Need a new switch

[cooper]

Hi Guys

 

Had to shut the power off in the school last night.

 

Now one of the switches has stopped working

 

Anyone recommend a supplier, and a good make switch i can get to replace.

 

I have a 24port 3COM 10/100 at the moment.

 

and a quick delivery time would be good.

 

Thanks

 

Cooper

[plexer]

Do you need it to be managed?

 

Ben

[OutToLunch]

Misco for the supplier and quick delivery, Netgear for cheap cheerful and reliable switches...

 

If you're doing a like for like replacement,

 

NETGEAR FS726T ProSafe 24 Port 10/100 Rackmoutable Smart Switch with 2 Gigabit Ports

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=166212&CatId=2734

 

if the switch was unmanaged

 

or

 

NETGEAR FSM726 24 PORT 10/100 MANAGED RACKMOUNT SWITCH WITH 2 GIGABIT ETHERNET PORTS

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=114714&CatId=2733

 

if the old switch was managed.

 

If your old switch was unmanaged and you want to do a sneaky upgrade while replacing it

 

Netgear ProSafe 24 Port 10/100/1000 Rackmount Switch

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=248504&CatId=2735

 

My 2p worth. HTH!

[cooper]

Thanks for that.

 

I dont know much about switches apart from they connect the workstations to the network so a couple of questions

 

Whats the benifit of a managed switch?

 

And with the fibre ports are these best used to connect the servers to the switch and if these connections are used will i need to upgrade the network cards.

 

 

Cooper

[speckytecky]

We purchased a good 24 port 10/100 unmanaged Linksys through Misco last year. I can't see it on a search coming up at Misco at present but a similar one is at Dabs http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=36PH

[OutToLunch]

Managed switch - all sorts of fun things like VLANs, tying MAC addresses to ports to stop people plugging in laptops they're not supposed to have etc...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_switch

 

The fibre ports on the first 2 are more there for future expansion if you're not using them already I wouldn't worry about it... Just get the replacement in place and plan properly for an upgrade rather than trying to throw it all in at once - the exception being if you were dropping in the last gigabit cat5e/6 ethernet based switch which should happily run on existing cabling without worrying about fibre etc, just gives you an upgrade path if you do get gigabit cards and/or cabling in future.

[localzuk]

It depends on the size of the school and what infrastructure you need/will need in the future. If you only have a single 24 port switch I would say that you likely do not need any managed features.

[Lee_K_81]

Also consider HP Procurves. Bit more pricy but i believe they come with a lifetime warrenty.

[cooper]

Thanks for all the advice,

 

I am going with a Netgear from Misco. Getting a 48portas we have plans to extend the ict suite this year.

 

Have a top weekend

 

Cooper

[Sylv3r]

Wouldn't go with anything else apart from the HP Procurves here, just bought another 7 x 48 port 2650's.

[MSGeek]

HP Procurve all the way, although Cisco are the market leaders, I am getting more into Cisco, but HP Procurves rock!!!!