Netgear's cheapest hub still available.
Written: Jul 06 '01 (Updated Mar 01 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It was good in its day, but now there is much better available.
Cons: Older technology. Gets too warm.
The Bottom Line: Probably not worth it when you can get an 8 port Hub or a 5 port Switch for only $20 more.
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| grimjack2's Full Review: Netgear DS108 |
Note: The only difference between the DS-108 and the DS-104 is the number of available ports. The 104 has four ports, and the 108 has eight ports.
My Netgear DS-104 came with a Home Network Starter Kit called the Netgear DB-104. I bought this almost two years ago (August, 1999), and have trouble believing that it can still be bought today, when there are obviously better ones sitting right next to it at my local CompUSA.
I'm certain Ethernet is the way to go when trying to connect multiple machines in your home. The wireless choices are just too slow to be worth the convenience of having no wires to install. The USB connection is a little faster, and a good choice when you consider that you don't need a hub or anything, but it is still too slow. Also, the fact that there is a 20' limit on the safe length of the USB cables means that Ethernet is still the only choice I would recommend.
Aside from having more ports, most of the upgrades of this Hub are actually Switches. They look almost the same, and most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference in transfer performance with just two machines. Switches used to be much rarer, much more expensive and usually wouldn't come in anything less than 8 ports. All that seems to have changed sometime last year when I wasn't paying attention. Now, the performance difference is worth the very small price difference. The equivalent Netgear Switches seem to only be $20 more than this Hub. A Hub takes all the information in and out through one channel (the uplink port can be the exception). If you have four machines on your hub and they are all transmitting data, the 100mb speed is divided among the machines needing the bandwidth. With a switch, each connection has a separate 100mb connection, so it is a much cleaner transfer of data, with fewer collisions.
The DB-104 hub has four ports. There is a toggle button that will let you switch the far right one between being an uplink port or a standard 10/100mb port. The other three are just your standard 10/100mb ports. There are lights letting you know when a connection has been made between the switch and a computer. There is a different light depending on whether or not it is a 100mb or 10mb connection. Since these sit over the ports very close to one another, and the text is so incredibly tiny, you really won't be able to tell which one you have unless you are very close, and have the different speed light lit up to compare. The hub will autosense 100mb speed if the network card will allow it.
There are also two rows of lights that represent send and receive bandwidth usage. The lights represent 1%, 10%, 20% and greater than 40% usage. These are helpful, but I doubt that average person can read the tiny letters, or realize what they mean. They will probably assume that each light represents 25% each.
Some of the larger hubs have an internal fan. Instead of a fan, the DB-104 has a metal case that acts as a heat-sink. This means that it gets very warm, very fast! This is actually uncomfortable to touch after about 15 minutes. I'm not kidding! It doesn't even seem to matter how much I'm using it, or how much I've transferred. It gets to a certain temperature and stays there for days. It makes me a little uncomfortable even leaving it sitting on top of my cable modem, or lying floppy disks on it! I wish the Hub had an on/off switch. Instead I have to unplug it when I want it to cool off.
I have been using this hub for almost two years, primarily by transferring files between my old machine with a CD burner on it, and my newer machine that has the cable modem attached. I don't like to keep the cable modem on the hub, because I don't need to access it from my other machine. Also, for security reasons. For just transferring files between two machines, I actually now use a cross-link Cat-5 cable. This works great, and I don't need to use the Hub until I need a third machine on the network.
If I ever get another machine, or want to connect a laptop to my network, the extra two ports make this very easy. If I ever need more empty ports, I can always get another hub or switch to connect with the uplink port.
The reason that I find it almost impossible to recommend the DS-104 is because both Netgear and D-link have a competitive product that are each only $20 more, but give you much more in return. D-link has a five port switch for the exact price of this hub, only $49. And, there is a Netgear FS-105 Switch that has one more port, and is only $20 more. The D-link has a lifetime warranty, while Netgear only offers five years (which should actually be well more than enough!). Either one is a worthy improvement over this hub.
If you see various versions of Netgear products, here is the key to their product names:
D is a 10/100mb hub
S is a 10mb speed only hub
F is a 10/100mb Switch
The 3rd number represents the total number of ports on their Hub/Switch.
Here is my review of the Netgear FB-105:
http://www.epinions.com/content_28398489220
Here is my review of the D-link DFE 910:
http://www.epinions.com/content_27151470212
Here is my review of the Netgear DB-104:
http://www.epinions.com/content_29304196740
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
grimjack2
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Location: San Rafael, CA, Marin County
Reviews written: 181
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Film is my favorite art form. I live a life of constant amelioration.
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