Managed Switch Suggestion

alecwilcox · Jul 17, 2014

Hello I was look for a sub 100 dollar used gigabit managed network switch. I would like one that had at least 12 ports. I was looking at the netgear Prosafe line. Are they a good line of Managed Switches?

alecwilcox · Jul 17, 2014

I also need the Switch to combine two Ethernet cables into one.

Urumiko · Jul 18, 2014

alecwilcox :

You need a switch that supports link aggregation, aka etherchannel, aka port channel, aka 802.11ad, aka LAGP, aka LACP.

which is pretty much all managed switches.

I'd try and grab a used cisco 3750 if you are comfortable configuring it. Its a powerfull l3 switch.

if you just want a user friendly switch basically anything for the right price with a web gui will do.

IF you are planning to use this in a home though you need something fanless probably ?

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

Urumiko :

I do not need it to be fanless (I have a home server room). Also could you explain difference between lvl2 and lvl3 switch. Also would you recommend this over a HP1810 switch.

Fanless is not A nee

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

Urumiko :

alecwilcox :

You need a switch that supports link aggregation, aka etherchannel, aka port channel, aka 802.11ad, aka LAGP, aka LACP.

which is pretty much all managed switches.

I'd try and grab a used cisco 3750 if you are comfortable configuring it. Its a powerfull l3 switch.

if you just want a user friendly switch basically anything for the right price with a web gui will do.

IF you are planning to use this in a home though you need something fanless probably ?

Also cant find any in my price range.

bill001g · Jul 18, 2014

You could try the prosafe devices don't think you are going to get under $100 there 8 port device is almost that much.

Be very careful the link aggregation is very basic. Even on very advanced switch it likely does not do what you think it does. If for example you were to take 2 machine and give each 2 ports on the switch you would think they could transfer at 2g between each other. It does not work that way on even the most advanced forms of link aggregation. You would only get 1g. It really is designed to either interconnect large switches or to connect to servers that have a huge number of machines connecting to it. With lots and lots of sessions it will load share fairly well. The fewer session the more likely you get unlucky and they over use one connection and not the other. It has almost no use in a home environment.

abailey · Jul 18, 2014

What features are you looking for in your managed switch? Just link aggregation?

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

abailey :

I did not mean to select you as best solution. Also I want it be able to do Qos and Link aggregation.

abailey · Jul 18, 2014

lol, ok I unselected it. I use TP-Link managed switches at my house. I use the TL-SG2216 but that is a bit out of your budget. But TP-Link also has a series of managed switches that don't have a built in interface, you use their utility to manage the switches (which saves money). They are the "Easy Smart" switches. The 16-port is the TL-SG1016DE. It is very close to your budget. In fact some places have it for $99. It can do both QOS (port and Vlan based) as well as link aggregation.

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

Is this a good option http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Procurve-1810G-24-Switch-J9450A-/281386781460?pt=US_Network_Switches&hash=item4183f58b14? It is only a lvl2 so don't know if that makes a big diffrencel

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

abailey :

Is it able to setup vlans? So the only difference is I would have to setup like a normal Managed switch.

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

Also its only 40 bucks more, so i may be able to swing that because it is new. Also would you recommend this over like a hp-1810. Last question what lvl is it?

abailey · Jul 18, 2014

The TL-SG1016DE supports VLAN's but only up to 32. Also after looking further it appears that the link aggregation is manual setup. It does not seem to support 802.3ad LACP aggregation. That is not a problem as long as whatever you connect to it can do manual link aggregation setup. Some devices (like some NAS devices) cannot be setup manually and have to use LACP aggregation.
The TL-SG2216 supports 802.3ad LACP as well as 512 VLANs, but of course it cost more.

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

abailey :

Ok last question would you recommend using the TL-SG2216 instead of a used hp-1810. Also would you say to build my own router and then connect the switch to that and then use access points for the wireless network.

abailey · Jul 18, 2014

alecwilcox :

I could not recommend the TL-SG1016DE over an HP-1810. I would feel comfortable recommending a new TL-SG2216 as being on par (if not better) with an HP-1810. HP has a better warranty. If the warranty is transferable on a used switch, and your looking at the HP used, then that would certainly be something to think about.

These switches (the HP and the TP-link) we are talking about are all layer 2 switches. Layer 3 switches can route like a router can. Some have basic layer 3 meaning they support static routes only and some full featured layer 3 switches use routing protocols just like enterprise routers do.

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

abailey :

Are level 3 switches a lot more expensive? The reason I ask about how to config my network is because right now I have a tenant who shares internet with us. I am currently useing a wrt1900ac as the router. I was wondering if I returned that router and built my own router. Then hooked the switch directly to the router. Connect a ap to the switch and created a vlan on the port the ap is plugged into . If that would be a way of completely separating the tenant from my network.

abailey · Jul 18, 2014

Yes Layer3 switches are a good bit more expensive. You can get basic ones new (24 port) starting around $375.00 (like the Cisco 300 series). Anyway if you have a router ( a router that can recognize between subnets, not a Gateway "router" like the wrt1900ac), then a Layer 2 switch can work fine. Just make sure you have all these pieces:
1)Firewall
2)Router
3)Vlan aware switch (at least Layer2)
4)Wireless AP (with VLAN support if you want different wireless networks on one AP)

Unfortunately it does not appear that your wrt1900ac supports third party firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato yet. I could be wrong. If it does then you could load one of those and it would turn your wrt1900ac into a router that can manage VLAN's. If you build your own router make sure you have a firewall also. Same with using a layer 3 switch to do the routing, you still need a firewall.
I assume you are handing off a wired ethernet connection to your neighbor? If you are not, and he is attaching to your wireless, you could just set up a guest wireless SSID on your current router and it would keep the traffic separate from your wireless and wired network.
If you are handing him an ethernet wired connection then you need what we have talked about earlier.
What I use at my house is:
Ubiquiti Edge Router Lite (for routing and firewall)
TP-Link TL-SG2216 for my "core" switch
Ubiquiti Unify AP for my wireless.
I have been very happy with this setup and it has been extremely stable. Some people do not like the Ubiquiti Edgerouter as it can be difficult to set up. But with the latest OS, it provides wizards for all the functions that you would want to do with it, and it may be cheaper than you building your own router/firewall.

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

abailey :

Yes Layer3 switches are a good bit more expensive. You can get basic ones new (24 port) starting around $375.00 (like the Cisco 300 series). Anyway if you have a router ( a router that can recognize between subnets, not a Gateway "router" like the wrt1900ac), then a Layer 2 switch can work fine. Just make sure you have all these pieces:
1)Firewall
2)Router
3)Vlan aware switch (at least Layer2)
4)Wireless AP (with VLAN support if you want different wireless networks on one AP)

Unfortunately it does not appear that your wrt1900ac supports third party firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato yet. I could be wrong. If it does then you could load one of those and it would turn your wrt1900ac into a router that can manage VLAN's. If you build your own router make sure you have a firewall also. Same with using a layer 3 switch to do the routing, you still need a firewall.
I assume you are handing off a wired ethernet connection to your neighbor? If you are not, and he is attaching to your wireless, you could just set up a guest wireless SSID on your current router and it would keep the traffic separate from your wireless and wired network.
If you are handing him an ethernet wired connection then you need what we have talked about earlier.
What I use at my house is:
Ubiquiti Edge Router Lite (for routing and firewall)
TP-Link TL-SG2216 for my "core" switch
Ubiquiti Unify AP for my wireless.
I have been very happy with this setup and it has been extremely stable. Some people do not like the Ubiquiti Edgerouter as it can be difficult to set up. But with the latest OS, it provides wizards for all the functions that you would want to do with it, and it may be cheaper than you building your own router/firewall.

My Wrt1900ac has a firewall built into it right? Do you think copying your setup would get rid of the random bandwidth drops. It then goes back up after router restart.

abailey · Jul 18, 2014

Yes your WRT1900ac has a built in firewall. This is the first I have heard about random bandwidth drops. Can you explain that more. Does it only happen on wireless devices? Do you hand off a wired connection to your tenant or does he (or she) use wireless?

alecwilcox · Jul 18, 2014

abailey :

Happens on weird and wireless. We give her wifi

abailey · Jul 18, 2014

Very puzzling that it happens on wired and wifi unless you have a small internet pipe. Who is your internet provider, and do they give you a modem? Also what speed internet access do you have?

Urumiko · Jul 19, 2014

in a nut shell layer 2 switches only understand ethernet frames, they can do anything that happens at this level, this usually includes link aggregation. I think even some unmanaged switches will support link aggregation if the port channel is configured at the other end.

Layer 3 switches understand ip addressing also and basically have router functionality inside them so assuming the features are supported on the model you buy, they can do things like DHCP, access lists, etc etc. If your current router only has ethernet connectivity then you might be able to replace it all together with a l3 switch.

When you say you want QOS, I cant think why in a home with a 1 switch setup, but QOS is a generic term for various technologies but most of these require L3+ functionality if you want to inspect packets and asses traffic type. This is why you pay more for a l3 switch. They are way more powerfull.

Remmber though that if you are applying quos on say a router a l2 switch will still pass on qos markings fine, it just cant do the classification itself.

I really dont think you'd need qos at home though.

Managed Switch Suggestion

Reputable

Reputable

Distinguished

Reputable

Reputable

Titan

Distinguished

Reputable

Distinguished

Reputable

Reputable

Reputable

Distinguished

Reputable

Distinguished

Reputable

Distinguished

Reputable

Distinguished

Reputable

Distinguished

Distinguished

Share this page