Best Gigabit Switch for Your Needs

Are you seeking to add additional bandwidth onto your current home network? If so, then a Gigabit switch would be the best choice for securely and cost effectively adding additional bandwidth onto your existing home network without buying new hardware. Most of today’s high-speed network switches come standard with at least sixteen ports in which you can easily add additional bandwidth onto your current network without needing to purchase additional hardware. However, if you do not have the space or the extra money to spend on brand new equipment, there are still other options for you.

Ports

One of these options is to utilize the best gigabit switch available in the form of a USB 2.0 modem. USB 2.0 modems have the ability to use with most gigabit switches. This is because most gigabit switches utilize a USB port for internal connectivity. The great thing about this sport is that it is backwards compatible with older USB models; which would allow you to use a USB 2.0 modem on an older switch with the hopes that it would still work. While this is not a guarantee, USB 2.0 ports are consider much more reliable than USB ports.

Another option that you may want to consider is to utilize the ITSP (Internet Telephone Protocol) port priority feature within your switch. Many small offices find that the installation process can be very difficult, especially if you are using standard ITSP ports for your Ethernet connection. If you are able to utilize the priority ports (i.e. ports that are assign a higher priority than others), then you are likely to find the entire setup process to be much easier.

Best of Business

If you are running a small business, then you know all too well how time consuming it can be to troubleshoot problems with your local network. One of the worst things that you can do is to deal with issues with networking hardware through ports that are not networked to other devices. With some of today’s high-tech offerings, however, you can eliminate this issue. Gigabit Ethernet switches utilize what is known as SFP (small form factor) Ethernet devices. Best Gigabit Switch are typically used in small businesses and do not take up much physical room. You can pack a large number of these into one small Ethernet card and route everything through them that needs to be connected to the Internet.

Some people may be concern about the fact that they cannot use their current ITSP (Internet Telephone Protocol) ports to connect to devices that are configure for IP (Internet Protocol). Most modern routers have a built in support for IP bridging, which allows them to forward traffic between standard Ethernet switches and other IP enabled devices. You can still use standard ITSP ports to connect to devices on an older network, but you may need to configure additional devices to be able to access the Internet. With the availability of SFP (small form factor) Ethernet switches, however, this really does not need to be a concern.

Best Gigabit Switch: Compatibility

Something else to think about is the availability of a support team in the event that something does go wrong with your switch and you need to have it repaired or replaced. With most Gigabit switches, there is a two-year limit lifetime warranty that covers replacement or repair of parts and labor. Warranty you to use only reputable dealers and suppliers that have a solid reputation for quality work. This will ensure that your switch will work as well as it can for the length of its warranty.

A final consideration for choosing the best gigabit switch for your needs is its compatibility with your existing hardware. The ideal option for a business that has several offices and locations that need to connect to the internet is one that supports a full range of IP networks. With most of the newer switches that are available, you also have the option of allowing users to add additional bi-directional ports onto their existing network routing protocols. Having this additional routing capabilities is a good security feature. Although it also adds to the overall flexibility of your equipment.

Basic Features of Best Gigabit Switch

With these four basic features in mind, you will be able to quickly find the switch that best suits your needs. Prices will vary according to the manufacturer as well as the distributor. However, you should find that the more basic models from top name companies like Linksys and Netgear are price well within your budget. The decision as to which switch you choose should be based on your immediate needs as well as your future goals for expanding your network’s reach.