Customer Reviews

NETGEAR FS116 16 Port Fast Ethernet Switch with Auto Uplink (10/100)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I had been looking at the FS116 for some time, hoping for the prices to come down. Recently, I was able to get one at a good price from Amazon so I jumped on it.

This switch, unlike many of the Linksys products, is made of *metal*. It is VERY solidly built and quite small - not much taller than the network jacks themselves. It does not have any fans and runs only slightly warm to the touch.

... EVERY port on this device is now uplink capable, not just one port "with a button" as the heading indicates. For me, this was a pleasant surprise as I have several ethernet cables that are designed for uplinking and with this switch, I can use them whenever I need to due to the auto-detection on all 16 ports.

I really like that the LEDs and cables come-out of the front. The trend in consumer level devices is to put the cables on the rear. This does not work for me as I have my "network center" in the basement and all of the cables approach from the front (note, front-connect is how professional-level equipment is built and the fact that the Netgear uses that also harkens to their power-user-level equipment).

Anyway, I have been using this switch transparently for a couple of months now. It functions just as a switch should: without a thought. It just works.

Mike

The equipment is OK. I mean, not really much to go wrong since it's just a switch.

The problem is Netgear will not honor the supposed lifetime warranty. Worse is they have you on hold for ever, bounce you from one tech (sorry, they call them "engineers" - an insult to real engineers everywhere) to the next.

Finally they tell you the problem is software (even the power light does not illuminate yet somehow it's software, who'd a thunk it) and try and bill for premium support rates. When that was refused they hung up on me.

So, yes, Netgear stuff might seem like a good deal but be prepared to replace it on your own nickel when it fails (mine lasted 8 months).

I wanted to upgrade my home network from a 10M/sec hub built into my router to a 100M/sec switch. I probably could have gotten by with an 8 port product, but I've wired up a few outlets to a patch panel and didn't want to have to walk to the basement and patch around as I moved around the house. This 16 port version seemed like a good way to go.

The product is very different styling than other Netgear products I have (not that I cared). It is small, not a much larger profile than the plugs themselves need, and the case is very sturdy and solid. With no fans, it makes no noise. My only negative comment is I would have preferred a standard 19 inch width for rack mounting, but others will prefer this more condense case. Fits on a shelf easy, or you could mount it to the wall with screws on the underside.

And the end result -- much faster home network! This would be a good solution for anyone with a larger home or small office wired network, or someone who hosts LAN parties. 16 ports will connect a lot of people!

We replaced three old 10-baseT hubs with the Netgear FS116 and our network has not only been MUCH faster, but seems to have a whole lot less trouble.

It does everything we need it to do and does it well. We have generally been very happy with other Netgear products we have used.

The FS116 is small, affordable, and works great. What more could you want?

tried this as a cheaper solution for the Netgear JGS516. did not operate well at all. unit locked up multiple times. would not purchase again. Seller was perfect. product arrived as promised. Not sellers fault product is horrible.

It burned out with the smell of burning plastic. The unit was very hot. I have had it for one year!!!

I've never seen anything like it! Honestly, you can just throw out the instruction manual because you literally just have to plug it in!

Used it for the past 2 years as a LAN party switch. Rock solid, just about every other piece of networking equipment we've used (wireless routers ect.) has failed massively at one point or another, but this thing never skips a beat. Rock solid construction, it's lasted 2 years being hauled around from house to house on a weekly basis by a bunch of 18 year olds, what more can i say?

I purchase Netgear products for their quality & reliablilty. They are durable and deliver performance as promised. The Netgear FS116 lives up to our expectations.

This device is solidly built, very easy to use. I am not an IT person, I was able to set it up in our office within 10 minutes.