Difference between 10/100mbps switch and 10/100/1000

windup

that wasn't the question, nor is it the op's

Nilrem

windup wrote: »

ever heard of diagnosis? ever heard of wireless?

hands up, of the people pushing the expensive option, how many of you are using a gigabit switch at home as well as a router?

Gigabit router.
2x Gigabit switches.

The router was because VM moved us to 50mb and after a lot of research I found a router that would future proof the home network for several years (it's still working fine at 150 mbit speeds and in tests was ok at 300-400).

The switch came when I realised how annoying it was waiting ten times as long for the data transfers to the machines that weren't served by the router directly.
One of them was bought about 6 months ago because I needed 2 ports in a room with one cable, and when I looked at the price of gigabit switches I just bought one rather than reuse either of my old 10/100's that were sat in a box of spares.

The price difference between 10/100 and 10/100/1000 is not enough IMO to worry about, it's like buying a 5 screws for a job you're doing today, when for the price of 6 you can get a pack of 20-100 and have them ready for the next job*.

There is saving money, and saving money today that will cost you tomorrow.
There is little or no point in buying equipment with a lifespan that can reasonably be expected to be 5 years that is already effectively end of life and obsolete, which 10/100 is (I haven't seen any new device with a network port in that doesn't support gigabit in years).

If this question had come up even say 5 years ago my answer would have been very different, but at that time the price difference between 100mb/s and 1000mb/s gear was far higher, now it's practically non existent (you can get a five port gigabit switch for £12! or an 8 port for £15).


*I learned that particular lesson 20+ years ago when as a teen I was buying parts from the likes of maplins, and more recently Screwfix (I need 6 of something for a DIY job, they cost £3 each or £20 for 10 and I know I'll likely need them in the near future...).

Robisere

I have a network consisting of: this desktop, wife's laptop, Hudl, TV connected to a WDTV Live. I also have low BB speeds: 6 to 7Mbps Down, 0.6 Up. I originally used a Plusnet 10/100 router and BT modem for FTTC. This setup was garbage, so I bought a 10/100/1000 TP Link 1043 ND router. I am in a very rural village.

There was an immediate improvement in network usage. As I have 4 grandchildren, a son and daughter who all visit regularly with phones, tablets and another laptop, my bandwidth sometimes takes a beating. The 10/100 router would drop out when more than 3 people were all on my Network. The Gigabit router takes it all in its stride.

Whether you take the metal or plastic one is immaterial really, but definitely take the Gigabit switch. Try to ignore the current arguments here and go for the cheapest Gigabit option.

securityguy

Robisere, that's nothing to do with the gigabit aspect: aside from anything else, unless you're got very unusual phones, tablets and probably laptops you're not plugging them in anyway so the performance of the unused RJ45 connectors on the back of the router is immaterial.

It is, however, more than likely that a cheap low-end router has substantially poorer wireless performance, which you are now finding is better on more modern hardware with better antennae.

The idea that a phone or tablet would be affected by the difference between 100TX and GigE is fantastical. They simply don't have the interfaces.

debitcardmayhem

windup wrote: »

ever heard of diagnosis? ever heard of wireless?

hands up, of the people pushing the expensive option, how many of you are using a gigabit switch at home as well as a router?

Have you ever heard of collisions, half vs full duplex, and I won't even go close to wifi and it's "advantages" nor powerline. Diagnosis starts with the knowledge of the underlying causes. Read the RFCs about the reasons behind TCP / IP and it's limitations / uses

Edited: Oh and if everyone used the same adaptors, and follow exactly the same standards then you may as well use two tin cans and a piece of string, and then you could use a hangmans noose as a switch :cool:

kwikbreaks

windup wrote: »

how many of you are using a gigabit switch at home as well as a router?

Well fwiw I have a gigabit router and two gigabit switches (one of which is metal). Only one user too - me. Wow - you've made me feel a profligate spender now - especially as the switches were dearer when I bought them than they are now.

I think I saw some 10baseT kit at a car boot - maybe you'd recommend the OP keeps his cash in his pocket and looks out for some of that?

windup

No, I'd recommend he/she identifies the issue and best solution for the least money, taking into account the existing equipment at their disposal.

I'll pass on reading "some" rfc's, sounds impressive though, if you direct it at an easily impressed audience.

Interesting how these threads runaway with themselves, people start making up reasons and justifications for buying something that's enables uses or fixes problems that haven't been mentioned by the originator. A contrary view like fred's always gets jumped on, even if it is sensible one.

debitcardmayhem

windup wrote: »

No, I'd recommend he/she identifies the issue and best solution for the least money, taking into account the existing equipment at their disposal.

forgive me if I pass on reading "some" rfc's, sounds impressive though, if you direct it at the right audience.

OK laziness seems a good choice, since you afforded the idea that

The switch idea came about due to some vague problems with powerline adapters, the op's time might be better spent looking at that before cluttering the house up with wires and flashing electrical equipment.

and you also say

if they don't need gigabit, then the cheaper one is better value for money, and it doesn't matter a jot what the case is made of .... not many metal cased home routers in existence

The requirement was internet gaming and youview, not nas or file transfers between machines, both of which are intermittent activities generally which still work on 10/100 anyway.

Very few people need to use gigabit switches in their homes in 2015.

Wow can they do that for the £8 difference between 10/100 and 10/100/1G

Never mind, let's the OP make their mind up, you never know they may decide to have 18 kids and buy a coach rather a people carrier.

windup

instead of going on the attack with incomprehensible points, why don't you apply your expert knowledge of tcp/ip and rfc's to identify why sparkie is having a problem sharing a 40Mb connection with a youview box and 2 pc's?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=69615947&postcount=14

Fightsback

windup wrote: »

instead of going on the attack with incomprehensible points

So you admit these technical points that DCM is forwarding as to logical reasons why the OP should select a particular course of action are beyond your comprehension and knowledge, i.e. you are out of your depth.

windup wrote: »

ever heard of diagnosis? ever heard of wireless?

I noted that you recommended wireless to the OP which is rather comedic given that they are running two gaming rigs, to anyone even with the slightest modicum of knowledge that wireless introduces a delay, ping is king in gaming; not to mention wireless throughput ever performs as advertised. The same can also be said for homeplug that it does not deliver as advertised either.

Gigabit ethernet is the best technical solution, anything else is a fudge compromise done by a bodger. A £13 gigabit switch and some wire is not expensive.