Best Gigabit Switches For Home Networks

Best Gigabit Switches For Home Networks

If you want to supply your devices with a faster, more stable wired internet connection, but you're limited by fewer Ethernet ports on your router, then it's time you invest in the best gigabit switch for home network.

This highly affordable investment will help you create a more stable and speed Ethernet connection while providing you with more Ethernet ports so that you can connect all your devices to the wired internet.

In this post, you'll discover the top-of-the-line gigabit switches to compare and choose from for your home network.

Best Gigabit Switches For Home Networks Reviews:

1. Linksys LGS105 Business 5-Port Desktop Gigabit Switch

The Linksys LGS105 is rated as the best gigabit switch for home network. It comes designed to accelerate your home network and allow your Ethernet-enabled devices to enjoy high internet speeds of up to 1000Mbps! This makes it the perfect option for home networks used for gaming, file transfer, and so on.

This switch presents you with up 5 gigabit Ethernet ports, which is a higher number than what your current router is offering you, allowing you to connect even more devices. All the ports come with an auto-sensing feature to automatically optimize speed for all the connected devices.

Equipped with the quality of service traffic prioritization feature, this gigabit switch will ensure the most important tasks in your home network receive top priority, taking your network reliability to a whole new level!

Because the switch features an easy plug-and-play setup, with no software settings and configurations needed, installing it in your home network becomes a super-easy task for you.

Highlighted Features:

• High speed wired connection, up to 1000Mbps
• Up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Auto-sensing ports
• Easy plug and play setup
• Quality of service (QoS) traffic prioritization
• Multiple power-saving features

2. NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch

Netgear is, doubtlessly, one of the most successful brands in the production of top-notch networking equipment. Their 8-port gigabit switch for home network will ensure all your Ethernet devices enjoy faster and more stable wired connection.

Being an unmanaged kind of Ethernet switch, this device is ideal for small home networks. It features a simple plug and play installation, making it easy to set up in your home network, even for absolute beginners. No configurations are needed to get this device up and running.

Moreover, it offers you versatile desktop or wall mounting options to meet your mounting preferences.

And unlike other switches out there, this Netgear model is designed without a fan to ensure it operates noiselessly. So, you can rest assured that this device won't turn out to be a nuisance in your home.

Also worth noting is that this switch is 100% compliant withIEEE802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet mode. In other words, it's highly power-efficient and won't be the reason for increased power bills in your home.

Highlighted Features:

• Up to 8 gigabit ports
• Desktop or wall mounting options
• Simple plug and play setup
• Fan-less for whisper-quiet design
• Build to last
• Power-saving and energy-efficient

3. D-Link Ethernet 5 Port Switch

When looking at the best gigabit network switch for home on the market today, we can't forget this model from D-Link. A favorite for many, this switch offers you an easy way to add more devices to your home network to enjoy fast wired connections.

The D-Link smart switch offers you up to 5 high-speed Ethernet ports made using D-Link's premium Green technology. It also presents you with an easy to use web management console, which gives you an easy time monitoring and configuring your home network.

The bonus Quality of Service traffic prioritization feature to help prioritize your most important tasks. This is a true recipe for a lag-free gaming experience, faster file transfers, and clear, clutter-free voice calls.

When you order this switch, you'll get additional advanced features such as link aggregation, VLANs surveillance, Loopback detection, bandwidth control, and IGMP Snooping.

The gigabit switch features D-Link's green energy-efficient Ethernet for the ultimate power efficiency to ensure you don't experience an increase in your power bills. Moreover, it comes with a fan-less design that ensures it operates quietly in your home.

Highlighted Features:

• Five 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
• Supports 802 1Q VLANs for secure traffic
• Quality of Service traffic prioritization
• Supports link aggregation
• Compact desktop design
• Limited lifetime warranty

4. TP-Link 8 Port Poe Gigabit Switch

This gigabit switch for home network is a real POE hub with 4 Power over Ethernet ports. It's engineered to automatically negotiate PoE power with PoE devices and protect your PoE devices. This makes it a suitable switch for multiple applications like PoE IP Cam, access point, EAP, IP phone, and more.

Probably the key feature that makes this switch overly popular is the power overload protection feature. When the total power consumption exceeds 55Watts, the built-in intelligent power management system will automatically cut off the power priority port power to ensure high priority power supply and keep your devices protected from power overload.

You don't need to key in any complex configurations or install any hardware to start using this gigabit switch in your home network. You simply plug it in, and that's it! You'll also appreciate the diagnostic LED indicators that come with this switch as they help you easily monitor your network workability.

As a bonus, this device offers you a traffic prioritization function for your most important internet tasks. It includes IGMP Snooping, which reliably optimized multimedia traffic delivery, giving you a better network experience for applications like IPTV.

Highlighted Features:

• Suitable for PoE IP Cam, IP phone, EAP, access point, etc.
• 8 Gigabit POE ports
• Fan-less for noise-free operation
• Plug and play, simple setup

5. Amcrest 8-Port POE+ Power Over Ethernet POE Switch

The last best gigabit network switch for home on our list is this Amcrest Ethernet POE switch. This model comes in a compact design and won't make any mess when you place it on a desktop.

Like the other devices mentioned above, this switch will also offer you a high-speed connection for all your devices. It comes with a total of 8 ports, which translates to more devices enjoying faster and uninterrupted Ethernet internet connection.

If you're looking to set up security cameras in your home, you'll be amazed to know that this switch also comes armed with POE cameras that work exemplary well with POE cameras. You'll be hard-pressed to find a unit that offers you this kind of functionality!

Remember, this gigabit switch for home network also features a simple plug and play installation. Plus, it comes in a compact desktop design, which further ensures easy setup on your desktop. The included indicator light ensures easy, user-friendly operation.

Highlighted Features:

• 8-port gigabit switch
• Hassle-free plug-and-play setup
• Offers you gigabit uplink of 10, 100, and 1000 Mbps
• Includes POE ports (rated 96Watts)
• Backed by a one-year limited warranty

What is a gigabit switch and why do you need one?

A gigabit switch, also known as Ethernet switch, refers to a device that you can add to your home network to help you create a wired/Ethernet network connection for your devices.

Sometimes you might find the 4 Ethernet ports offered by your router just aren't enough for all your devices. In this case, investing in an Ethernet switch is a sure way to help you get more ports and allow all your Ethernet-enabled devices to enjoy faster-wired connections.

These switches usually offer you more ports than your router. The number can range from as low as 5 to as many as 24 ports...and some business-grade products can offer you even more ports!

Here are quick highlights of the benefits that you get when you invest in the perfect gigabit switch for your home network:

• Increased compatibility: unlike your router ports, which tend to support 10, 100, 1000 Mbps data rates only, the gigabit switches have greater capabilities, which enable them to work well with a wide range of devices. You can use them with computers, cameras, and more.
• Expand your network: another reason to invest in a gigabit switch is that it can help expand your home network. This is simply because it offers you a greater number of Ethernet ports than your router, ensuring all your devices are connected to the network at the same time.
• Boost your devices' performance: yes, these devices can also come in pretty handy when it comes to boosting the performance of a number of devices, including HDTVs and HDRs. The boost enables these devices to enjoy a better connection to the internet.

How to choose the perfect gigabit switch for home network?

Choosing the best gigabit network switch for home for the first time shouldn't be a hard task for you. Focus on the key factors below to help you pick the most appropriate device for your unique needs.

Number of ports

One of the key factors to help you choose a great gigabit switch for your home network involves checking the number of ports it comes with. One of the reasons you're investing in an Ethernet switch is to get more ports for your devices, so you don't want to get a device that doesn't solve this problem. The switches offer you varying port configurations, ranging from 5 to 28, so finding the right model for your needs will be easy.

User-friendly design

You should also ensure you get a gigabit switch that comes with a user-friendly design right from setting it up to operating it. Ideally, the easiest to set up models feature a simple plug and play design.

Models with desktop and wall mounting options give you flexibility over how you can mount them. The ideal model should also come with helpful features such as LED lighting, well-labeled ports, and buttons, etc., to make it easy for you to operate.

Build quality

You should also ensure you get a switch designed to last for years. Most models usually feature plastic or metal housing. As you can easily tell, metal feels sturdier and more durable than plastic. However, some plastic materials also feel sturdy and can last for years. Whatever material you choose, make sure your device is durable and not made out of cheap quality materials.

What are the different types of gigabit switches available?

There are more than one types of gigabit switches you'll find on the market today. These have varying capabilities to help you choose the perfect one for your unique needs.

Below are the two most common switches:

1. Unmanaged gigabit switch

This type of switch is best suited for use in small homes and small businesses. It comes as a quite basic model and doesn't need any sort of configuration to keep it functioning well. Switches in this category usually come with an easy plug-and-play setup.

2. Managed gigabit switch

These switches are the opposite of the unmanaged switches; they are a bit more complex and are designed with users who prefer customizing their gigabit switches in mind. With the right configurations, you can greatly boost your network.

Keep in mind that these switches let you enjoy additional features such as adjusting, monitoring, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need a gigabit switch for my home network?

You need a gigabit switch for your home network if your router can't provide enough Ethernet ports for your Ethernet-enabled internet devices. If you already have a router and most of your devices are Wifi enabled, and you're okay with wireless network, then you might not need to invest in a gigabit switch.

Q: Will a Gigabit Switch speed up my network?

Sure! The best gigabit switch directs the network packets to the right ports, increasing efficiency and thus the speed of your home network.

Q: Why is switch better than hub?

A switch is better than a hub. In a hub setup, the connected devices share all the available bandwidth at each port, resulting in lower network speeds. A gigabit switch, on the other hand, directs the traffic to the proper ports for faster and more efficient network connections. A switch also possesses some intelligence at passing along traffic. If the destination address isn't on the table, it sends the traffic to all the other connected devices, increasing your network efficiency.

Q: What does a 10/100 Ethernet switch mean?

In the simplest words, a 10/100 Ethernet switch refers to a model that auto senses the speed of 10 or 100 Mbps of a given device at the other end.

Final Verdict

With the right gigabit switch, you can transform your home network into a faster and more stable Ethernet network for gaming, streaming, and other tasks that require uninterrupted and faster internet connections. To help you choose the best gigabit switch for home network, we've just offered you the 5 top-rated models you can find on the market today.