NETGEAR GS108 ProSafe 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Desktop Switch

The NETGEAR GS108 ProSafe 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Desktop Switch offers: Eight gigabit ports for fast data transfers. Auto-sensing ports that eliminate manual switches. Fanless design for silent operation.

At Gigabit speeds, even large video files are transferred quickly. View larger.

Simple Setup and Stellar Performance
Plug in your Ethernet cables and connect a power cord, and you're ready to go. There is no software to install or settings to configure. The switch features auto-sensing ports which automatically obtains the fastest possible connection. There are no toggle switches or special crossover cables. The switch will honor priority tags at both the Layer 2 and Layer 3 level if you have your network set to support jumbo frames.

Every port supports up to 2000 Mbps in dedicated bandwidth. Automatic flow control ensures smooth traffic. There is a queue buffer memory of 12 kbytes per port and a MAC address database size of 4,000. The switch has status LEDs for power, and link, speed, and activity for each port.

The NETGEAR GS108 ProSafe 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Desktop Switch has a Mean Time Between Failure of 91,500 hours and is backed by a lifetime warranty. The power adapter is backed by a 2-year warranty.

What's in the Box
GS108 Desktop Switch, wall-mount kit, power adapter, installation guide, warranty/support information card.

The form factor is great, too: At about 9 inches wide by 4 inches deep by 1 inch thick, it's small enough that I was easily able to place it inside the structured wiring panel, and so light that a little heavy velcro holds it fast. Plus, it doesn't put out a lot of heat; even with the door to the panel closed, it feels warm but never hot to the touch.


Solid performance, compact form   December 7, 2006
Omar Siddique (Ellicott City, MD USA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

I bought this GS108 to replace an overheating Netgear GS605 switch. This switch's metal casing and design seem better suited to dissipating heat than the plastic casing of the GS60x series.

While both GS10x and GS60x are comparably priced gigabit "dumb" switches from Netgear, the GS10x switches feel much more solid as if they were business-grade products. The GS10x (this switch) also supports jumbo frames unlike the GS60x, which should make for better peak gigabit performance. Unless the asthetic of the white case appeals to you, the GS10x is the superior choice over the GS60x series.

As others have noted, the photo here is out of date, the current model of this switch is a compact fanless form-factor barely larger than the width of the 8 network ports. Since there's no fan, there's no noise at all. The only drawback to this compact design is that the activity/link LEDs are now built into the port and are all one color. You can't tell at a glance if the port is connected at 100Mb or 1000Mb... That minor quibble aside, this is an excellent product, highly recommended.


STABLE, FAST, and QUIET   May 11, 2006
Steven Hsu (NY USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I work in a computer lab where we constantly re-image devices (using Norton Ghost). I have 3 laptops and 1 DELL GX620 desktop and all of them have Gigabit connection. When I connected those 4 to this switch and run the imaging process simultaneous, I get the same performance (0 differences) as I run 1 laptop to the GX620. This testing was done with Cat5 cables that I pick randomly from my lab. I can't wait to add more devices and using Cat6 cables to get my work done faster.


Excellent, affordable gigabit switch -- may need to tweak your settings   March 16, 2007
S. D. Weitzenhoffer (Houston, TX United States)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Using the pcattcp benchmarking tool, I find I got speeds of ~11,000 KB/sec using my Netgear 10/100 router. Plugged into my new gigabit switch, I am seeing speeds of ~95,000 KB/sec (the maximum would be 122,000 KB/sec).

For those of you not in IT, you need to make sure your network cards are gigabit-capable, and that the cable throughout your house is Cat 5e or better. There are also some registry tweaks you may need to perform, described at [...]

Netgear makes a solid gigabit switch -- before you complain you're not seeing improvements in speed, you really need to diagnose the rest of your system.


Compact charger, well made   February 2, 2007
John Faughnan (St. Paul, MN USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

We've figured out how to make switches, so it's no surprise this one just works. There's no fumbling with crossover cables, uplink connections, etc. My Mac shows up as a gigabit connection, my older devices as 100 MB.

The device is compact, low lying and feels very solid. Fanless and draws only 12V and 1A -- it runs cool and needs little power. The power adapter is relatively compact and fits well on the average power strip, using up only a single slot. It's slotted to mount in several orientations and comes with an external ground for a rack mount.

It's a good choice for someone who wants something a cut above the usual consumer grade switch.