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What switch to buy?

mmitsch
Tutor

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 switch.  What is a good switch for me to buy?  I checked at BestBuy and they have the Netgear ProSafe GS116NA for about $80 and the GSS116E100NAS for about $140.  There is also another, the GS316100NAS for $140.  I don't know much about switches.  Which should I get?

 

Thanks!

 

Mike

 

Message 1 of 10

Accepted Solutions
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: What switch to buy?

@mmitsch,

 

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

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Message 7 of 10

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DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: What switch to buy?

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:

 

GS316 Data Sheet

 

GS116v2 Data Sheet

 

GSS116E Data Sheet

 

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

Message 2 of 10
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: What switch to buy?

@mmitsch,

 

I just want to follow-up on this.  We’d greatly appreciate your feedback letting us know if the information I’ve provided has helped resolve your concern or if you need further assistance.  

 

If ever your concern has been addressed or resolved, I encourage you to mark the appropriate reply as the “Accepted Solution” so others can be confident in benefiting from the solution. The NETGEAR Community looks forward to hearing from you and being a helpful resource in the future!

 


Regards,

 

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

Message 3 of 10
mmitsch
Tutor

Re: What switch to buy?

I bought the GS116NA but think maybe I should take back & get the 316 based on your advice.

Thanks for the help & let me know what you think.
Message 4 of 10
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: What switch to buy?

@mmitsch,

 

Having the GS116 switch in your existing network is just alright.  🙂 

 

 

Reagrds,

 

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

Message 5 of 10
mmitsch
Tutor

Re: What switch to buy?

You mean by just alright that it'll be ok?  The insatller guy put it it but, if I should switch, I will.

 

And thanks for the advice!

 

Mike

Message 6 of 10
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: What switch to buy?

@mmitsch,

 

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

Message 7 of 10
mmitsch
Tutor

Re: What switch to buy?


@DaneAwrote:

@mmitsch,

 

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.

 

 

Message 8 of 10
DaneA
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: What switch to buy?

@mmitsch,

 

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 SHIPS NIGHTHAWK X6, INDUSTRY'S FIRST TRI-BAND WIRELESS ROUTER OFFERING BREAKTHROUGH 3.2 Gbps...

 

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,


DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team

Message 9 of 10
schumaku
Guru

Re: What switch to buy?

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.

Message 10 of 10
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