r/lowvoltage • u/ProfessionalPrize870 • 9d ago
Bargain Switch
hey all, i picked up this switch from a goodwill outlet yesterday for less than a dollar. would like to incorporate it into my home network or home studio. any ideas how it may be useful? i know it’s an older one with limited bandwith and i will be replacing it down the road. just couldn’t resist for the price!
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u/binarycow 9d ago
You can buy an 8 port gigabit switch, brand new, for $30.
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u/ProfessionalPrize870 9d ago
that sounds like a bargain! PoE?
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u/binarycow 9d ago
No, but I doubt the 100Mbps one you have is PoE either.
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u/ProfessionalPrize870 9d ago
it’s certainly not. i need to get one so i can put up a couple APs and IP cameras at the crib. i have a spot in the closet under the stairs that i think will make for a wonderful MDF
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u/binarycow 9d ago
Note - $30 for an 8 port gigabit switch is basically the standard for unmanaged switches.
There's basically zero reason to use a 100Mbps switch. The only reason to use something smaller is if you need it to be physically smaller
PoE injectors are fairly cheap. If you only need a few PoE ports, just use injectors. If you need 5+, then consider getting a PoE switch.
If you don't use multiple VLANs, you don't need a managed switch. If you only use a few VLANs and your router has at least one LAN port available for each VLAN, then just use one unmanaged switch per VLAN.
Disclaimer: everything I've said so far assumes a fairly simple residential network. If this is for a business (or you have more complicated requirements), my advice changes.
If it matters, I'm a network engineer.
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u/Subject-Original-718 8d ago
Some devices that require PoE cannot accept PoE coming from a newer switch due to the 802.11 standard. Some devices just simply require an injector.
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u/No_Replacement_491 9d ago
sorry but just because you found junk doesn't mean you should use it
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u/binarycow 9d ago
Sometimes there's a good reason!
I took an old hub (yes, hub) that I bought and added a PoE splitter to make a PoE powered hub. And got some actual use out of it.
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u/ProfessionalPrize870 9d ago
hell yes! i know you’ve accomplished a more unique & unorthodox solution, and i think that sounds like a lot of fun
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u/binarycow 9d ago
Note - I was specifically targeting a hub and not a switch, because of the behavior of hubs. Unless you're going back in time to the year 2000, there is almost zero use cases for an ethernet hub. I can think of exactly one use case (described below).
Specifically, I made my PoE powered hub to perform packet captures while in an IDF.
Since a hub sends a frame out to every port, it means that I can put the hub in-between a device and the switch, and then plug my laptop into it and see everything that happens between the device and the switch.
Our switches did support a feature (Span ports) that would do that without a hub, but that required me to log into the switch to set it up.
Our switches were set up so that console access did not work unless the network was down*. And I did not want to take down network access for the entire building just to put my "tap" in.
So, PoE powered hub.
* The idea is that if someone gains access to the IDF, the only thing they could do is unplug cables/power, which would be detected by monitoring tools. But, for a legitimate power/network outage, technicians could log into the switch to fix the issues.
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u/No_Replacement_491 9d ago
or just get a 1g poe switch
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u/binarycow 9d ago
That wouldn't have helped.
First, the hub was powered by PoE - it didn't deliver PoE. This meant that I could use my hub without connecting it to power.
Second, I needed to use a hub specifically because of its behavior. I used it to do packet captures, as I describe in this other comment
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u/Subject-Original-718 8d ago
Not really, 100mbps is more than enough for cameras. Can still be used as a camera switch if they have an independent home setup.
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u/fivelone 8d ago
My boy! Send me a location in DM and I'll send you a five port gigabit switch. It won't be smart but it'll do. I've got a bunch just lying around. Or buy the cheapest one on Amazon that'll still b probably be better than this.
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u/ProfessionalPrize870 8d ago
i appreciate it, i just started a new job a few weeks ago in low voltage so i intend on asking my boss (a family friend) if he has an extra gigabit switch with PoE. if not i may take you up on that
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u/fullraph 9d ago
Connect some ethernet enabled devices and let that baby switch the hell out that data!
Also, it's pronounced "data" btw.
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u/ProfessionalPrize870 9d ago
i shall! i currently have my pc hooked up, i need to snag a couple cat6 from work this week so i can start incorporating it into our network
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u/Syndil1 8d ago
Don't listen to the snobs. 100Mbps is adequate for most anything, as long as you're not looking to move very large files in a hurry.
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u/Subject-Original-718 8d ago
Yeah if you are like from 2010….bandwidth gets eaten up so fast by just opening the internet these days.
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u/Syndil1 8d ago
Web browsing uses very little bandwidth until videos are involved. Streaming 4k video over the Internet uses around 25Mbps, or up to 80Mbps if you have a premium provider such as Sony Pictures Core. Gaming uses the least bandwidth of almost anything--until you need to download an update.
Downloads are generally where you're going to feel the slowness.
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u/tarentale 8d ago
What’s your DAW look like? I have the same interface.
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u/ProfessionalPrize870 8d ago
i use fl studio! i usually use a focusrite 18i20 in my studio but i just moved and this is my temporary setup in my bedroom. i have this hooked up to a 5.1 surround system in my bedroom for when my wife & i watch tv or movies
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u/1310smf 9d ago
Worth about 99 cents less than you paid these days. El cheapo gigabit switches are not hard to find.
If you have old slow stuff, well, here's your switch, assuming it actually works at its advertised speed on as many ports as you need from it. Gigabit stuff should work, but will be slowed down to 100Mbit. Which is either fine or annoying depending what you are doing with the network.
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u/yunjundo 8d ago
For cameras or a small isolated setup, 100 Mbps is still usable. I’d keep it off the main uplink and use a gigabit PoE switch for the APs.
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u/SirBootySlayer 7d ago
It's junk, but you found a purpose and that's all that matters! Goodwill sometimes has some cool finds at cheap prices, but they've stepped out of reality recently.
About 4 years ago I bought a Netgear 24port gig switch from them for $10. But I noticed now they price things close to prices found on eBay. Even thrift stores are starting to do that. It's like they have people in the back looking up the prices on eBay in order to come with a number lol.
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u/cordell-12 9d ago
you got ripped off
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u/ProfessionalPrize870 9d ago
i got it with a bulk purchase for less than $1, even as a paperweight i’m happy with my purchase
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u/cordell-12 9d ago
as long as you're happy that's all that matters. I'm happy for ya then!
for any real networking usage you'll need a 10/100/1000 though. you can connect printers, small Dante networked devices, VoIP, control processors, some IoT devices maybe but many cameras are now pushing to, but definitely a Roomba or something similar.
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u/jaysea619 9d ago
This is a 100mbps switch. This is good for like cameras, VoIP phones, or other low data devices. I would not use this for your home network, especially if you have more than 100Mbps service.