heavily on wiring.
If you need one of these network equipment, the fact is that they are quite convenient for most parts, although there are some more modern ones. Owning one is still beyond the average person’s reach if you need to know some technical details that will help you choose and the best model that you can find in the market.
The best Ethernet switch model
Here are some examples of what works best when it comes to Ethernet switches for home or office.
D-Link DXS-1100-10T
D-Link DXS-1100-10TS – 10GbE managed layer two switches (8 10 GBase-T ports and 2 SFP + ports, 1U
- 19 “Rack Mountable, High-Performance Business-Class Managers Network Switch with 1U.
- It has 8 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 2 10 GB ESFP + ports.
Big words are being used to say D-Link DXS-1100-10T. True, this can be bypassed-but not unless you’re a techie who knows what he’s doing. This device supports speeds up to 10 Gbps (NBSET-T) and fiber optics.
The switch has 8 8 10 GB bit LAN ports (RJ45) for fiber optics and 2 SFP + ports. And if that’s not enough, it works with high efficiency and even for installation in server cabinets, can mount in 19 ″ racks and occupy 1U height.
It also has non-blocking technology that can switch between different connected devices without blocking, at 200 gigabits per second, and up to 16,384 entries with a Mac table. The firmware of this device is also the best you can find in the market.
Net Gear Night Hawk SX10
Net Gear Night Hawk GS810EMX-100PES – Pro Gaming SX10 Switch (2 GB Ethernet Ports)
- 10G is 10 times faster than 1G – Supports all the multi-gigabyte devices with the power they deserve.
- Overcome Delays and Reduce Intervals: Suitable for gaming, bandwidth access limit per.
Another great model of Ethernet switch that you can find is the NetGear Nighthawk SX10. It is also a very professional model, although much cheaper than the previous model. It is ideal for offices or gaming because of its high performance and optimization (reduces delays) for such applications.
Its maximum speed is 10 Gbps (NBESET) for its 2 ports, in which we have to add 8 more ports that operate at 1 Gbps. In this case, the firmware is excellent, with a lot of functions and settings to choose from.
D-Link DGS-108
D-Link DGS-108 – Network Switch (8 Gigabit RJ45 Ports, 10/100/1000 Mbps, Metal Chassis, IGMP).
- Metal chassis for maximum resistance and heat dissipation, which translates into maximum.
- Plug and play, no configuration required.
If you are looking for something cheap for your home, D-Link DGS-108 is one of the best options for you. This is a team thanks to its metal chassis with good performance, great durability, and good heat dissipation, allowing you to work comfortably without problems.
It has 1 Gbps speed (1000BASE-T) with 8 ports. It’s so easy to set up that you need to connect, and it will work. And if you have an Internet TV service, it has IGMP snooping, so performance will be guaranteed to avoid annoying downloads.
TP-Link TL-SG108
TP-Link TL-SG108 V3.0, Network Desktop Switch (10/100/1000 Mbps, Steel Enclosure, IEE 802.3X).
- 8-Port Gigabyte Switch, 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Suite RJ45 Extends Better.
- Rugged Metal Box Network Switch, Silent Fanless Design, Desktop or Wall-Mount Design.
This TP-Link is an alternative to the previous D-Link, just as cheap and perfect for homes or offices that don’t need it. In this case, its speed is up to 1 Gbps and 8 RJ45 ports.
It also means IGMP snooping for those who use IPTV services and is also equipped with a metal chassis that acts as a heat sink to keep it warm. To prevent it when used excessively.
What is a switch?
A switch, or switch, is a device that allows multiple devices to be connected to a network. This way, all devices can be connected to the local area network or LAN. Besides, the technical specifications will, in this case, follow the Ethernet standard (IEEE 802.3).
Differences between hub and switch
You have to differentiate between a hub and a switch because although they have similar functions, the fact is that they have some differences. For example, how frames are sent. This is the way the information is transmitted to the network frames.
In the case of a network hub, these frames, or series of bits, are sent evenly to all devices connected to the hub. Instead, the switches will only send them to the target device. In other words, a hub acts like a common power thief that turns one plug into several.
Instead, as its name suggests, the switch behaves like a switch, switching between different outputs to send information to the appropriate device. Therefore, it will have to have some more advanced hardware and will be able to recognize where it has to direct the information.
For example, suppose you have a computer connected to a switch and a network printer. If another connected device sends information to print a document, that information does not have to go to the PC’s network adapter but to the printer …
Why do I need an Ethernet switch?
The main task is to connect or connect more than one device to the network. But it would help if you did not confuse it with the router, as the Ethernet switch does not provide connectivity to other networks or the Internet. That is, to connect the devices to the Internet, the switch also needs to be connected to the router.
But by connecting multiple network devices using the switch, you can:
Share data between multiple connected computers.
Use network printers.
Create a router limited to ports to share this connection with multiple devices, thanks to the fact that the switch increases the number of available ports.
However, if you connect a switch to your router, keep in mind that your network’s speed will limit the connectivity of all connected devices. That is, the switch will share the speed of the Internet but not multiply it …
Ethernet switch types
There are many types of Ethernet switches on the market. The most prominent are:
Desktop: These are the most basic without any extras. They are most commonly used at home. They usually have 4 to 8 ports. Their speed is usually 1/10/100 Mbps, which works in the form of half-duplex and full-duplex.
Unmanageable Edge: Used for small, medium, to medium input networks. They are much bigger and more expensive than the previous ones. Also, in some cases, they can be from 4 ports to 24. Its speed is up to 10/100 Mbps and 1 Gbps.
Manageable ambush: Like the previous ones, but for high-performance medium / large networks. Its ports range from 16 to 48, and the configuration is a more advanced configuration speed for more personalized management.
Medium-performance stems: They are used for high-performance medium-sized networks and advanced functions. Some can even reach speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
High performance stems: They are used in large data center servers and supercomputing (HPC). They are very expensive and advanced, they are also quite large in size, and they offer very fast.
How does the switch work?
Many switched networks have a star topology. A configuration will be used when using an Ethernet LAN where all devices are connected to a central switch.
As I mentioned, they work with switches instead of their circuitry and processor. Therefore, they will send network packets through the appropriate output. Not every connected device will receive the same thing as the Hub but can work as if they were all independently connected to the router.
This way, you get network scalability to connect more devices. Something beneficial for connected devices in homes, offices, and large companies.
You also need to know that you can save a lot of bandwidth, as it does not put data into the switch through each port, as is the case in Hub when two nodes are trying to communicate. The switch will use each connected device’s MAC address to identify them and thus transmit data individually between the sender node and the receiver node.
On the other hand, in the center, the speed was lower than that of the connected devices when moving between them. In other cases, it is not …
Buying advice for Ethernet switches
To choose a good Ethernet Cable, you have to consider several considerations. Considering these parameters, the purchase should be a success, without any surprises or disappointments to the device you have acquired due to any of its limitations.
The best brands of switches
If you want a reliable device and works as long as the workload is heavy, you should look for the best brands. Otherwise, you may end up suffering more than you really enjoy what it has to offer.
The best brands I recommend are Cisco, NetGear, TPLink, D-Link, Juniper, and ASUS. They all offer great features. So if you choose any of these models, you should not face too many difficulties while using them.
Speed
The Ethernet switch speed may vary depending on the device, but you should always keep in mind the speed that will be required for this application. For example, using a switch for a server is not the same as using a home instead.
Of course, you know that there are Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and so on. Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASET-T) should suffice for home and office, as speeds of up to 1 Gbps are achieved. It is suitable for many apps and gaming. Instead, business and other high-performance networks will require 10GB (10GbE) or more.
These technologies or standards affect not only the speed but also the type of medium through which it is transmitted, the maximum length of cables, etc. For example:
10BASET-T: Ethernet standard that uses uninterrupted cat3 UTP cable with RJ-45 connectors. 10 indicates that it supports speeds of 10 Mbps. The maximum length for cabling is 100 meters. What’s more, it will cause problems.
1000BASET-TX: This is called Fast Ethernet, with speeds up to 100Mbps. Use the same type of Cat 5, Cat 5, and Cat 6 UTP cable with a maximum of 100 meters.
1000BASE-T: Up to 100 meters in length, UTB uses cat5 or higher cabling. What is the speed of this case, 1000 Mbps or 1 Gbps?
100BASE-FX: It’s similar to the 100BASE-T, but more so than fiber optic cabling. In this case, the length is up to 412 meters.
1000BASE-X: Similar to 1000BASE-T, but with fiber cable. You will find several subtypes, such as SX, LX, EX, ZX, and CX, with minor differences. Depending on it, they can go up to 25 meters of cable length, even kilometers.
10 GBE: Also called XGBE. Several subtypes can support both UTP cable and fiber optic for speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
There are many standards and versions out there, but these are some of the most popular among the equipment you need for your home or office.
Firmware
When you choose unmanaged management, the firmware is a little less important. On the other hand, you have to guarantee that the firmware is good when it comes to somewhat more advanced switches. And especially since the network provider maintains it well, that is, it keeps it constantly updated.
Firmware updates not only allow some functions to be added, as some people think. This can fix your vulnerabilities that affect your security, correct bugs that affect the computer’s proper functioning or improve performance in some cases.
Port density
As you can see, not all Ethernet switch models have the same number of ports. There are 4 to several dozen of them. This is important when you choose the right port because you need to estimate the number of ports you need to connect to enable them all.
You can always buy another switch if you’re missing out, but it’s not the most optical. So think about all the devices you will connect to, both home automation devices, IoT, PC, network printers, etc. It will be ideal for saving some ports if we decide to increase our stockpile in the future.
Nor should you buy a switch at many ports, as it is usually costly, and you will continue to waste money that you will not be able to take advantage of. So, stop and review what you really need.
By the way, some mid-and high-end switches offer modular ports without any particular port type. This will allow you to purchase a separate port module and adapt it to any type. For example, you can install modules for fiber optic modules, or RJ-11 for RJ-45, etc.
In low-end switches, they already come directly with the ports, and in some cases, with higher limits. But if you look at any of these modular ports, you should know that GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converters) for UTP cables for Gigabit Ethernet. And SFP (Small Farm Factor Possible), or Mini GBIC, used for fiber or UTP cable for gigabit or 10 GB.
Management
When I have shown the types of Ethernet switches, you have managed to verify that they are manageable and unmanageable. Well, the manageable ones are more expensive, but they acknowledge the greater the potential for design. While the latter is cheaper and easier to use, but without much flexibility.
Unmanageable and cheap, it comes with a factory default configuration. It will easily plugin and start working without you having to do anything. It’s very comfortable and is recommended for people who have no idea about network settings.
But if you want something else, the manageable device has advanced firmware that gives you many features (CLI, SNMP, VLN, IP routing, IGMP snooping, link aggregation, Can be created with QS, 2). Besides, you can limit bandwidth and make other configurations that will affect network performance and security. That is why they are ideal for professionals or modern networks.
There are currently some smart switches that allow you to manage certain features at an intermediate cost between unmanageable and manageable. They are great for modern homes that need a little more than the offer of unmanaged management but at an affordable price.
Other features
Finally, it would help if you considered other extras through some network switch models. The most notable are:
Buffer size: A buffer is a type of cache that stores data quickly for a specific time. In this way, performance is improved. In some switches, they also have memories that store the frames being sent to a particular port. Besides, it allows the switch to transfer between devices that work at different speeds without slowing down; it only stores the data in that memory while the device has time to slow down. Recover this data quickly. Ensure that the switch has a good amount of these temporary memories if you are going to use the devices at different speeds.
PO (Over Ethernet) and PO +: These are some of the changes supported by some switches and allow the electrical power that these devices need to operate via the same LAN cable. That is, they will not need a separate power cord. It’s not necessary, but it can be good in cases where the Ethernet switch is installed in a place without a plug.
SDN (Software Defined Networking): A set of network techniques for implementing software networks. Currently, the most used open stand is open flow. It allows you to create networks, manage the data path that packets have to run, remote management, etc. It’s not something that is needed in many homes and offices, but it is something you need when you want to build some more modern networks.
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