Product Description

Unmanaged Gigabit Switch, 8-Port 10/100/1000Mbps

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Product Details

• Brand: D-Link
• Model: DGS-2208
• Platform: Windows
• Format: CD
• Dimensions: 2.80" h x 8.30" w x 10.80" l, 1.30 pounds

Features

• Add More Devices and Computers to the Network
• No Software or Configuration Required
• QoS Feature Helps Reduce Jitter and Lag
• Non-blocking architecture with 16 Gbps total switching capacity moves data at full wire-speed for maximum throughput
• Compact size makes it ideal for desktops with limited space

From the Manufacturer
From the Manufacturer

The first of the Green Ethernet products the DGS-2208 provides 3 key benefits to end users through its cutting edge innovative eco-friendly technology

• Reduces power consumption & creates less heat
• Extended product life
• Reduces Operating Costs

Power Savings by Number of Connected Ports and Link Status
Computers do not require Internet access all the time; neither do switches utilize all ports at all times. When a computer or network equipment is shutdown, switches often remain on and continue to consume considerable amount of power. With Green Ethernet technology, D-Link switches can automatically detect link status and reduce power usage of ports that are idle. Computers or any connecting parties set to standby mode (not power off), however, will not provide significant power savings.

Power Savings by Cable Length
The Green Ethernet switches have the ability to analyze the length of any Ethernet cable connected to them for adjustment of power usage accordingly. Shorter lengths require less power.

Overall Power Savings Per Day
For a traditional switch, power consumption remains constant even when the ports are not in use. In a standard workday scenario where PCs are used for 10 hours a day and powered off 14 hours a day, and connected to the switch using 20 meter cables, D-Link's Green Ethernet can save up to 40%* power used for each system.

Note: Switch uses switching power adapter. The cable length which PCs are connected to switch is 20m cables.

Get the blazing speed of Gigabit Ethernet with the D-Link DGS-2208, an 8-port 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Switch that delivers power, performance, and reliability in one cost-effective, space-saving design. Increase the speed of your network server and backbone connections, or make Gigabit to the desktop a reality.

Power users in the home, office, workgroup, or creative production environment can now move large, bandwidth-intensive files faster. Transfer graphics, CGI, CAD, or multimedia files across the network instantly.

Power-Packed
The D-Link DGS-2208 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Switch features a non-blocking switching architecture that filters and forwards packets at full wire-speed for maximum throughput. An 8,000 MAC address table provides scalability for even the largest networks. Address learning and aging, 802.3x Flow Control for full duplex mode, and back pressure flow control for half-duplex mode alleviates traffic congestion and ensures reliable data transmission.

Designed using industry standards, it is compatible with virtually all 10, 100, and 1000Mbps Ethernet devices and other vendor equipment. The D-Link DGS-2208 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Switch protects your existing network investments while providing you with a straightforward migration path to faster Gigabit speeds.

Easy to use
The auto features of this gigabit switch make installation plug and play and hassle-free. No configuring is required. Auto MDI/MDI-X crossover on all ports eliminate the need for crossover cables or uplink ports. Auto-negotiation on each port senses the link speed of a network device (either 10, 100, or 1000 Mbps) and intelligently adjusts for compatibility and optimal performance.

It also features diagnostic LEDs which display status and activity, allowing you to quickly detect and correct problems on the network.

* Power savings may vary depending on products used. Maximum power savings when compared to a D-Link conventional switch. Uses up to 80% less energy when connected devices are powered down and up to 40% less energy when connected devices are used 10 hours and powered down 14 hours over a 24-hour period, when connected via 20 meter Ethernet cables.

Green Ethernet features available on hardware version C1 or later.

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Customer Reviews

Great for its intended use
This is an unmanaged switch, which means that you can not configure Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANS) or Quality of Service (QoS) - though QoS is supported through the implementation of 802.1p, but all the attached devices must support 802.1p in order to use it. Since there is no configuration, all you have to do is plug it into power and plug your devices into it. It really is that simple for any unmanaged switch. It will automatically allow all your devices to talk to each other at the physical layer. Of course, your applications must be configured right to talk to each other, but these unmanaged devices make building the infrastructure a snap.

In answer to a previously posted review, I tested this device in the following way:

-Port 1 connected to my desktop computer with a Gigabit network interface card (NIC)
-Port 2 connected to a 10/100 switch which was connected to a gigabit ethernet storage device
-Port 3 connected to a second DGS-2208 switch which was connectedto the exact same model gigabit ethernet storage device
-Port 4 connected to a laptop with a 10/100 NIC

The point of this setup was to use the identical computer communicating with identical devices through a 10/100 connection and through a gigabit (1000) connection. I transferred a 10 GB file to the ethernet storage device through the gigabit connection first and then I transferred the exact same file through the 10/100 connection. The GB connection was about five times faster.

Now, this proves that the switch does not automatically throttle back to the slowest "connected" device. However, it does not indicate whether the gigabit connections will slow to the speed of 10/100 connections if those slower connections are actually active.

To test this, I transferred the same file from the laptop to the slower connected ethernet storage device while also transferring the file from the desktop to the faster connected ethernet stoarage device. The results? The gigabit connected devices still transferred the data at rates faster than possible on a 10/100 connection. This proves that the gigabit speeds are still achieved even when a 10/100 connection is active.

In the end, due to memory and processor limitations, this device cannot even compare to enterprise-class gigabit switches from Cisco and other providers; however, it is the best performing gigabit switch I've ever seen for under $75.

[...]


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To help clear things up...
Hi guys/girls,

I noticed that the first review for this item quoted what I had written in a review on Newegg so I thought I'd clear up some discrepancies between what users have been writing in recent reviews compared to earlier ones.

From what I understand of this product, hardware version 2 has no problems in a mixed network. However, from my testing when I bought the DGS-2208 and from D-Link's E-mail support, hardware version 1 shunts all ports to the lowest active connection.

My initial testing had been done between two computers, one with a raid0 array on a gaming machine and the other a file server with raid1. Both machines had their software firewalls removed and the connections between the two computers and the DGS-2208 used Category 6 cables. Both machines have EXPI9300PT Intel Nics. Transfer speeds were between 600Mbit/s - 700Mbit/s, per iperf.

Adding a connection to a dns caching machine that had a rl8139 chipset nic or to a motorola router, (both 100Mbit connections) the same test before mentioned was ran again , except that the speeds never went above 100Mbit/s. This was not between the gigabit connections and the 100Mbit connections, it was still between the two computers with Intel Gbit nics. After additional tests were ran with the same results I contacted D-Link's E-mail support.

At the time, there was not a listing on D-Link's website for this product and it did not have the product manual available like they do now. I emailed D-Link with my iperf results and observations, asking this question:

"My question is, Is this switch able to operate at 100mbit and 1000mbit at the same time, or is it limited to the slowest connection present?"

A representative responded with:

Your Case ID is DLK397875395.
Date of Reply: 8/24/2006
Products: DGS-2208

It is limited to the slowest connection.

Sincerely,
Jerry Hernandez
D-Link Technical Support

I ended up replacing all 100Mbit Nics in the remaining computers with rl8169 chipset Nics (Gbit) and replacing the previously used router with one that had a Gbit switch built in (RVS4000). This fixed my issues I was having with the DGS-2208 because there was no longer any connections to it that ran at 100Mbit.

All that being said, if yours works fine in a mixed environment, then I'm happy you didn't have the troubles I did. For the person that condescended the first reviewer stating that he doesnt understand how a switch works, the guy was just trying to inform other users so that they could avoid similar problems.

Switch me like you mean it!
This is the best unmanaged switch I've been able to find. Unmanaged means that the unit does not have an ethernet interface that can be used to prioritize traffic flow. Unmanaged switches are by far the most common type, and for most residential applications will do the job for significantly less money.

The switch operates at full speed, and I haven't had any signs of 100 Mbp/s devices causing it to slow down other devices. I checked this, and it operates each device plugged into it at full speed regardless of the speed of the other devices. Some people say it does slow down, so perhaps there are multiple revisions out there. The two that I have were purchased in August 2007 and do not have a problem with this.

The ports are well spaced, and it is easy to plug in and remove cables, even ones with plastic overmolded snagless heads. I've had other switches in the past that had the ports so close together that I started leaving every other port open just to get some space. That is not the case with this one.

I have two of them, with one up in my office and the other in the basement wall-mounted beside the wiring closet. The basement unit is the primary backbone for my home network, so it gets a heavy workout. The ability to wall mount them is a nice option.

One thing about these switches is that the primary processor in the unit does not have a heat sink on it. I opened both of mine and put a heat sink on them that I had lying around. They don't need a big one, as the heat generated isn't extreme, but you can easily add one as a bit of insurance.

I put two of these in full service in my home and have used them continuously now for over a year, and they are still going strong. When I need another one, this is the one I'll get.

Fast, fairly inexpensive, and well made. Recommended.