Advantages: Excellent quality. loads of features, easy to install Disadvantages: None
Netgear are well known for their networking equipment and it is for this reason I want to tell you about a great piece of kit. The 24portswitch.
24ports of networking capability.... But what does that all mean???
Ok, let me tell you about what a network is.
Even the internet is just one big network. it is simply just a collection of computers that are connected together and can communicate. Simple!
But, how do you connect them together? Its not like they shake hands and have a chat is it?
Well in a way, that is what they are doing but using some extra hardware to do this.
To put a computer on a network, it needs a Network interface card or NIC. This plugs into your computer's motherboard. Its basically similar to installing a graphics card or sound card. You then need to connect the computer via the NIC card to ...
Advantages: Easy to use, easy to install Disadvantages: closeness of the ports.
Netgear are well known for their networking equipment and it is for this reason I want to tell you about a great piece of kit. The 24portswitch.
24ports of networking capability.... But what does that all mean???
Ok, let me tell you about what a network is.
Even the internet is just one big network. it is simply just a collection of computers that are connected together and can communicate. Simple!
But, how do you connect them together? Its not like they shake hands and have a chat is it?
Well in a way, that is what they are doing but using some extra hardware to do this.
To put a computer on a network, it needs a Network interface card or NIC. This plugs into your computer's motherboard. Its basically similar to installing a graphics card or sound card. You then need to connect the computer via the NIC card to ...
Advantages: Advantages: Cheap, all in one solution Disadvantages: No manual overide or audio support
stops autoscanning and lets you use the currently selected PC.
The Belkin claims support for scrolling mice but I did find sometimes one PC would start up without recognising this facility if it wasn't the currently selected one when booting up and in extreme cases, wouldn't recognise the keyboard and mouse at all. Previous KVM's I've used send the PC fake 'There's a keyboard and mouse here' messages when not selected and it seems this unit does not, which is a pity.
Conclusion
The Belkin 2 port KVM is a well built unit that works nicely and provides a great way to save desk space and the cost of a second monitor, keyboard and mouse. The long leads are useful and despite the niggles with scrolling mice and the lack of manual switch. I'd say this unit is worth considering at this price if you can live with those shortcomings ...
Product Information for "Allied Telesis AT 8000S/24 - switch - 24 ports" »
Manufacturer's product description
One of a series of stackable switches from Allied Telesis, the AT-8000S/24 provides high performance Layer 2 switching in an affordable fixed configuration platform. This switch offers 24 10/100 ports, two fixed 1Gbps SFP slots plus two integrated stacking connectors that deliver a total of 4Gbps stacking bandwidth. The stacking capability integrated into this platform is configured as a resilient ring topology designed to provide high reliability and simplified management for higher port density applications.
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