From owner-freebsd-questions Mon Jun 16 14:22:30 1997 Return-Path: Received: (from root@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.5/8.8.5) id OAA02279 for questions-outgoing; Mon, 16 Jun 1997 14:22:30 -0700 (PDT) Received: from xmission.xmission.com (softweyr@xmission.xmission.com [198.60.22.2]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id OAA02238 for ; Mon, 16 Jun 1997 14:21:54 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from softweyr@localhost) by xmission.xmission.com (8.8.5/8.7.5) id PAA00310; Mon, 16 Jun 1997 15:17:28 -0600 (MDT) From: Wes Peters - Softweyr LLC Message-Id: <199706162117.PAA00310@xmission.xmission.com> Subject: Re: Are all 8 port 10baseT hubs the same? To: leonardc9@usa.net (Leonard Chung) Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 15:17:22 -0600 (MDT) Cc: questions@freebsd.org In-Reply-To: from "Leonard Chung" at Jun 16, 97 02:10:49 am X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL25] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-questions@freebsd.org X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk > I'm starting to hook up a network with my FreeBSD system, and need to get a > small 8 port hub. I already have a few computers connected on a ThinNet > network, so I'm looking at getting a hub with a BNC connector, and possibly > an AUI port just in case. > > Is there any difference between the (many) brands of hubs, or should I just > go for the cheapest one I can find? I'm thinking that 8 port 10Mb hubs are > hopefully standardized enough now that there isn't a major difference... That depends on what you mean by "difference." There are a variety of 8-port hubs, made by different manufacturers, from different chipsets. Performance-wise, there are some differences, but not that many. Some of the "high-end" hubs include automatic jabber detection and lockout, and even network management protocols like SNMP. You'll find the former on *some* low-end hubs, the latter only on expensive hubs designed for large organizations. If you own 1 or 2 hubs, and 1 goes bad, its not too difficult to figure out which one it is. The one major difference on the low end is tech support: does the vendor have any? Do you have to pay for it? How long does it last? I have an Accton (cheap) 5-port hub and a Dayna 12-port hub at home; both work just fine. I'll recommend the Dayna products because they work well, the cost is pretty much in line with other brands, *they offer lifetime tech support*, and because I work for them -- plug plug! Your mileage may vary, but I suspect these days 5- and 8-port hubs are about as "commodity" an item as you can get, along the order of floppy drives and keyboards. You just plug them in and they work. > Also, can anybody recommend a good mail order shop (or tell me which ones > to stay away from ;) ? DataComm Warehouse: www.warehouse.com. I've ordered every network device I've ever owned, up until I joined Dayna, from them. One satisified customer here. -- "Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?" Wes Peters Softweyr LLC http://www.xmission.com/~softweyr softweyr@xmission.com