It becomes hard to choose between different Ethernet switches since there are many. But, the Gigabit Ethernet switch stands out among all these switches.
Are you looking for an Ethernet switch for your home or business network? Do the many available options leave you wondering what to do?
With all the available Ethernet switches, deciding which one to get can be pretty hard. There are lots of factors to consider.
But now that you are on this page, I’ll be frank. The Gigabit Ethernet switch is the best one to buy. So please spare a few minutes and read on if you want to know why. Let’s start!
What are the Factors to Look for In an Ethernet Switch?
Buying an Ethernet switch is not a walk in the park. First, you need to know what factors to consider before buying one. Luckily, I will list these essential factors below:
Capability and Number of Ports
Consider the Ethernet switch’s capacity. Is it a 48, 24, or 12-port switch? These switches are different. So, if you find a cheap model, it is good to know that its design works with just the number of ports it contains.
A high-quality Ethernet switch is somewhat flexible. Thus, your business can grow with it.
Do this with an uplink port where you can connect two switches. A modular switch is like a cabinet where you can add port modules. For example, you can begin with a 12-port module with such a switch.
As time goes by, you can also continue adding more modules. With some switches, you can replace, add, or remove modules without restarting or switching the switch off.
Speed
You don’t just consider the Ethernet speed rating when it comes to speed. There’s more to it. But most modern networks usually operate at 10Gbps, 1Gbps, or 100Mbps.
Thus, consider your network’s fastest speed. The switch you buy should be able to support it. Another vital thing to think about speed is your device’s speed.
You don’t want your network performance to suffer because the switch can support gigabit Ethernet speed but cannot sustain many connections.
Intelligence
Your business-grade switch can have additional intelligence. It should at least be able to examine a packet and determine where it should be sent.
A layer 3 switch can do much more than this. It can also examine a packet’s IP envelope and provide routing abilities.
Power over Ethernet
I hope you know what Power over Ethernet means. Business networks have many types of devices connected to their computers. It means that you need a good network switch.
Moreover, this switch should be able to send power signals over Ethernet connections.
With Power over Ethernet support, a switch can power surveillance cameras, wireless access points, IP phones, and Internet Protocol security.
Your business will not have to run separately or use different power cables for such devices.
What Are the Different Ethernet Switches to Consider?
Ethernet switches are essential in home and business networks. They come in different models. And people buy what suits them. Nevertheless, you can consider buying:
Gigabit Ethernet Switch
It is a high-speed Ethernet switch. Compared to its predecessor, the Fast Ethernet Switch, this switch is ten times faster. Internet service providers need high speeds. The Gigabit Ethernet switch can address this need.
It supports about 1Gbps transmission speed and works well with protocols 10/100. It has SFP slots and several RJ45 interfaces.
Thus, it works well with SFP optical transceivers and twisted-pair copper cables. In addition, some of the Gigabit Ethernet switches come with 10G SFP+ ports. These ports help you uplink high speeds of 10GB switches.
You can check out this 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switch to learn more about its specifications.
Fast Ethernet Switch
This switch is famous for supporting the 10/10 protocol that can work at 100Mbps.
Moreover, the Fast Ethernet switch comes with RJ45 ports. Thus, it connects servers, PCs, and routers by working over Cat5 cables. Some Fast Ethernet switches also come with high-speed uplink ports.
Here is an example of a 4-ports Fast Ethernet switch.
Layer 2 Managed Switch
Layer 2 managed switches act like bridges. Like bridges connecting two sides, these switches interconnect networks on their media access control sublayers.
They do this by building tables that transfer frames among different networks. An excellent and famous example of layer 2 switches is the Ethernet switch.
The devices connected to the Ethernet network have MAC addresses. This MAC address is hardcoded and does not change. The features of these switches include:
- Data transfer between hosts and clients in a LAN. They do this rapidly and quite quickly.
- Splitting bulky and highly dense LAN networks into multiple and smaller VLAN networks
- These VLANs make switching in large LAN networks relatively easy. That’s because it doesn’t involve physical connections.
Layer 3 Managed Switch
Layer 3 managed switches follow IP or Internet Protocol. Like layer-2 types, they use individual IP addresses to identify the connected devices.
Moreover, these switches also assign the IP address dynamically, so they change frequently. The router is an excellent example of a Layer 3 switch.
Layer 3 switches have these features:
- They perform dynamic and static routing as they transfer data between several VLANs.
- Using dynamic routing, they optimize their packet routing.
- They have multiple paths for delivering different data packets.
- Some have 802.1x authentication, ARP inspection, and loopback detection to secure data transfer.
- They also implement QoS classifications by using subnetting or VLAN traffic tagging.
5 Reasons to Consider when buying an Ethernet switch
The Gigabit Ethernet Switch is the best switch to buy. Here is why:
Cost
This switch is an upgraded version of the Fast Ethernet Switch. However, each of its ports costs four times more than the Fast Ethernet port.
Set of Features
The network management features of a Gigabit Ethernet switch are the latest. For example, it allows specific applications with security policies and QoS. Besides, such features are unique, which helps enhance security.
Power Standard
Gigabit Ethernet switches support the PoE+ standard to deliver power in 30 watts.
Power Consumption
On top of all the advantages of Gigabit Ethernet switches, they are also energy efficient. Thus, using these switches will help you lower your power consumption.
Future Growth
Gigabit Ethernet switches offer flexibility, preparing your home or business network for growth and expansion in the future.
Final Thoughts!
Choosing the best Ethernet switch is no mean task. But it can be challenging, especially when you do not know the different available models, their features, and what factors you should consider before buying them.
Hopefully, this guide came in handy at the most appropriate time. Moreover, you now know what factors to look for, the different Ethernet switches on the market, and what you should buy.
If you missed it, the Gigabit Ethernet Switch is the best switch to buy. If you forget everything else you read here, don’t forget that! So go ahead and get the best PoE switch for you.
