What best bang for the buck managed gigabit ethernet switch?

[JKCode]

Hey,
I'm moving in to a new place and it has a rack mounted (no switch tho).

I would like to buy one that would best suit my needs, but I'm totally clueless on the options.

 

My budget is 200$ - but I would rather have a best bang for the buck option than burn all of it.

I appreciate any suggestiions!

[Lurick]

Do you need managed switch?

If not just get a 24 port or 16 port unmanaged switch for maybe $75 and call it a day.

[Needfuldoer]

22 minutes ago, JKCode said:

I would like to buy one that would best suit my needs

What are your needs?

 

If you want a homelab switch with tons of 10 gig and 40 gig options, you can't really beat a Brocade ICX 6610. If all you want are managed ports and a couple 10 gig SFP+ ports, Aruba/HPE switches are easy to find.

 

Don't buy Ubiquiti.

[JKCode]

11 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

What are your needs?

 

If you want a homelab switch with tons of 10 gig and 40 gig options, you can't really beat a Brocade ICX 6610. If all you want are managed ports and a couple 10 gig SFP+ ports, Aruba/HPE switches are easy to find.

 

Don't buy Ubiquiti.

I only need a switch to split network to 4 outlets and 1 access point.
I have a home office and I need to be able to divert more bandwidth to it when needed, so kids can't affect my work.

[ToboRobot]

7 minutes ago, JKCode said:

I only need a switch to split network to 4 outlets and 1 access point.
I have a home office and I need to be able to divert more bandwidth to it when needed, so kids can't affect my work.

I think you can setup a VLAN for the home office to segment the office from the kids network.

So just find a switch with ports of the speed you require and the number of ports you need.

[OhioYJ]

You might also look at the switches, that are "in between" managed and unmanaged. Netgear for example has a Plus line and a line of Smart line of switches before you get to the managed switches. I'm using some of these as I just needed switches that supported VLANs. 

[JKCode]

12 minutes ago, OhioYJ said:

You might also look at the switches, that are "in between" managed and unmanaged. Netgear for example has a Plus line and a line of Smart line of switches before you get to the managed switches. I'm using some of these as I just needed switches that supported VLANs. 

You guys are just telling me "Oh, you can look for this or this" - I know, I was hoping to get concrete models 

[LAwLz]

It depends on what you need.

There is no "best" switch just like there is no "best" color to paint your wall.

 

 

How many ports do you need and which sort? - According to your previous answer, it sounds like you need 5 ports, but I'd like for some clarification and potential future plans. You probably also only need RJ45 ports but I'd like to get clarification on that too.

What speeds do you need them to be at? - Sounds like you don't need more than 1Gbps per port. Is that right?

Are there any specific features you need? - You mentioned the switch being managed, and needing to prioritize your work traffic, but do you actually need a feature to do this? How much bandwidth do you use and how much do you have available? If you are using Wi-Fi, can you do eventual prioritization on that?

Do you need PoE? - You mentioned an access point but do you feed that with PoE? If you do, which PoE standard does it need?

[JKCode]

9 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

It depends on what you need.

There is no "best" switch just like there is no "best" color to paint your wall.

Oh, yeah? Try "black".
 

> How many ports do you need and which sort?
I think 6 is the bare minimum - 4 for outlets (with switches/hubs in them), 1 for access point and I just realized - 1 to connect router used as a bridge for fiber.
 

> What speeds do you need them to be at? - Sounds like you don't need more than 1Gbps per port. Is that right?
My fiber is up to 1Gbps.
 

> Are there any specific features you need? - You mentioned the switch being managed, and needing to prioritize your work traffic, but do you actually need a feature to do this?
Possibly. I don't know the difference between managed and unmanaged switches to be completely frank - I assumed that they're about as different as modems and routers - where routers have more robust functionality that allows you to forward ports, adjust bandwidth for each output and so on (kinda like switch), and modem only translating and decoding the signal.

> How much bandwidth do you use and how much do you have available? If you are using Wi-Fi, can you do eventual prioritization on that?
I have 1Gbps available. I need low latency because I play competitive games, and there is a lot of interference in my neighbourhood.
 

> Do you need PoE? - You mentioned an access point but do you feed that with PoE? If you do, which PoE standard does it need?
There will very likely be PoE (I'm assuming, a professional will be installing that, I've only outsourced picking switch to my humble self).

[LIGISTX]

5 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

It depends on what you need.

There is no "best" switch just like there is no "best" color to paint your wall.

 

 

How many ports do you need and which sort? - According to your previous answer, it sounds like you need 5 ports, but I'd like for some clarification and potential future plans. You probably also only need RJ45 ports but I'd like to get clarification on that too.

What speeds do you need them to be at? - Sounds like you don't need more than 1Gbps per port. Is that right?

Are there any specific features you need? - You mentioned the switch being managed, and needing to prioritize your work traffic, but do you actually need a feature to do this? How much bandwidth do you use and how much do you have available? If you are using Wi-Fi, can you do eventual prioritization on that?

Do you need PoE? - You mentioned an access point but do you feed that with PoE? If you do, which PoE standard does it need?

This.

 

1 hour ago, JKCode said:

I only need a switch to split network to 4 outlets and 1 access point.
I have a home office and I need to be able to divert more bandwidth to it when needed, so kids can't affect my work.

The above questions are spot on. For *most* people, a managed switch is not needed. What do you do for work, and why would kids watching YouTube or Netflix affect it? How do you envision using this manage switch go solve the problem? 
 

If you want segmentation, you’d also want/need a router/firewall that is vlan capable, which is what I would personally recommend, but it’s not required unless that’s a feature set you want. 

[JKCode]

3 minutes ago, LIGISTX said:

This.

 

The above questions are spot on. For *most* people, a managed switch is not needed. What do you do for work, and why would kids watching YouTube or Netflix affect it? How do you envision using this manage switch go solve the problem? 
 

If you want segmentation, you’d also want/need a router/firewall that is vlan capable, which is what I would personally recommend, but it’s not required unless that’s a feature set you want. 

I'm a software engineer.
My assumption was that manageable switch allows me to divert 50% of bandwidth to my office and the rest for the rest of the household.
They download a lot of crap - games, Call of Duty updates and such - it's often very heavy on the network.
They also upload Youtube videos.

[LIGISTX]

1 minute ago, JKCode said:

Oh, yeah? Try "black".
 

> How many ports do you need and which sort?
I think 6 is the bare minimum - 4 for outlets (with switches/hubs in them), 1 for access point and I just realized - 1 to connect router used as a bridge for fiber.
 

> What speeds do you need them to be at? - Sounds like you don't need more than 1Gbps per port. Is that right?
My fiber is up to 1Gbps.
 

> Are there any specific features you need? - You mentioned the switch being managed, and needing to prioritize your work traffic, but do you actually need a feature to do this?
Possibly. I don't know the difference between managed and unmanaged switches to be completely frank - I assumed that they're about as different as modems and routers - where routers have more robust functionality that allows you to forward ports, adjust bandwidth for each output and so on (kinda like switch), and modem only translating and decoding the signal.

> How much bandwidth do you use and how much do you have available? If you are using Wi-Fi, can you do eventual prioritization on that?
I have 1Gbps available. I need low latency because I play competitive games, and there is a lot of interference in my neighbourhood.
 

Do you need PoE? - You mentioned an access point but do you feed that with PoE? If you do, which PoE standard does it need?
There will very likely be PoE (I'm assuming, a professional will be installing that, I've only outsourced picking switch to my humble self).

If you don’t know the difference between managed and unmanaged, you don’t need managed. 
 

Putting something to try and “steer traffic” will likely only increase latency across the entire system. Games use in the kb of data, so your using not even a fraction of the total bandwidth… what you need is as little “logic” between your PC and the internet, which means get dumb switches and don’t try and be fancy. “Fancy” networking requires logic to be applied to traffic… logic takes time, time = latency. 

[JKCode]

3 minutes ago, LIGISTX said:

If you don’t know the difference between managed and unmanaged, you don’t need managed. 
 

Putting something to try and “steer traffic” will likely only increase latency across the entire system. Games use in the kb of data, so your using not even a fraction of the total bandwidth… what you need is as little “logic” between your PC and the internet, which means get dumb switches and don’t try and be fancy. “Fancy” networking requires logic to be applied to traffic… logic takes time, time = latency. 

Sounds good.
What unmanaged switches do you suggest getting?
Preferably something with PoE as was previously mentioned.

[LIGISTX]

Just now, JKCode said:

I'm a software engineer.
My assumption was that manageable switch allows me to divert 50% of bandwidth to my office and the rest for the rest of the household.
They download a lot of crap - games, Call of Duty updates and such - it's often very heavy on the network.
They also upload Youtube videos.

If you want to do this, you need a router/firewall at the head of the network that can do this. A managed switch really isn’t the answer. 
 

This is possible to do, but I think you are looking at the wrong solution. Look into pfsense or opnsense, and potentially pick one of them. But be warned, you’re going to have to learn some networking, and it’s pretty easy to try and get to fancy and lock yourself out of the internet. But I would look into one of those options and set up multiple subnets, run each subnet out of a separate port (no need for vlans that say, and then you can use normal dumb switches), and you can get as fancy as you need to at that point, but the less is probably the better.  
 

TLDR, a managed switch is not going to help you. You need to go a level higher architecturally, which is the firewall/router. 

[LIGISTX]

Just now, JKCode said:

Sounds good.
What unmanaged switches do you suggest getting?
Preferably something with PoE as was previously mentioned.

Lots of options for that, I honestly don’t have a real recommendation. I use UniFi gear myself, but that’s all managed stuff. 
 

If you only need 1 PoE device, it’ll either come with its own injector, or you can buy a single Ethernet injector just for it. Much cheaper than buying a beefy PoE switch…. 
 

Id talk to the person doing your WiFi install, they will have more info for you. But I would assume that they will assume you don’t have your own PoE switch and will be providing an injector for the AP (again, most consumer devices that require PoE come with injectors anyways). 

[JKCode]

3 minutes ago, LIGISTX said:

If you want to do this, you need a router/firewall at the head of the network that can do this. A managed switch really isn’t the answer. 
 

This is possible to do, but I think you are looking at the wrong solution. Look into pfsense or opnsense, and potentially pick one of them. But be warned, you’re going to have to learn some networking, and it’s pretty easy to try and get to fancy and lock yourself out of the internet. But I would look into one of those options and set up multiple subnets, run each subnet out of a separate port (no need for vlans that say, and then you can use normal dumb switches), and you can get as fancy as you need to at that point, but the less is probably the better.  
 

TLDR, a managed switch is not going to help you. You need to go a level higher architecturally, which is the firewall/router. 

I know networking from the software standpoint, I just don't know hardware 

[LIGISTX]

1 hour ago, JKCode said:

I know networking from the software standpoint, I just don't know hardware 

Then I’d look into pfsense. If you don’t want to build your own box from an old PC or a new mini PC, netgate sells pfsense boxes. 

[JKCode]

10 minutes ago, LIGISTX said:

Then I’d look into pfsense. If you don’t want to build your own box from an old PC or a new mini PC, netgate sells pfsense boxes. 

Yeah, I already decided to put minimum effort into it.
I'll be getting TP-Link 16p TL-SG1016 Rack (16x10/100/1000Mbit)

I'm aware it doesn't come with VLAN.

[Alex Atkin UK]

32 minutes ago, JKCode said:

Yeah, I already decided to put minimum effort into it.
I'll be getting TP-Link 16p TL-SG1016 Rack (16x10/100/1000Mbit)

I'm aware it doesn't come with VLAN.

VLAN is not necessary for Quality of Service anyway, this would all be done on the router and static DHCP so your work PCs always get the same IP addresses allowing you to say "make these higher priority".  However how much this will help, its hard to say as mostly with QoS you are limiting the upload, not the download as by the time your router plays a part - that data has already been downloaded so the bandwidth has already been used.  The only true download limiting can be done at your ISP, everything else is a bit of hack trying to limit the download by delaying the requests going over the upload for clients with a lower priority.  Of course this delaying could also make gaming suck if you don't do it right.

 

VLANs are if you need virtual networks isolated from each other, its about isolating clients on your internal network from each other.  For example if you were to have an open file server sharing work files and didn't want the kids to get at them, but then you wouldn't leave a file share completely open anyway.  A lot of us have an Internet of Things VLAN for example, but if they are all connected over WiFi from the router itself, you likely can do this just on the router with a guest SSID.

[LAwLz]

5 hours ago, JKCode said:

Oh, yeah? Try "black".

Are you joking? I honestly can't tell.

If someone came up to you on the street and asked "which wall color would be best for me", you would answer "black" without asking any follow-up questions and you would think that that was the correct answer? That there is a "right" answer to which color a wall, any and all walls, should be?

 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, JKCode said:

> How many ports do you need and which sort?
I think 6 is the bare minimum - 4 for outlets (with switches/hubs in them), 1 for access point and I just realized - 1 to connect router used as a bridge for fiber.

Okay good. Just to be clear, when you say "bridge for fiber", you mean that you don't need any fiber ports on the switch, right? You'll use a regular networking cable to connect the switch to a router. 

 

 

6 hours ago, JKCode said:

> Are there any specific features you need? - You mentioned the switch being managed, and needing to prioritize your work traffic, but do you actually need a feature to do this?
Possibly. I don't know the difference between managed and unmanaged switches to be completely frank - I assumed that they're about as different as modems and routers - where routers have more robust functionality that allows you to forward ports, adjust bandwidth for each output and so on (kinda like switch), and modem only translating and decoding the signal.

If you don't know the difference then chances are you don't need a managed switch. In fact, I'd probably recommend against a managed switch since you will probably just get headaches from trying to use features you don't fully understand. Or in a best-case scenario, you waste money on things you don't end up using.

 

 

6 hours ago, JKCode said:

> How much bandwidth do you use and how much do you have available? If you are using Wi-Fi, can you do eventual prioritization on that?
I have 1Gbps available. I need low latency because I play competitive games, and there is a lot of interference in my neighbourhood.

That didn't really answer my question.

If you have 1Gbps then my guess is that you don't need QoS or other types of prioritization. In fact, enabling QoS might actually introduce more delays because the QoS function itself requires additional processing.

Gaming uses very little bandwidth. It is fairly sensitive to latency however, so in your case where you have plenty of bandwidth you probably want to keep the processing fairly simple to keep latency down.

 

 

6 hours ago, JKCode said:

> Do you need PoE? - You mentioned an access point but do you feed that with PoE? If you do, which PoE standard does it need?
There will very likely be PoE (I'm assuming, a professional will be installing that, I've only outsourced picking switch to my humble self).

Did you outsource picking the access point? Do you know which access point you will get? Because if you are going to power it using PoE, you might need to know which PoE standard you need. There are currently 4 different PoE standards. Chances are you only need PoE (not PoE+ or something higher power), but it would be a good idea to look this up before deciding on the switch.

 

 

 

6 hours ago, JKCode said:

I'm a software engineer.
My assumption was that manageable switch allows me to divert 50% of bandwidth to my office and the rest for the rest of the household.

It's not that simple. 

 

This is a classic example of "the XY problem".

You have come up with what you think is a solution for a problem, and then are asking us for how to implement the solution. Instead, you should be saying "hey, this is my problem. How do I solve it? I was thinking of X, would that work?".

 

Instead of asking us for which managed switch to buy because you thought that would solve your issues, you should have asked us "I need to make sure I get a certain amount of bandwidth allocated to me, so that my kids doesn't bog the network down. How do I do that?".

 

 

Please remember that I am not asking you these things to be annoying. I just want to make sure you get good advice to a fairly complicated question. It really isn't as simple as saying "get this switch because it's the best". There is no "best switch".

[Alex Atkin UK]

On 9/21/2023 at 9:55 PM, LAwLz said:

Chances are you only need PoE (not PoE+ or something higher power), but it would be a good idea to look this up before deciding on the switch.

My NWA210AX claims to need PoE+ for full power operation.  I believe I've seen a few WiFi 6 APs claiming the same and WiFi 7 is likely to continue this trend as we will have three radios more heavily utilised at the same time with a more complicated modulation scheme and management.

[wseaton]

Not sure why the snipe against Ubiquiti. They arent the bargain leader like they used to be, but I have several networks I support running racks of UBNT 48 ports and its piece of cake to manage and has been reliable. Ubiquiti haters leave their Cisco VOIP unpatched and get hacked.

 

Opnsense is the best software based firewall I've ever used. Can be a bit daunting to set up for novices though.

 

Microtik is stupidly under-rated and my increasing goto for tight budgets.