Quick Network Upgrade - Replacing An Ethernet Switch
Originally recorded March 25, 2021. It's been high time for probably years, to replace this network switch. The story starts many many years ago when I ran Ethernet to the area where the video editing rig is. It was not easy to run, since I had to run the cable from the basement up into the garage, and then through the wall into the living room. I had no intention of ever needing more than one network cable there. This was, of course, not knowing that years later we would have smart TVs and Android TV boxes and other devices for entertainment that also need a network connection. And when I got a smart TV and all that other stuff, I realized that one network cable was not going to cut it. Rather than do things the right way, and run new Ethernet cables for the rest, I decided to just use a switch to break out that one cable to many other ports. And I had a D-Link 8 port switch, or bought it, and it worked great for what it needed to. Was in service for years, until one day a year or two ago, it just died. No rhyme or reason whatsoever, just died, and I had no link to anything. Fortunately, I keep spares, so I swapped in the spare a 5-port Linksys switch, which I learn now was actually a hub. Same difference, does the same thing at the end of the day. The difference is, a hub takes the message and sends it to all of the Ethernet ports. A switch will take the message, analyze it, find where it's supposed to go, and send it only to that port. A much more efficient way of doing things. Regardless, it worked for what it needed to, and has been in service for a year or two. It so seems that xjoe81x has all these projects lined up, and was going to need a network switch, so I was enlisted to find a suitable one because I'm the computer guy. When that D-Link 8-port switch died, I remembered looking on Amazon and was appalled to find that the design of switches has changed. Most today are PoE, nothing I'd want to have in service. Barring that, the rest were all of the same design. A blank front, all of the ports on the back, with link lights built in to the ports. No fun at all. You can either have all the cables coming out at you so you can see the lights, which looks messy, or you can turn it around and just have a blank box sitting there. And then I found this one, which is of the classic design--ports on the back, and blinkenlights on the front. Exactly as it's supposed to be--the way it always was! So, I bought 2, one for xjoe81x, and one for me, to replace that dead D-Link. It was well past due. Extra bonus is it's Gigabit capable, for possible future upgrades. But me being the old hardware guy, I still run a 100Mbps network and it's plenty fast for what it needs to do. Not to mention, all of the old computers are 100Mbps anyway, so it would never link at Gigabit speed. Perhaps one day in the future, if I end up with (note--that's not BUY, that's "acquire") some old machines that are a lot newer than the junk I run now, I'll look into upgrading the network to Gigabit, which likely would also require replacing a number of cables--plenty of fun. Related videos: IIooIIus Monitor Riser Stand Review https://youtu.be/v9BqwmJnfKo Video Editing Desk Upgrade, Part 5 - Mostly Back Together https://youtu.be/mpufmyzuwf8
Originally recorded March 25, 2021. It's been high time for probably years, to replace this network switch. The story starts many many years ago when I ran Ethernet to the area where the video editing rig is. It was not easy to run, since I had to run the cable from the basement up into the garage, and then through the wall into the living room. I had no intention of ever needing more than one network cable there. This was, of course, not knowing that years later we would have smart TVs and Android TV boxes and other devices for entertainment that also need a network connection. And when I got a smart TV and all that other stuff, I realized that one network cable was not going to cut it. Rather than do things the right way, and run new Ethernet cables for the rest, I decided to just use a switch to break out that one cable to many other ports. And I had a D-Link 8 port switch, or bought it, and it worked great for what it needed to. Was in service for years, until one day a year or two ago, it just died. No rhyme or reason whatsoever, just died, and I had no link to anything. Fortunately, I keep spares, so I swapped in the spare a 5-port Linksys switch, which I learn now was actually a hub. Same difference, does the same thing at the end of the day. The difference is, a hub takes the message and sends it to all of the Ethernet ports. A switch will take the message, analyze it, find where it's supposed to go, and send it only to that port. A much more efficient way of doing things. Regardless, it worked for what it needed to, and has been in service for a year or two. It so seems that xjoe81x has all these projects lined up, and was going to need a network switch, so I was enlisted to find a suitable one because I'm the computer guy. When that D-Link 8-port switch died, I remembered looking on Amazon and was appalled to find that the design of switches has changed. Most today are PoE, nothing I'd want to have in service. Barring that, the rest were all of the same design. A blank front, all of the ports on the back, with link lights built in to the ports. No fun at all. You can either have all the cables coming out at you so you can see the lights, which looks messy, or you can turn it around and just have a blank box sitting there. And then I found this one, which is of the classic design--ports on the back, and blinkenlights on the front. Exactly as it's supposed to be--the way it always was! So, I bought 2, one for xjoe81x, and one for me, to replace that dead D-Link. It was well past due. Extra bonus is it's Gigabit capable, for possible future upgrades. But me being the old hardware guy, I still run a 100Mbps network and it's plenty fast for what it needs to do. Not to mention, all of the old computers are 100Mbps anyway, so it would never link at Gigabit speed. Perhaps one day in the future, if I end up with (note--that's not BUY, that's "acquire") some old machines that are a lot newer than the junk I run now, I'll look into upgrading the network to Gigabit, which likely would also require replacing a number of cables--plenty of fun. Related videos: IIooIIus Monitor Riser Stand Review https://youtu.be/v9BqwmJnfKo Video Editing Desk Upgrade, Part 5 - Mostly Back Together https://youtu.be/mpufmyzuwf8