Small business owners printer.

[KraftyPg]

No worries if you want any other info let me know, in the range you listed above competition isn't really that strong so I'd estimate prices of all like gear to be very similar and it would come down to preferred brands of which I'd always choose Netgear or D-Link.

If you hunt around you might be able to pick up a few second hand 4's or 8's for less than their cost in postage which might just be enough for you to play with and decide if you really do need the extra ports or if a smaller one is adequate.

 

[terryc]

<Edited to add answers and other question.>
Q How many ports do you need Dave? 16 -> 24
2c if you get a switch, which most are, rather than a hub, you can localise traffic. a hub will put all your traffic everywhere, but a switch shouldn't send it further than needs to be.
IME, 24 ports are way more expensive pro-rata than 8 or 16 ports.
My full SOHO plan is the 4portt ADSL in with one line to the 4/8port at the Tv/entertainment area, same to SWMBO desk, same to mine and same to the back desk. Works great and no problems. So unless you really want to wire your house with 4 or 8 sockets in every room, consider that option.

What LAN speed? not critical.
From what I can see, you still pay $$$ for 1Gb atm.

Why managed? nice graphs?

Cisco; okay if it is free and you will have access to the software for free, but sucks $$$$$ otherwise. 20 years ago speccing Ci$co just added a final 0 to total. Unfortunately it became industry fashion and as far as I know your fscked for choice now.

I deal with D-link

D-link print servers are a total PITA. I recently needed to get a USB capable print server and purchased their DPR-1061(2USB &1PP).

I thought something was really funny when it said to have a second print queue for for "text" documents from Linux. WTF, *nix has handled printing LF->CRLF conversions since it first had printing.

anyway, it only works 50% on MS operating systems and about 1% on *nic systems. It is the first printer server in about 20 years that wouldn't talk to any printer<CROWCALL> and all d-Link can say is "unsupported printer"

My 2c is to avoid D-Link stuff, this and other experiences..

and Netgear mainly because for small to medium networks their prices are quite good and their products are more than adequate.

I've not had any problems with Netgear/Netcomm over the last 15 years. Current hub is the Netgear 8port 1Gb and it is fine being hammered 24x365.

I've actually been collecting small hubs here now for a little while, was within an ace of snagging a 24 port a few months back but the company decided they wanted to keep it.

Lol, I have a collection from 4 port to 16 ports, Thin & thick, token, twinax and a pile of basic managed Hubs/switches/routers and whatnots.

You wouldn't happen to have a DEC FDDI boxen would you? I'm still wanting to install a fibre ring in the back yard between the house and sheds. They were the bees knees at one stage.

 

[Dave]

I am thinking a 24 Terry as most of the tv's, blueray players, computers all have the ethernet ports.

PS3 etc.

I haven't looked much into as of late but its on the to do list.