Linksys SD205 Fast Ethernet 10/100 Ethernet Switch Review

Bottom-Line: Checking in a just over $30.00, the Linksys SD205 10/100 Switch is a bargain.  If you need a small workgroup switch you can't go wrong with the Linksys SD205 10/100 Switch.

Windows Vista is here or at least the Beta.  What does this have to do with the subject matter of this review you ask?  Well it means yet another computer on my desk at work; add it to my regular workstation, and my tireless laptop.  Together with my IP phone I now need four network connections, but the standard American workplace shared cube environment on has two.  Enter the Linksys SD205 Fast Ethernet 10/100 Ethernet Switch, which features (5) 10/100 auto-sensing, full duplex, automatic MDI/MDI-X crossover detection ports.     

Linksys SD205 Fast Ethernet 10/100 Switch

The SD20510/100 Switch is a small (silver) package which, regrettably, departs with the distinct Linksys blue and black coloring.  The switch is a 10/100 auto-sensing 5-port switch.  There isn't much in the box except the switch itself, a power supply and an information booklet.  There is no soft ware to install and nothing to configure.  The beauty of an auto-sensing switch is that it detects the line speed of the NIC attached to it via category 5 (or category 6) cabling.  Just plug the unit in and attached the cabling.   

The front of the SD20510/100 Switch features a series of LED's which relay Link/Activity, Full Duplex operation, and (packet) Collisions, and 100Mbps link speed.  The back of the unit is festooned with 5 Ethernet ports, while the right side houses a power connection port.  The left side of the unit is fitted with a universal lock port. 

My Viewpoint

I am very pleased with my new SD205 10/100 Switch.  Out of the box the unit just worked.  Like I mentioned above, there is nothing to configure, and no software to install; it is truly plug-n-play.  I like the small design which allows me to place the unit in a tight spot and still read the LED's; I have it sandwiched in between my primary workstation and my laptop docking station.     I have measured the throughput of the switch via the networking tab of Windows Task Manager and Network Monitor and networking utilization is up by 50% over a comparable hub. File transfers between segments is fast and collision free; what more could a networking geek want? 

Now that switching technology-which used to be prohibitively expensive-has reached Main Street, there is little reason to purchase a traditional hub for your network; professional or personal.  Checking in a just over $30.00, the Linksys SD205 10/100 Switch is a bargain.  The unit is small, has five dedicate Ethernet ports, automatic MDI/MDI-X crossover detection; is auto-sensing, full-duplex and attractive, though not as cool looking as the traditional Linksys blue and black.  If you need a small workgroup switch you can't go wrong with the Linksys SD205 10/100 Switch.