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Network management Toolkit

Gigabit Ethernet: a buyer’s guide

Manek Dubash ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 08 Dec 2003

Netgear GS105 5-port Gigabit Switch

Pros
Very easy to set up, drop-in replacement for 10/100 switch, silent
Cons
Documentation could be more thorough, but this is nitpicking
Verdict
This highly compact and very reasonably-priced switch will suit many space-hungry environments that also need the fastest Ethernet infrastructure. Recommended.

Price
£151.58 inc. VAT (£129.00 ex. VAT)

Packed into a tiny metal box, this 12-volt-powered, silent-running switch sports only a power inlet at the back, ports and indicators all sitting on the front of the case. LEDs show active connections, speed and duplex information and it auto-negotiates speeds and crossover cables.

After powering up, the GS 105 simply works. You don't need documentation unless you have no networking experience -- which is just as well, since it's more rudimentary than Linksys'. Once up and running, this switch requires no further attention.

Netgear GA302T Copper Gigabit Adapter

Pros
Easy to set up and use, transparent gigabit networking
Cons
No native Linux support, no support for advanced features
Verdict
Advanced features such as quality of service are rarely needed in a small or home office network so if you do require such features, this is not the card to buy. On all other counts however, we have no hesitation in recommending it, especially at this price.

Price
£34.07 inc. VAT (£29.00 ex. VAT)

This adapter package includes clear documentation and a driver CD. Armed with these, few users with any experience will experience problems upgrading to gigabit speeds. You plug it in, the drivers install themselves under Windows XP, and it works.

The GA302T offers no significant features over basic 1000Base-T other than TCP/IP checksum offload, which unburdens the CPU. However, few small or home office networks are likely to need more.

Netgear

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