Need to upgrade Netgear GS108T due need for more ports

[nikleb]

I have currently a Netgear GS108T switch for my main network. I like to have separate devices for switch, firewall, and wireless.
The GS108T is great. However, I am running out of ports. Unfortunately, there are no 10 port Netgears. I am not sure if I should get the 16 port version of this model or go to an un-managed version. Frankly, I have not used much of the managed functionality of my current Switch.
However, I want to stay with a high-quality "business" style device.

 

[L&LD]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/unmanaged-gigabit-ethernet-switch-roundup,4321.html

See the 3rd reply in the comments by CaedenV , January 16, 2016 3:44 AM.

Netgear switches (managed or not) are my recommendations.

 

[nikleb]

I agree about Netgear.
However, not sure which modle to choose. GS116?

 

[KenZ71]

I am in a similar situation

Wondering if I should go the economical route and just get another gs108 then split the load?

At what point is a managed vs unmanaged the better way go to ?

 

[coxhaus]

One big switch is always faster than 2 smaller switches. The backplane in a larger switch is greater than what can be talked back and forth between 2 smaller switches. If you don't max out data and only mainly use the internet you probably won't notice a difference.

 

[sfx2000]

One big switch is always faster than 2 smaller switches. The backplane in a larger switch is greater than what can be talked back and forth between 2 smaller switches. If you don't max out data and only mainly use the internet you probably won't notice a difference.

Depends on the vendor - I've seen a lot of un-managed 8-port/16-port switches that use the same chipset, and ganging up two can actually be more bandwidth downstream per port...

 

[coxhaus]

I don't see it. The backplane bandwidth on every GIG switch is greater than one or 2 GIG ports used for uplink. Once you go outside the switch you are now limiting bandwidth to 2 or 3 GIG ports. Say you have a 16 GIG backplane on a switch. Once you go outside the switch away from the backplane you have limited your throughput to 1 or 2 GIG based on the uplink GIG port or ports. It is the inter communication between switches which degrades performance. This is the reason for stacking switches.

If you have stacking switches this does not apply.

 

[sfx2000]

Depends on the traffic and doing the math...

And yes, I typically stack switches where I can...

 

[coxhaus]

Stacking switches is a feature you have to buy in higher end switches which costs more money.

The cheap route is to buy the biggest switch with the most ports so your data connections all stay within 1 big switch and can all run in 1 backplane.

 

[nikleb]

So, would the GS716Tv3 be the logical upgrade for a GS108T?

That switch is really large. Or rather the GS116Ev2?

 

[coxhaus]

I would go with the 16 port switch. It will give you room to grow.


PS
How big of backplane you buy depends on what your local data needs are. If you have to have local multiple switches do to different local locations then you put the largest backplane where your core is located.

PSS
Like I said above if you are only accessing the internet from your devices it may not make a lot of difference. But it is good to know the rules.

 

[nikleb]

How about GS716Tv3 vs. GS116Ev2?

 

[coxhaus]

How much local processing do you do?

Can you tell me the differences between these switches?

 

[System Error Message]

if you are worried about size than get the 24 or 48 port variants instead. I do know that the GS7 is considered to be higher end than gs1. I have the gs724t but i can tell from experience firmware wise the netgear switch always has a bug somewhere you least expect. Using managed switches you can trunk ports for switch stacking.

 

[coxhaus]

Using managed switches you can trunk ports for switch stacking.

Trunking ports is not the same as stacking switches.

 

[System Error Message]

you can stack switches by trunking ports. Switch stacking is just a concept. High bandwidth ports or trunking stack better.

 

[coxhaus]

I am not saying you cannot connect switches with trunk ports I am just saying it is not the same as stacking switches.

Stacking switches is where multiple switches present themselves as one physical switch. This allows you to grow a wiring closet without daisy chaining more switches. This is used more in medium to larger organizations. It would probably not be used in a small business.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stackable_switch

PS
Stacking switches do not have to be in one physical box. You can buy one switch now and then later on you can buy another switch and join them together as one switch. Then add later on add another switch. For example say you have 36 people running off a 48 port stacking switch in a wiring closet off the west wing of a building. Management decides to add another 150 people to the west wing. You can add more switches and stack them together as one switch.