I just started a new job (whoo-hoo!!) and the switch at my job is a crappy D-Link which the Empeg doesn't play nice with when I'm trying to stream music. So can anyone recommend a small 4-port hub/switch that will work well with the empeg?

thanks,
ajay

4-8 port 100baseTX switches have become commodity-cheap in the past couple of years.

Bear in mind that the empeg only has 10baseT ethernet capabilities - any 100baseTX hub or switch should be more than capable.
That being said, I retired a DLink switch because of general flakiness, it would sometimes just cut out completely. I replaced it with a Netgear, which appears to be very solid, both physically and performance-wise. (Runs warm though - needs space/ventilation)

I second the flakyness of the Dlinks and also recommending netgear. My entire home network is built on netgear products, both wired switches/hubs/nics and wireless AP/usb nics/pcmcia nics.

Yeah, netgear all the way. Dlink and Linksys both suck. I've said it before but wall mountable Real Metal Cases are where it's at. I spent an entire day analyzing a small office network only to find that the brand new linksys 8 port switch just didn't work and brought traffic to a crawl. Now, that'd be fine, as long as the replacement linksys had worked, but it didn't.

Matthew

I agree with the general consensus. I run NetGear nics and a NetGear hub at home; never had a problem with ethernet connections.

I agree with the much better build quality and just general feel of Netgear equipment. But also, I've got a Linksys 10/100 switch (EZXS55W) that has been working perfectly for the last couple of years. No problems with the empeg as well.

- Trevor

Okay, so I'm going to go with netgear. Anyone want to share specific model numbers so that I can pricewatch them? I'm only being so specific because I don't want to spend any money on a netgear that hasn't been tested with an empeg.

thanks,
ajay

I had a DS104 with an empeg once, but it really doesn't matter which model you get. Netgear is definitely one of the best "cheap" brands.

I use an FS108 with my empeg at home. At empeg Towers, we have a mixture of FS108s and DS108s.

Like everybody says, get a DS104. It should work just fine.

Thanks everyone for the help. I just ordered a Netgear DS108 for 45 bucks. Finally I'll be able to use my empeg at work... whee!!

later,
ajay

IMHO, Netgear isn't a cheap brand. It was the first mid-range brand. Keep in mind that it's really the consumer division of Bay Networks (which was purchased a few years ago by Nortel), which makes real enterprise level switches and routers.

IMHO, there are only two levels of consumer networking products.... low end and higher end. The low end is home to D-Link, Linksys, Netgear, and some SMC. On the higher end is 3Com, Intel, and some SMC.

A product's placement in my "low" or "higher" category is not based on pricing alone. Although it is a factor, my personal experience with the brand is far more important. For example, I rate D-Link very low because I had an expensive item that died. So, even their "expensive for them" products aren't made right.

When I buy stuff, I usually get Netgear or SMC because I like to not pay too much. D-Link is winning back my trust with their 802.11a gear. Their AP and PCI card have been working great for me. Linksys is probably last on the list now.

It's weird how networking gear is so different for different people. Example, the reason this thread started is because of a stupid Dlink hub/switch at my job, so my opinion of Dlink has been lowered. And my home cable-modem-router thing is a Linksys which has been working without problems (including with my empeg) for the last year. So IMO, Linksys is better then Dlink.

later,
ajay