3Com OfficeConnect Dual Speed Switch 5

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 3Com switch 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 22.8...

matt_fantastic 24.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of 3Com OfficeConnect Dual Speed Switch 5 - switch - 5 ports

Affordable 10/100 Switching

Advantages: So Easy installation, Simple and effective design
Disadvantages: None of which I know

...GENERAL OVERVIEW This 3COM OfficeConnect switch is considered my best. It has simple yet effective design and so easy to use and configure: just plug the cables and it is on. It is very useful for home networks and small business networks, as it can connect up to 5 computers with the 10/100 Mbits per second speed. FEATURES Five autosensing ports automatically detect the speed of the attached device to maximize network performance With plug-and-play installation and no configuration needed, the switch fits easily into your unmanaged network Full-duplex feature supports two-way data transfer, doubling the effective bandwidth of the network Compact, fanless design ensures quiet operation in small office spaces Connectors at rear help reduce cable clutter FCC Class B switch is approved for use in small office and home office...

mraouf101 21.11.2004 · Read review
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Review of 3Com OfficeConnect Switch 5 - switch - 5 ports

Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch With Built-In Cabling

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...

ilaskey 21.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch with Built-In Cabling - KVM switch - 2 ports

Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch With Audio Support

Advantages: Cheap, all in one solution, audio support
Disadvantages: No manual overide

...without recognising this facility if it wasn't the currently selected one when booting up. Conclusion The F1DL102P KVM is a quality unit that works well and provides a great way to save desk space and the cost of a second monitor, keyboard and mouse. The long leads and audio support are useful and despite the niggles with scrolling mice and the lack of manual switch. I'd recommend this unit, especially at this price. The fact that it comes with a 3 year warranty is a further plus point....

ilaskey 26.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of Belkin 2-Port KVM Switch with Audio Support and Built-In Cabling - KVM / audio switch - 2 ports

Neat Netgear 5 port gigabit switch

Advantages: Cheap, reliable, simple to use
Disadvantages: None.

...I liked this switch so much, I bought two of them. Netgear have a reputation for cheap and reliable networking equipment, and this 5 port unmanaged switch is no exception. When I bought my two, they were retailing online for approx £35 each - but these days you should be able to get one for approx £25 (inc VAT.) The switch is more or less the size of my hand (yes, I have big hands). With 5 ports on the back - all are auto-sensing, as is the gigabit standard, so you don't have to worry about crossover cables if you're daisy-chaining switches... The only other port on the back is for power, which is the usual "wall-wart" plug in transformer you get with most home networking equipment. Given the switch is unmanaged, you can just plug desktop computers, laptops, XBOXes, network printers straight into the switch, and not worry...

sjhill 20.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of NETGEAR GS605 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch - switch - 5 ports

Netgear GS105 5 Port Gigabit Switch

Advantages: Easy installation, small, sturdy, quiet, auto uplink
Disadvantages: Runs quite hot

...This is a 10/100/1000Mbps switch with 5 auto-sensing ports Visual Description A compact unit measuring 16cm x 10cm x 3cm (approx) Housed in a very sturdy blue metal casing with venting slots on the side and back Looks very professional 5 Front mounted UTP sockets Rear mounted PSU socket (12 Volt, 1.2 Amp, Centre Positive) and Earth tag LED indicators to display 10Mb, 100Mb, 1000Mb connection, Activity, Full Duplex, Collisions and Power Installation The GS105 switch comes supplied with manuals, 12 Volt (1.2Amp) PSU, ethernet cable, and the unit itself. Installation is very simple and requires no configuration as this is an un-managed switch. Simply connect your existing CAT5 cables from your PC to the switch, it will detect the connection speed and cable type. No need to worry about using cross-over cables or straight through...

sj19uk 11.09.2005 (04.12.2005) · Read review
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Review of NETGEAR ProSafe GS105 - switch - 5 ports

solid build and quiet switch = happy chappy

Advantages: small compact size, metallic body, passive cooling=no noise
Disadvantages: gets a bit hot during summer

...using Windows 98/2k/xp over samba, which unfortunately only 50-60% efficient. Transfering files over FTP is gonna be miles faster than samba (windows file and print sharing) They are all auto MDI-X on every port, so it doesn't really matter if you';re using a cross over cable or not, as the switch will sort it out The LEDS on the ports indicate 1000mb or 100mb and the status LEDS on the panel indicate 10mb connection and blinking = activity. It's silent, as it's all passivly cooled, unlike 3com switches/hubs, which is good when you have these in the bedroom! It's solidly built and i really can't fault it, and I feel it's worth the money as most other switches are all plasticy and cheap looking/feeling. 1gb transfer over samba takes around 3-4 minutes... which is fast - as you'd expect for gig ethernet.... and ftp transfers are...

waga 25.11.2004 · Read review
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Review of NETGEAR ProSafe GS108 8 Port Gigabit Desktop Switch - switch - 8 ports

3Com OfficeConnect TP4 4 Port Ethernet Hub

Advantages: Ebay bargain !
Disadvantages: Only 10 mbps, Only 4 ports

...Bought this on Ebay for a bargain £1 to expand my network. I've since replaced it with another 3Com hub (check out my other reviews), but thought I'd still let you know a little about it. It's an entry-level, 4 port hub, but only 10BASE-T, rather than the faster 100BASE-TX - that's why I upgraded, so you can connect 4 users together. There's one (manually switched) MDI-MDIX port to provide simple "in" connection from a server, switch, or hub, and three other female RJ-45 ports to send the network signal out to 3 other items. The hub has an external power supply and a "CoolCurve" self-cooling design eliminating the need for a noisy fan. Its dimensions (height: 3.6cm, width: 23.1cm, depth: 13.6cm) allow it to fit nicely with other 3Com OfficeConnect units - special stacking clips are available. It's an "unmanaged" hub, so...

matt_fantastic 07.04.2006 · Read review
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Review of 3Com OfficeConnect TP4 - hub - 4 ports

It's Cheap, Easy and can handle 8 Males at a time

Advantages: Fast, Reliable switching, Wall mountable, Solid piece of kit
Disadvantages: None!

......Male RJ45 cables that is. Netgear have a good reputation when it comes to network products, and the long running production of FS108 switches is testament to that. I have used several 8-port switches and this is my favourite. Fast It supports 100 Megabits per second per port per direction. So you can be uploading 100 Megabits a second AND download 100 Megabits a second, making a total of 200 Megabits per port. For the technophobic among us there are 8 bits in a byte, so 100 Megabits is 12.5 Megabytes. A fast broadband internet connect will most likely be 0.5 Megabits a second, which is 0.06 Megabytes a second... so this switch can shift a lot of data quickly. Informative Some switches have just one light per port to keep you informed. The FS108 has no less than FOUR lights per port! That's 24 lights plus 1 power...

phucco 04.09.2004 · Read review
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Review of NETGEAR ProSafe FS108 10/100 Desktop Switch - switch - 8 ports

Switch it !

Advantages: Performace at an excellent price
Disadvantages: 4 ports may not be enough

...to that one port only. To add to this, Switches can support "Full-Duplex" networking, which means sending and receiving data at the same time, effectively doubling your network speed under the right conditions. >>> So what? So, that's immensely more efficient, and particularly in a high-traffic environment (even online games played no a LAN qualify here) it can have a perceptible positive impact on performance. >>> What's the FS-105 then? This is how you get this wonderful technology into your home! This £69 beauty is half the cost of its competition, will auto-detect 10 and 100Mb/s connections and has 5 ports, one of which can be used as an uplink. Even a good hub will cost £50, and for the larger office, the FS-108 (8 port) version can be bought for only £88 (if you can find one in stock anywhere!)...

one47 09.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of NETGEAR ProSafe FS105 10/100 Desktop Switch - switch - 5 ports