Linksys is Cisco's more consumer friendly line of network devices, though this does not necessarily mean they are any less effective or reliable. In fact, many techs in the know prefer Linksys over Cisco, and any other brand, when it comes to installing routers or switches in their own or their customers' homes or small offices due to the elegant simplicity of their setup menus and ease of use, though a good switch is usually transparent to the end user.

Linksys equipment is also generally less expensive than the Cisco counterparts, though some features may be sacrificed. In fact, many times you will see Linksys devices undercutting the other brands which are considered inferior by most network technicians. This company regularly brings out new devices with improved technology and, as many of their users know exactly what the latest and greatest is, they generally deeply discount the older equipment, even if there would be no significant difference to many customers.

LinkSys Cisco SD2005 5 Port 10 1000 1000 Gigabit Switch

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Linksys Cisco SD2005 5 Port 10 100 1000 Gigabit Switch

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The Linksys Instant Gigabit 5-Port Workgroup Switch (Linksys EG005W) is an excellent example of Cisco technology available at a lower cost. Gigabit equipped machines can enjoy up to 2000Mbps of dedicated bandwidth, though 10 and 100 megabit devices still work just fine as well. The switch will even automatically detect the speed capabilities of anything attached as well as whether the Ethernet cable connected is a crossover cable.

If five ports are not enough, the next step up would be the Linksys Instant Gigabit 8-Port Workgroup Switch (Linksys EG008W) that has all of the same features with the addition of two more ports for a total of eight supported devices. Even if there are five 100 megabit machines on the network and three newer gigabit devices, these Linksys switches can handle traffic in a manner that the faster machines will not get bogged down by the slower ones while ensuring even the slower machines operate at their fastest possible speeds.

NEWCisco Linksys SD2008 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch

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Linksys Eg008W Unmanaged Gigabit 8 Port Ethernet Switch

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For the average user, a Linksys switch will be able handle all of their network activity as efficiently as is possible without the complication of setting up a Cisco device, while still maintaining Cisco's legendary quality and reliability. If one is setting up a home or small office network for the first time, and there is a Linksys switch that fits the bill, it will most certainly be your best choice.