NETGEAR 5 Port Gigabit Network Switch (GS105) - Ethernet Splitter - Ethernet Switch - Ethernet Hub - Plug-and-Play - Silent Operation - Desktop or Wall Mount

NETGEAR GS105UK 5-PORT GIGABIT UNMANAGED ETHERNET SWITCH. (NOTE:- Please be aware that multiple different types/models of these Netgear switches are all foolishly grouped together under one single product review. Unless the review CLEARLY states the SPECIFIC model, you could be reading a review for a completely different model to the one you're looking to purchase)!!!ADDITIONALLY - Before I mention anything else, IF you do purchase the "GS105UK Unmanaged" - You MAY NEED to connect your router to PORT 5. (There's been conflicting info online regarding this issue for YEARS. Worse still, there's multiple versions of the GS105 as it's been in continuous production for years, in different variations, & released in countless nations. Some versions/variants ARE different to others!! (My last Netgear GS105 also inexplicably required the router in port 5 for example). Netgear's aging installation diagram shows the modem/router connected to a centre port. Many sources say it just doesn't matter which port, whilst others say the router must be connected to port 5!! (However, IF I don't use port 5 for my router on my switch & I connect another device there instead, it drops all other connections. Router in port 5, everything works exactly as it should regardless of connecting/disconnecting any other ports). With that out of the way....As with many, I have an ever increasing number of devices in my home with internet connectivity that include ethernet. Router manufacturers insist on limiting available ethernet ports to 4 or in some cases only 2 & it's just not enough. If you just need additional ethernet ports without any other hassle, an unmanaged switch is an ideal solution. I've been networking PC's since the latter 1990's at a home/semi-enthusiast level or setting up for others. I've always prefered my static devices such as desktops, gaming consoles, TV, miscellaneous devices, (frequently laptops as well) to be hard wired for security, speed, & reliability, especially with some of my devices constantly file sharing, streaming, etc. My previous unmanaged switch recently died after many years solid service. I settled on another unmanaged switch for my current needs & for most who simply need extra ethernet ports, an unmanaged switch is all that's required. Given the low cost of these devices now, if I find a managed switch would be more beneficial I'll purchase one as required. I'm reasonably tech savvy, since installing the switch I've used a number of the most common tools freely & readily available for testing my home network for any issues. Thus far this new Netgear switch has performed admirably & I haven't run into any problems at all, (other than the port 5 nonsense). I've recently purchased a new router & swapped out all of my old ethernet cabling as well. I'm very happy with the performance of the switch & the entire network.The switch is very well made & they now have a full metal enclosure, (my last one was plastic). They are easily wall mountable for keeping the switch & all the additional cabling as tidy as is possible. The ports are all solid & to date I've only had one older Cat6 cable where the connector failed to lock in place. All of my newer Cat6a cables lock in securely, (which is just as well as it's considerably thicker than the 14 year old Cat6 it's replacing & the Cat6a is not particularly pliable). Otherwise, it's incredibly simple to use. Power up, connect your ethernet devices & that's it, no software or configuration necessary. (If you require greater control/options, purchase a managed switch)!! Each port simply has a pair of green lights to visually confirm the status of individual ports.The product is supplied in retail packaging with a quick start guide, (if memory serves the quick start guide hasn't changed in years). A power supply is also included, & a couple of small screws & raw plugs for wall/surface mounting. It's a good idea to register your switch on Netgear's website for warranty purposes, etc. Compared to a managed switch they are very simple but highly effective, they do their job perfectly well. I would happily recommend the GS105UK & gladly rate this updated metal variant at 5/5.

Bought to provide an extra four ports in the living room to accommodate TV, amplifier, BD player and media player, with the fifth port acting as an uplink to the core switch in the house (a Dell). There shouldn't be compatibility issues between switches, and of course there were none. Whilst neither switch is "high-end", they are cheaper then Cisco, or HP and Netgear's managed devices, whilst still retaining management functionality; ie the ability to access the switch itself, and configure it for precise needs (in my case, VLANs and traffic prioritisation). If you simply want to add more ports to a common "home" network (ie, plug in, switch on, add devices) then this is a good choice, and certainly performs better than the cheaper switches from the likes of D-Link, Zyzel, and various "no-name" or never-heard-of brands. Performs better? Yes, the switch is capable of handling 5 streams of gigabit traffic with no slowdown, unlike cheap brands which although can handle 1 or 2 devices at gigabit speed, become swamped when all ports are handling full-speed traffic. The way to determine this in advance of buying is to look at the "fabric speed" of a switch, it should be at least equal to half the sum of all the ports (ie a 5 port gigabit switch should have a fabric speed of 2.5gb), better still the sum of all ports, and the best twice the sum (5 ports operating at 1gb full duplex = 5 x 1gb x 2).Apologies for the egg-sucking. Small, unobtrusive, low power and low noise, does the job and does it well. Easy to use (plug and go) or easy to manage; power on, install Netgears software to find the switch and set the IP address, then use a browser to access it (and uninstall the netgear software).

Very good easy to set up

This is a great switch if you are using it with a compatible network interface card.I needed to use it with three high end Intel Gig cards (PRO/1000 GT) and the currently shipping v3 of this product is unable to connect any higher than 10Mbps with these cards.I know this is a good switch because I was temporarily able to use it with other Broadcom cards without any problems.However after I discovered this, I contacted Netgear, who did swap it out for me with one that was fully gig compatible with my Intel cards.Amazon's service as usual was excellent, and Netgear did fix their faulty product version, but it should have worked on the newer revisions.---- UPDATE -Let me update this review in light of how helpful (or not) other people have found my initial review.Once I received the updated version from Netgear, this switch has been working solidly, without any issues for four years. My kit is powered off during the days, so this switch has survived on average around one thousand four hundred power cycles, it has four permanent connections, runs a little warm, and in every way is faultless.Recommended very highly, I have even bought a couple more for my place of work, again with no problems at all.