Netgear DS104 4-Port 10/100 Dual Speed Hub with Uplink Button

by Netgear

Product Details

Product Manual [569kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.1 x 1 inches ; 13.9 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00000J4LQ
• Item model number: DS-104
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,276 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 15, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Netgear DS-104 4-Port 10/100Mbps Dual Speed Hub connects multiple PCs to share printers, files, Internet access, and e-mail communications. You can mix and match 10 and 100 Mbps PCs, servers, and peripherals with this hub, all without any configuration required. The DS100 family combines many capabilities in a compact package and is designed for cost-conscious small-business users.

Each unit has a built-in self-learning bridge that provides the communications link between the 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps network devices. The intelligent bridge automatically manages network traffic so that 100 Mbps traffic and 10 Mpbs traffic do not unnecessarily crowd each other.

Product Description

Netgear (DS104NA) HUB 4-PORT 10/100MBPS COMPACT

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars dependable, solid, inexpensive -- it doesn't get much better, July 24, 2001

By 

Irving Forbush "codejockey" (Davidson, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Netgear DS104 4-Port 10/100 Dual Speed Hub with Uplink Button (Personal Computers)

I purchased this hub as part of a network starter kit (2 PCI ethernet cards + hub) and had no problems installing it. I run both Unix/Linux and Windoze machines and wanted all machines to be networked even with a mix of operating systems running at the same time -- and that meant simultaneous internet access, multi-player games, shared printers, etc. Basically, I wanted the network to do everything, so that any family member could sit down at a machine and do what they needed to do.

The DS-104 hub delivered from the time I installed it until the day I replaced it with a router (RT-314, also from Netgear). Installation was a snap, and as soon as I turned it on, I never had a moment's trouble from the DS-104.

So why did I switch? In two words, performance and price. Although the DS-104 is a fine product, its multiuser performance simply can't compare to a switch (which was built-in to the RT-314 router I replaced it with). I noticed that performance suffered when all of us wanted to use the computers simultaneously, which got me thinking about alternatives to improve performance. I initially intended to replace the DS-104 with a switch. After checking prices, I realized that I could actually purchase a router (switch + hardware firewall) for less than the cost of a switch alone. I eventually went that route, after receiving outstanding service from the DS-104 hub.

So was this purchase a throw-away? Hardly. The DS-104 did what it promised to do, reliably and without fuss. It handles both 10 and 100 Mbps connections transparently, so you don't even need to know the speed of whatever you're connecting. It's well-constructed (metal case instead of plastic) and absolutely reliable. Although I've replaced the DS-104 with a router, I haven't gotten rid of it -- I'm saving it for the day when I need to add several machines to the network and I'm out of ports on my router.

The DS-104 is solid, dependable networking at a very reasonable price. Recommended.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The thing just works!, November 2, 1999

By 

Bibliophile - See all my reviews

This review is from: Netgear DS104 4-Port 10/100 Dual Speed Hub with Uplink Button (Personal Computers)

I took this hub out of the box, plugged it in, connected it to our internal network and my two PC's about two months ago, and it has worked flawlessly ever since. All without reading the manual! This hub is perfect for me because I occasionally attach a legacy 10Mbps device and don't need more than three ports (other than to link to our existing network).

One warning - if you have other Netgear hubs and equipment, keep the power supplies separate. I had a single-speed 100Mbps hub and got the power supplies mixed up. The unit looked like it was working but actually wasn't. The power supplies look similar, the plugs are the same, but I think the current and/or voltages are different.

Other than that, this is a great product. As I said earlier, it just works. When you factor in price, you can't miss.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect SOHO solution, November 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Netgear DS104 4-Port 10/100 Dual Speed Hub with Uplink Button (Personal Computers)

For handling a Netgear router, two machines and a print server, this is the best option for the price. Price aside, a totally dependable product. I expect to see a lot more Netgear equipment in my home. Oh, and the case actually looks nice, unlike 3Com and most other manufacturers' boxes.