This topic is posted every so often in slightly different forms. But it sort of boils down to brand.
I need a GB 16 port unmanaged switch. I would like to stay under $200 and around $100 would be better. Fanless, low power is a requirement.
I have looked at the range of available devices and most seem to have similar performance. In some cases there are differences in performance/features (like available RAM). Prices are similar for the general product range if staying away from more commercial/enterprise vendors like Cisco, HP, etc.
Having chosen to look at mid-range, I have read an annoying number of "customer feedback" posts. Filtering out the spurious comments, it boils down to lifetime and stability.
For example the NETGEAR ProSafe GS116 is currently on sale. It seems like a nice device. I have looked at it before. But only bit over 1/2 of the comments note no or few problems. A consistent complaint is the power supplies seem almost designed to simply blow up (although timing seems to peak about 1 day after warranty). They over heat, become highly intermittent in hanging up, having bad ports, speed problems, etc. They either run cool or very hot (opinions vary). They seem to have a problem with capacitors like those Chinese junk copies that flooded distribution some years back. The PS can simply be replaced when you buy it with a decent supply. Some go in an replace with better spec caps. Most of the problems could be ascribed to poor power and heat. So the new PS and a fan might make it an ideal switch. All this, of course, increases the great sale price you just paid to what perhaps a better unity would cost. But then what is that better unit? This becomes a semi-infinite and usually circular path.
There seem to be similar reports for just about any brand. And of course these reports are from an almost significantly small sampling of the numbers of items sold; usually by a single retailer.
Most times I see a request for help on this question it ends with "I have a XXYYZZ NNNN and it has worked fine". This is an infinitesimal sampling of reliability.
OK. Nothing makes sense to me. Can't find a database that actually has a meaningful sampling of appropriate data. But I still have no new switch. And I need one.
Does anyone out there have knowledge of reliable data (perhaps an evaluation by a big commercial user) to pick a manufacturer/device out of the market. In lieu of that, can a bunch of you who have had experience with multiple devices throw in your recommendations and maybe that sampling will make me comfortable enough to buy something. Yeah, I know. I can be way too anal retentive. You should have watched my gyrations for picking a new router.
I need a GB 16 port unmanaged switch. I would like to stay under $200 and around $100 would be better. Fanless, low power is a requirement.
I have looked at the range of available devices and most seem to have similar performance. In some cases there are differences in performance/features (like available RAM). Prices are similar for the general product range if staying away from more commercial/enterprise vendors like Cisco, HP, etc.
Having chosen to look at mid-range, I have read an annoying number of "customer feedback" posts. Filtering out the spurious comments, it boils down to lifetime and stability.
For example the NETGEAR ProSafe GS116 is currently on sale. It seems like a nice device. I have looked at it before. But only bit over 1/2 of the comments note no or few problems. A consistent complaint is the power supplies seem almost designed to simply blow up (although timing seems to peak about 1 day after warranty). They over heat, become highly intermittent in hanging up, having bad ports, speed problems, etc. They either run cool or very hot (opinions vary). They seem to have a problem with capacitors like those Chinese junk copies that flooded distribution some years back. The PS can simply be replaced when you buy it with a decent supply. Some go in an replace with better spec caps. Most of the problems could be ascribed to poor power and heat. So the new PS and a fan might make it an ideal switch. All this, of course, increases the great sale price you just paid to what perhaps a better unity would cost. But then what is that better unit? This becomes a semi-infinite and usually circular path.
There seem to be similar reports for just about any brand. And of course these reports are from an almost significantly small sampling of the numbers of items sold; usually by a single retailer.
Most times I see a request for help on this question it ends with "I have a XXYYZZ NNNN and it has worked fine". This is an infinitesimal sampling of reliability.
OK. Nothing makes sense to me. Can't find a database that actually has a meaningful sampling of appropriate data. But I still have no new switch. And I need one.
Does anyone out there have knowledge of reliable data (perhaps an evaluation by a big commercial user) to pick a manufacturer/device out of the market. In lieu of that, can a bunch of you who have had experience with multiple devices throw in your recommendations and maybe that sampling will make me comfortable enough to buy something. Yeah, I know. I can be way too anal retentive. You should have watched my gyrations for picking a new router.
