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 FS724L - switch - 24 ports" »
Manufacturer's product description
The Allied Telesis AT-FS700 series of unmanaged switches provides powerful 10/100 switching solutions to desktop and small network environments. Each switch features full auto-negotiating 10/100 ports, which automatically detect speed and duplex modes of attached devices, allowing the switch to automatically configure for the best possible performance. The AT-FS700 series switches are fully auto-configuring requiring minimal or no set-up by the user. The auto-sensing ports allow seamless and simple connectivity between existing 10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet UTP devices, and all units can be installed in minutes. All models are equipped with a MDI/MDIX port(s) for simple connection to other hubs and switches. Front panel LEDs allow users to monitor the switch status providing simple "at a glance" management.
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