Network Switch Roundup

Conclusion
So, which switch is the best? Well, the fastest is separated from the slowest by about 1.72 Mbps, which means it would be about 2.4 seconds slower to copy a Gigabyte of data across the network. In other words: no significant difference. OK, let's try it another way. The switch that took the worst beating in performance while under load dropped in speed by 0.92 Mbps. That means it would take just under 1.3 seconds more time to copy a Gigabyte of data when loaded. Once again, no significant difference. How about price? Nope, foiled again. These switches all sit within a $35.00 price range. You could choose one by which has the best warranty: The D-Link and SMC have lifetime warranties, while the switches from Linksys and Netgear only have 5 years (only 5 years…yeah, right). The simple fact is, these products are all so close together that you might better pick one by which color you like best or whether the ports are in the back or the front.

At this point you might be thinking "Gee, there's no clear winner here." But there is: You, the consumer. The price to performance ratio of any of these switches means that for about 3 times the price of a 10 MB hub, you are going to get anywhere from 10 to 30 times the speed. The happy truth is that no matter which of these switches you buy, you are going to get awesome performance for your money.