Advantages: Reliable, dual speed compatible, built in management Disadvantages: Connectors have begun to rust - might cause problems in the future
Preface
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When you work so much technology around you, like I do, you begin to learn which technology is more reliable than others - especially when you have to deal with warranties/replacements! Some hardware is appalling, and without mentioning any brand names in this opinion I would say that the monitors that we use are the most unreliable monitors I have every seem. Seriously, we replace one at least every couple of weeks.
But then you get some pieces of hardware, like the 3com Superstack II hub, that you don't even remember exists. It just sits in the corner of my office, doing its job, and just doesn't stop. That is why I'm writing this opinion. This hub deserves recognition for its reliability - as it's a fine piece of kit.
The 3comSuperStack II Dual-speed hub 500 ...
Advantages: Simple, dual speed, small size Disadvantages: Only 5 ports (?)
Not much to say about this really. I bought this for a pound (!) on Ebay to connect to my router giving me 4 more ethernet ports to connect stuff to my network. That's all it does, gives you more connection; there's no firewall, DCHP, nothing, but then that's all in my router.
Its 5 autosensing ports (Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45)automatically detect the speed of the attached device to maximize network performance - with a data transfer rate of up to 100 Mbps.
It really was a "plug-and-play" installation with no configuration needed, it connected straight into my network - I didn't even ned to read the manual ! The auto-sensing feature means that you can plug the "in" cable into any socket - another 3Comswitch I have has a specific "in" port.
It's nice and small (Weight 0.6 kg, Height 4.2 cm, depth 13.5 cm, Width 22 ...
Advantages: Reliable Disadvantages: Nothing special
3Com Card
This card is a nice card but when it come to networking cads there is only two things that make a difference one being the speed, you only tend to find three types of network card all at various speeds ranging form 10 mbps then you get a 10/100 mbps and just recently you can now get hold of a 10/100/1000mbps cars that can use any of these three standards.
The card in question will only run at either ten mega bits per second or one hundred mbps depending on you other hard ware so this is something to keep in mind when buying this card. If you are using a Rj45 Crossover network cable linking two machines directly and both cards will work a 10/100 then you will receive a speed of 100mbps but if the other card in the other machine is only running a 10mbps you will only get speed of 10mbps the speed of the slowest card ...
Product Information for "3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4400 Module" »
Manufacturer's product description
Scale the performance of your Ethernet/Fast Ethernet network by adding this module to the 3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4400, Switch 4400 FX, Switch 4400 PWR, or Switch 4400 SE 10/100 managed switch. This module provides a resilient, high-performance inter-workgroup or workgroup-to-backbone Gigabit Ethernet connection.
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