NETGEAR 8 Port Gigabit Network Switch GS108 | Ethernet
NETGEAR 8 Port Gigabit Network Switch GS108 | Ethernet Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Plug-and-Play | Silent Operation | Desktop or Wall Mou
| Weight: | 760 g |
| Dimensions: | 10.1 x 23.5 x 2.7 cm; 760 Grams |
| Brand: | NETGEAR |
| Model: | GS108UK |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Netgear |
| Dimensions: | 10.1 x 23.5 x 2.7 cm; 760 Grams |
Been running these for years and not had one fail yet.
This is a managed switch but you can just plug it straight in and use it.
Most home users won’t need this level of switch capability so choose a GS108.
These little blue metal Netgear switches have been around for years and for a good reason – they just work… flawlessly and perfectly. A little more expensive than the plastic equivalent but well worth the extra few pounds. Plug it in and forget about it, lovely!
Had problems with the non managed version not holding a 1gig connection (often dropped to 100meg even on a 1gig line). Swapping out the switch for this managed version made all the difference. A little specialist for most average users, but if you have some tech knowledge then the extra features like being able to login to this and seeing the status of ports etc is helpful.
I have installed multiple Netgear managed switches and whilst this does not boast the features of their higher end models, for a home lab or small business installation the basic VLAN support with tagging and LAG (link aggregation/failover) support is a huge plus and the ease of setup makes this the perfect switch.
I would have given this a 5 star rating however given the price point there are limitations to the features of the switch, with Broadcast Forwarding set to dynamic and IGMP snooping enabled, devices would lose connectivity, setting Broadcast Forwarding to hardware mitigates this. The second issue with the unit I received is that the included power supply whines however this isn’t so much of an issue if you’re not too close to the plug.
One thing to note is that if you intend to link multiple managed switches with multiple VLANs, make sure that the switches are given a static IP before setting the trunk ports to (T) on both switches to allow the downstream switch to function on the intended PVID and correctly pass tags.
Netgear make good quality sold reliable network kit like this, I have used numerous netgear switches over the years without complaint.
For a non technical user who just wants to split one ethernet feed into 8 or less this will be perfect for what you need, could even go for the “unmanaged” version.
For my fairly complex home office network I specifically wanted a small managed switch that could support LAG – lan aggregation – which basically allows more than one cable to run between the switch and a router/server to provide resilience and improve performance of the connection.
However this 8 port managed switch does not support LAG functionality it is only the larger 16/24/48 port versions that do. This crucial info is hidden in the small print of the product details and I didn’t realise it until I was trying to set it up and couldn’t find the relevant option. Consequently it was returned and I bought one of the larger ones.
Just be aware of this if you need LAG functionality and don’t make the same mistake I did!
EDIT: if you do buy one get it registered for warranty on netgear.com as they have a lifetime next business day replacement warranty service which is efficient and quick and highly valuable if your switch does develop a fault.
I already have a Netgear router that’s been working for at least 15 years in my old house, and continues to work with a Sky router in my new house, both are upstairs with 1 Mac and a printer. All my other computers and printers are in my downstairs office, with two ethernet Cat5e cables linking the two rooms. . Yes, I can and do use wi-fi, but I trust ethernet to be faster and more reliable. So my choice for a switch had to be Netgear. The GS108 is built in a really sturdy metal box. It runs cool, which is always a good sign. And it just works – flawlessly, straight out of the box. I remember the days when one port could be switched to be an uplink, or you needed a crossover cable. Those days are gone! These days, the switch itself works out what ports do what. I’ll probably need more ports, so I’ve just ordered another GS 108.
No settings to change or switches to set. I wanted a hub that would be reliable and stable, network issues can hijack your entire day trying to trace problems so I always go for this brand.
I considered the GS308 which was a bit cheaper but read a review of that compared with this model, the ProSafe GS108. Despite looking very similar on the outside, there were some key internal component differences which apparently made it unlikely to ever fail, hence I suppose the ProSafe guarantee of lifetime replacement.
The additional reliability combined with the extra led to indicate 10m, 100m or gigabit connection meant this was the one for me. I’ve had items connected which turned out to be operating sub optimally because the ethernet lead had cut back the data rates from 1000m to 100m without me being aware so I always like to see which led’s light for each device.
Besides I quite like to see all the flickering lights, it makes me feel informed and reassured its doing its bit. They are a bit bright though and can’t be dimmed so I wouldn’t suggest this unit for a bedside installation.
My Synology (DS918+) has 2 x 1Gb NICs which I configured in a Static LAG group on the switch (of course also had to configure the Synology end) and that is working perfectly. Tested by disconnecting the NICs one at a time and not even a ping dropped.
So overall I think this is a great switch for the money but it has to lose a star for the dumb default settings around broadcast traffic. This is probably what has caused some of the drops and disconnections some of reviews mention.
As you can see in my photo, I received the GS116Ev2. The date on the box is 2018.
I wanted to know what speed each port was running at. Some devices say they are gigabit (1000Mbps) but I wasn’t sure I trusted them. Other devices claimed different speeds or had no speed marked. I also have cabling with a number of patches (a straight through cable from socket to socket instead of going through an ethernet switch) and i wanted to know if the cabling was running at full speed. And since gigabit uses all 4 pairs, it would tell me if there were any faults on the wiring which a standard tester wouldn’t.
This switch tells me that everything is hunky dory. The NAS is connected at full gigabit and the laptop at the other end of the house is connected at full gigabit, so the parts that need to run full speed, are doing so. The patched cabling is part of that circuit so that’s fine. The rest, regardless of what it says, is running at 100Mbps. That’s adequate for what I expected and within tolerance.
Speed is visible from lights – left light for 100Mbps, right light for 10Mbps, both lights for 1000Mbps. Very simple, very straightforward, very easy. And the form factor of this metal framed box is that the cables plug in the same side as the lights so you don’t have to try to match up cable and light. A great little device.
1. Dear Amazon when reviewing this product you asked me to rate its wifi signal.
PLEASE NOTE: This item does not have wifi and is cabled only!
I love this it allows me.to keep my security cameras (CCTV) isolated from my main network. Exceptionally easy to install it has it’s own firewalls to prevent ddos you can separate networks I currently have 4 with different IOT devices on them keeping my home computer network isolated from IOT.
There is even an app for you peeps that are big on that stuff. I prefer getting hands on and setting up manually than for an app that may have a bug telling me everything is ok.
That aside this is an amazing product and a worthwhile investment.
For a cheap switch it’s very well built and actually includes all the wall mounting hardware you need (not that you have to do it of course).
The included cd with the software is OK but you’re better off using the Web based gui instead. It’s got exactly the same functionality but it’s not bloat to be installed on your pc.
I’m running mine with some VLANs setup and a trunk to another NETGEAR switch (24 port version) and QOS as well.
The setup procedure for the VLANs, was bizarre to say the least. There’s 2 different ways of doing it: port based and 802.11x. I, for the life of me, couldn’t get the trunked VLANs that are running to my other switch to work.
So I went with the 802.11x version instead. And yes, it’s a bit more complex to setup, but it works. And damn does it work well.
8 ports are enough to learn and utilities the power of VLANs and you can still extend your network with other not VLAN aware equipments too. The gigabit capability gives you enough bandwidth to fool around on your network with big files too.
(Good stuff to learn, plant it in your home lab or use it in a small office)
Needed a fancier switch for QOS after having issues with our VOIP phones.
For the price, you can’t complain. I can’t quite remember if it has Vlan tagging or whatnot – as it was a while since I set it up. This isn’t a requirement in our office, as we run two seperate LANs anyway for physicall isolation. What this was purchased for was it’s QOS features. We started having issues with our VOIP phones when downloading large files off the internet. This Switch now sits between the lan and the NAT router – prioritisng the port used for VOIP traffic.
Stability wise, it’s never had any issues since it was installed. That was 3 months ago.
As such it’s solved the issues. Ideal for on a tight budget, we got it for 26 so the boss was happy. Also, we got the latest revsion, not the earlier ones as some reveiwers have – and we bought direct from Amazon on Prime.
In for a penny…. I thought.
I plugged in my PC, NAS and Vodafone Sure Signal into it along with the router. After I booted up the PC I was disappointed that I didn’t have internet access! What had I done wrong?
I had a look at the questions and answers for this item here and then realised that I had plugged the router into P4 when it should be in P5! Moved the plug and hey presto, got my internet access back. Phew.
If you are unsure if this is the piece of kit for you, the best advice I can give you is this:
Buy this is you want your router in a different area than the rest of your kit. It works like an extension multiplug. You run a single cable to your router (MUST be plugged into P5) and then simply plug your gadgets into the rest of the ports.
Simple.
You don’t need to install the (Windows Only) software to manage the switch as everything can be done from the Web Interface, including firmware upgrades – which I’d highly recommend you do as soon as you get the switch, it’s also worth changing the default password whilst you’re there.
Instructions are very clear and you’ll be up and running in a few minutes, the out of the box configuration will be fine for most people, but you can also do some clever stuff if you want – such as prioritising traffic to certain ports, or pairing two ports together to form a very fast link between another switch.
I purchased 1x 16-port and 2x 8-port to provide the network infrastructure in my house. So this review covers both types.
As always netgear deliver a business class product.
WARNING TO HOME OWNERS: Yes you can use this as a standard switch, but this one gives EVEN you benefits.
ENSURE you change the default password. This is a security risk if you fail to do this basic task.
Netgear dont advertise its benefits to gamers, so i will, You can manage the traffic going through it, so you can give your game more, and boring stuff like updates less. If you use this as a standard switch and dont want to do anything technical you will still have to login to the device using an ethernet conneced computer, and its own built in web interface and as mentioned change the default password.
This particular unit is specially designed to be used with a hardware firewall. Is aimed at business customers, but like i pointed out, its good for gamers too, and as always comes with netgears reliability and reputation for quality products (looks nice on the wall too – yup this one can be wall mounted.)
Very fast and professional packed box etc, comes with getting started and software CD. KEEP THESE SAFE. You dont need to purchase the firewall either, but its a good idea and the pair work incredibly well together.
Looking to increase the amount of Ethernet ports available for more internet enabled items? look no further.
This provides you 7 additional ports. It’s powered by a plug, which is even better as it has it’s own dedicated power source and you can even set this up and use it as a VLAN to enable a more secure network whilst still having access to the alternative network.
No software required it’s as simple as plug and play.
It’s the size of a normal modem, it’s a tad heavy due to being made with a metal casing, but then it also means that this is a very heavy duty/wearing item. Feels and looks like a product that should cost more than it does. There has been no lack of quality put in to this, i’ve not found anything plastic on the item which could lead to something breaking easily or being classed as flimsy.
A product worth purchasing for networking needs.
Mind you the first one delivered was DOA, but Amazon are excellent and once notified on-line a new one was delivered the next day. Cant fault service like that.
Anyway the product – this is a quality home switch, offering low power and solid construction. You can install a utility on your PC and manage these switches at a basic level, such as naming them and setting up VLAN’s etc. A quality product for the money. This particular one is installed in my TV cabinet where it acts as a hub for all my various AV products and TV to get Internet service. As i have a 4k UHD TV we stream a lot of Netflix and Amazon prime shows at UHD levels and this requires a good and consistent Internet feed. This switch allows this easily to happen with no lag.
The original 8 Port Gigabit switch I have (earlier model) has been working away in my study for the last 3 years without a break and is a example of how reliable these switches are. In my AV cabinet this new switch replaced an older 100Mbps Netgear switch which had been working for even longer and which has now been redeployed elsewhere in the house..
Ideal little network hub / switch.
I needed more ethernet ports around the back of the TV for the PS3, Smart TV, Blu-Ray player, lap top and so on – you get the idea.
With only 4 ports on the Broadband router and 2 of them in use already I found that with just one long cable to go from the router plugged in to this little hub at the back of the TV area I had plenty of ports to connect everything I need plus have some spare.
Just the right amount of ports for me too – 4 wouldn’t have been enough and 12 is too much and make the device larger in size but with this perfect sized device I have enough ports and no worries about finding room for it – you can even mount it vertically thanks to a couple of mounts on the under side of the case and you only need to screw in a couple of screws to hang it on.
I bought this to provide a gigabit backbone for my home network after buying a http://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-ShareCenter-Network-Storage-Enclosure/dp/B008HNRD4
Sky, in their wisdom, provide routers with only 100MB connections, so I was having to by-pass the Sky box by plugging a network cable directly from my laptop into the NAS to achieve any kind of decent throughput.
Having used Netgear equipment before, I picked the eight port version, swapped the wiring from the Sky router and instantly upped my transfers rates from 12 MB/s (maxing out 100 Mbit network) up to about 55 MB/s — which was actually significantly faster than plugging in directly.
It’s small – about the size of a paperback book. It’s really well made, with a solid steel that doesn’t flex when you pick it up. I’ve actually taken advantage of the metal housing in sticking it to the wall using magnetic tape.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/First4magnets-F4MF25A-Polarity–Magnetic-Adhesive/dp/B003MW8CEE
There was nothing to configure. I just got a massive performance boost.
Simple to use unmanaged switch. I had a 5 port version of this that I need to increase the number of ports I had and didn’t look any further than the 8 port version of the same. I had the 5 port for many years and never had a problem with it. Being unmanaged there are no stats or interface to fiddle around with, it really is plug and play, or literally plug and work.
If you are looking to upgrade your network and with an inexpensive switch this is a good choice. Yes there are cheaper hubs but these are not swtiches which operate in a different way to a hub and a router. Not sure what a hub is vs a switch and a router. See here for the detail http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/router_switch_hub.asp. Basically if you connect to the Internet you need a router which normally includes a switch built in with 4 ports. To extend the number of ports on your router you can choose between a hub and a switch, a switch may cost a bit more but a safer option to choose if you are unsure about the right way to go.
If like me, you have reached the conclusion that the best way to give all household inhabitants access to their beloved internets is to pipe it via ethernet as near as possible to them, with a wi-fi network only for the last few feet/inches, then you’ll need one of these.
If like me, you have struggled with trying to set up different wi-fi access points around the house to ensure coverage, then tried to work out problems with interference / incompatibility between a/b/g/n devices, etc, then you may be thinking about a proper roaming network with a number of wi-fi points broadcasting the same network and password, albeit on different channels, particularly where one is g (for the iPhones) and one is n (for the iPads).
If you can possibly do it, make this little baby the centre of your household network. You’ll be so glad you did. I now have three wifi points, one backup disk, a media amplifier, apple tv, blu-ray player and mac mini, all running through this switch. My days of switching networks in my own house just to access different devices are gone.
I note the problems a few others seem to have with product failure. Here’s hoping they got speedy replacements. After several months I have had nothing but great speed.