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What switch to buy?
I have a Netgear R8000 Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Wireless Router and a Netgear CM700-100NAS Cable Modem. An insatller is setting up my home network and he said he needs me to get a 16 port s...
Hi mmitsch,
Both the GS316 and GS116 switches are unmanaged, pass-through switches. Their main purpose is to extend your local network in order to connect more networking devices such as PCs, network printers, etc. Check the table below which shows some differences between the GS316 and GS116v2 switches:
Note: The latest version of the GS116 switch is the GS116v2 (v = version).
The GSS116E is a web managed click switch which gives user the flexibility to configure certain static layer 2 settings in order to improve network efficiency and performance. The configurable features are Port Mirroring, VLAN, QoS, Rate Limit, and Broadcast Storm Filtering.
Note The suffix NA or 100NAS at the end of the product model (example: GSS116E-100NAS or GS116NA) is the product order code in North America.
For more information, kindly access their respective data sheets below:
If I were to choose, since all of your existing devices are NETGEAR SOHO Devices (R8000 Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Wireless Router & CM700-100NAS Cable Modem), I would select the GS316 switch which is a NETGEAR SOHO switch.
SOHO = Small Office Home Office
Regards,
DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team
Yes, it'll be ok. :) The GS116 switch will still definitely serve its purpose which is to extend your local network in order to connect more networking devices such as PCs, network printers, etc.
Regards,
DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team
DaneAwrote:Yes, it'll be ok. :) The GS116 switch will still definitely serve its purpose which is to extend your local network in order to connect more networking devices such as PCs, network printers, etc.
Regards,
DaneA
NETGEAR Community Team
Thanks for the help!
Could I ask a final question? Do you think I would benefit by getting a Orbi WiFi System versus what I have? I think I have a pretty strong setup buy Netgear really advertises the Orbi.
The Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Router (R8000) was introduced way back 2014 which is intended for SOHO environment while the Orbi Pro Tri-Band WiFi Sytem (SRK60) was introduced just last 2017 which is intended for small, growing businesses. Access the links below to know each of their technical benefits:
NETGEAR DEBUTS DIY WIFI FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WITH ORBI PRO WIFI SYSTEM
To know more about the specifications of each device, kindly access their respective data sheets below:
Nighthawk® X6—AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Gigabit Router Data Sheet
Orbi Pro - AC3000 Tri-band WiFi System Data Sheet
Note: The Orbi Pro WiFi System is not compatible to work with the Orbi Home WiFi System.
For me, if you are satisfied with the performance of your existing network devices, I suggest you to stay with it in order to avoid unnecessary expenses. Otherwise, if you want to experience the benefits of the Orbi Pro WiFI System, then feel free to go with it.
Regards,
DaneANETGEAR Community Team
I would suggest to stay far away from Orbi if you intended to create some network segregation by deploying Smart Managed Plus or Smart Managed Pro type network switches. Neither Orbi, nor Orbi Pro, nor Nighthawk does support industry standard VLANs. For this you have to go either to 3rd party router solutions, or wait until Netgear has launched the Insight Router product line later this year.
Orbi was designed as a "throw in" solution to extend the wireless coverage in an area allowing a 5GHz wireless backbone or for the sake of it on a switched/cabled backbone with an Orbi Router and multiple Orbi satellites. Kind of a no-brainer solution for the consumer market. But mostly a dead end for those who expect "more" in my opinion.
Sad Netgear does insist the Guest networking capability of Orbi, Orbi Pro, and Nighthawk are sufficient, and unveiling there is no plan to support anything industry standards. For the price tags of these units, this is a nightmare. A competitor is offering a nice router platform for USD 49.50 (!!!), add some Smart Managed Plus Netgear PoE switch(es) and a bunch low cost WAP505 Wireless Access points form Netgear.
For a fraction of the cost, you get a much better solution than an Orbi system or a Nightawk router. Sorry johngm - your recent reply does not leave another choice. We've expected you are going to change Nighthawk and Orbi massively - appears this does not happen, no interoperability. Dead end systems. Closed platforms. Very sad story.
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