Customer Reviews

Cisco SD205 5-port 10/100 Switch

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This Linksys SD205 switch rules. First, its mesmerizing because its the same size as the Ipod. Second, it does what its advertised such as connecting other computers together and most importantly, it regenerates signal. I was seriously considering buying a repeater, but they cost a couple hundred dollars. Technically, a hub is supposed to do the same thing but who wants that passive crap. The signal in my network started to attenuate and needed regeneration. This badboy fixed it and its back to full strength. I highly recommend this product if you are needing a component to branch out your network.

 

What I like from this product is the size and flexibility. Since I daisy chain the wired network, I don't have to worry straight or cross over ethernet cable from any ports. With the compact size, I could hide anywhere or even behind the wall.

I use two of these in my current network. One is near my "computer desk" and the other behind my entertainment center. The one behind the desk is attached to a WRT54G router (which hooks to the cable modem), printer, two NAS drives, and a 50' cable to the entertainment center. That one is attached to a TiVo, Slingbox and PS3.

Setup was a breeze. Just plug them in and hook up your RJ45s and you're good to go. I was running the TiVo on a 802.11b wireless connection and the Slingbox wired. When I got the PS3 I decided that instead of running wires, I'd just put this switch behind the cabinet. or the price, I couldn't see buying hubs and sharing the 100 Mb with all the devices. This way all the devices get ~100 Mb.

It's small and easy to hide, but looks nice if you want to leave it out. I really like this switch. If you're wired and using 100 Mb, this is a great step up from hubs.

I got this for an office at work. I had to upgrade it from slowwww 10-base-T to Fast Ethernet. As soon I plugged it up, DHCP took care of the rest. This hub takes a pounding between Internet, printer, and servers daily. No problem for it. Some of our network connections are true Gigabit speed, and this switch holds it's own against this equipment.

The Linksys product has always been a good selection for my solutions however this little LAN hub surprised me when I discovered that it really is what I would call a four port becuase one of the ports you have to use for your input. So you can only connect four PC's with this model not five. But the product works great and love that it is so small!

I've owned one of these for about two years and it's been used continuously for months at a time. This switch has given me no issues. I note that it's plugged into a UPS (uninterruptible power supply), so it's been shielded from outages and power fluctuations.

PROS:
Ports that are on the BACK (attractive look if you plan to use it on a desk or shelf).
The small A/C adaptor plugs into the back of my UPS without covering other outlets.
Attractive design and colors..
Status lights are noticeable but not distracting..

CONS:
I'm detracting one star because it gets warm unlike my older Netgear switch, so I suspect that it consumes more energy.

I recommend this as it has performed well, but I might also go with the Trendnet Green series with the intent of consuming less energy (it's only a couple watts but it makes a big difference since these tend to be be used continuously).

 

Looks good.
I do hope that this product will live up to the Cisco legacy.

These little switches are actually labeled Cisco and not Linksys. They are straight forward and easy to setup and use as most any unmanaged switch is. I now wish I would of spent the extra money to buy the 8 port version. That does not take anything away from this review, the 5 port version I purchased are great little units. I wall mounted mine and they are doing a great job.

I have a four computer home network so I was out of ports on my router. Then I bought a Sony Blu-Ray player that has an internet connection available. The best solution was to buy a network switch. When I received the switch I hooked it up to my router, plugged my computers into it, and I was done. There were no hassles at all. Less than 5 minutes and I was done.

I've had one of these Ethernet switches under running 24/7 on my home network now for several years and it's worked flawlessly all this time... still going strong even with constant heavy use. I love the compact size, durable construction, and reasonable price. I recently needed to expand the network into another part of my house and I purchased another one (now under the Cisco name). It's identical to the old one and is also working perfectly. I'll definitely buy another when it comes time to expand again. Two thumbs up!