Rating: 
Summary: dependable, solid, inexpensive -- it doesn't get much better
Review: I purchased this hub as part of a network starter kit (2 PCI ethernet cards + hub) and had no problems installing it. I run both Unix/Linux and Windoze machines and wanted all machines to be networked even with a mix of operating systems running at the same time -- and that meant simultaneous internet access, multi-player games, shared printers, etc. Basically, I wanted the network to do everything, so that any family member could sit down at a machine and do what they needed to do.The DS-104 hub delivered from the time I installed it until the day I replaced it with a router (RT-314, also from Netgear). Installation was a snap, and as soon as I turned it on, I never had a moment's trouble from the DS-104. So why did I switch? In two words, performance and price. Although the DS-104 is a fine product, its multiuser performance simply can't compare to a switch (which was built-in to the RT-314 router I replaced it with). I noticed that performance suffered when all of us wanted to use the computers simultaneously, which got me thinking about alternatives to improve performance. I initially intended to replace the DS-104 with a switch. After checking prices, I realized that I could actually purchase a router (switch + hardware firewall) for less than the cost of a switch alone. I eventually went that route, after receiving outstanding service from the DS-104 hub. So was this purchase a throw-away? Hardly. The DS-104 did what it promised to do, reliably and without fuss. It handles both 10 and 100 Mbps connections transparently, so you don't even need to know the speed of whatever you're connecting. It's well-constructed (metal case instead of plastic) and absolutely reliable. Although I've replaced the DS-104 with a router, I haven't gotten rid of it -- I'm saving it for the day when I need to add several machines to the network and I'm out of ports on my router. The DS-104 is solid, dependable networking at a very reasonable price. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: dependable, solid, inexpensive -- it doesn't get much better
Review: I purchased this hub as part of a network starter kit (2 PCI ethernet cards + hub) and had no problems installing it. I run both Unix/Linux and Windoze machines and wanted all machines to be networked even with a mix of operating systems running at the same time -- and that meant simultaneous internet access, multi-player games, shared printers, etc. Basically, I wanted the network to do everything, so that any family member could sit down at a machine and do what they needed to do. The DS-104 hub delivered from the time I installed it until the day I replaced it with a router (RT-314, also from Netgear). Installation was a snap, and as soon as I turned it on, I never had a moment's trouble from the DS-104. So why did I switch? In two words, performance and price. Although the DS-104 is a fine product, its multiuser performance simply can't compare to a switch (which was built-in to the RT-314 router I replaced it with). I noticed that performance suffered when all of us wanted to use the computers simultaneously, which got me thinking about alternatives to improve performance. I initially intended to replace the DS-104 with a switch. After checking prices, I realized that I could actually purchase a router (switch + hardware firewall) for less than the cost of a switch alone. I eventually went that route, after receiving outstanding service from the DS-104 hub. So was this purchase a throw-away? Hardly. The DS-104 did what it promised to do, reliably and without fuss. It handles both 10 and 100 Mbps connections transparently, so you don't even need to know the speed of whatever you're connecting. It's well-constructed (metal case instead of plastic) and absolutely reliable. Although I've replaced the DS-104 with a router, I haven't gotten rid of it -- I'm saving it for the day when I need to add several machines to the network and I'm out of ports on my router. The DS-104 is solid, dependable networking at a very reasonable price. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: The thing just works!
Review: I took this hub out of the box, plugged it in, connected it to our internal network and my two PC's about two months ago, and it has worked flawlessly ever since. All without reading the manual! This hub is perfect for me because I occasionally attach a legacy 10Mbps device and don't need more than three ports (other than to link to our existing network). One warning - if you have other Netgear hubs and equipment, keep the power supplies separate. I had a single-speed 100Mbps hub and got the power supplies mixed up. The unit looked like it was working but actually wasn't. The power supplies look similar, the plugs are the same, but I think the current and/or voltages are different. Other than that, this is a great product. As I said earlier, it just works. When you factor in price, you can't miss.
Rating: 
Summary: These hubs have a problem!
Review: If you are using just a single hub you probably won't have any problems. If you plan on daisy-chainging them together, you will run into an issue where the hubs must be reset every week or so. They will initially work but then, without any reason, the link between them will quit working. We had Netgear 200+ hubs and found this problem in nearly all of them. Netgear support was of no help either. Since there was no way of reproducing the problem, they took the stance that there was no problem!
Rating:
Summary: Very Nice Unit, Works Excellent, Simple To Install
Review: This is a great hub. Work well. This is part of my first network that I installed myself. I used all Netgear compnents and I am pleased with the simplicity of the installation. Just plug and go. I do recommend the Netgear FA310TX Nic's also.
Rating:
Summary: The simple solution for your simple network.
Review: When I first began networking, I was a bit scared. I wasn't quite sure what I was doing, and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the equipment available to me. All I needed was a simple, inexpensive solution to bring three computers together on one internet connection, and I was utterly confused by everything on the shelves. I concluded that the Netgear DS-104 was the solution for me, and I'm happy to say that my intuition was right. Networking is notorious for giving administrators (And casual users for that matter) massive headaches. I can't say that my networking has been headache-free, but I can say that absolutely none of the headaches stemmed from this hub. It is an absolutely superb product that performs as well as it looks. It's reliable, it's durable... Absolutely everything you need for your simple network can be handled by this bad boy. If it helps any, the network this hub is functioning on is being served by a Windows 2000-operated machine, with various other computers sharing its resources, including one that's Linux-operated. I'm using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and the combination of the two has proven to be fast, simple and reliable. Nothing but the best. My only nitpick about the hub is that it can be loud. I know that's a rather strange thing to say about a device like this, but it's true. When I transfer large files in-between computers on the network, the little green traffic lights on the front of the hub flash with incredible speed... And for some reason you can hear it. It's similar to the high-pitched frequency your television emits when on mute, only it's pulsating at such a high rate that it almost hurts. If you're planning on using this hub for high local-traffic networks, I'm sure this would get pretty annoying... But for casual use in the home, it's not likely to be a problem. I'm still not as experienced with networking as I would like to be, so I can't offer any advice on whether a switch or a router would be more efficient for your needs... But I do know that this is an excellent solution for a simple network such as mine. It handles the traffic with ease, it's reliable, easy to install, and worry-free. I couldn't be happier with the way the hub has performed, and I'm positive you'll get the same results.
Rating:
Summary: The simple solution for your simple network.
Review: When I first began networking, I was a bit scared. I wasn't quite sure what I was doing, and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the equipment available to me. All I needed was a simple, inexpensive solution to bring three computers together on one internet connection, and I was utterly confused by everything on the shelves. I concluded that the Netgear DS-104 was the solution for me, and I'm happy to say that my intuition was right. Networking is notorious for giving administrators (And casual users for that matter) massive headaches. I can't say that my networking has been headache-free, but I can say that absolutely none of the headaches stemmed from this hub. It is an absolutely superb product that performs as well as it looks. It's reliable, it's durable... Absolutely everything you need for your simple network can be handled by this bad boy. If it helps any, the network this hub is functioning on is being served by a Windows 2000-operated machine, with various other computers sharing its resources, including one that's Linux-operated. I'm using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and the combination of the two has proven to be fast, simple and reliable. Nothing but the best. My only nitpick about the hub is that it can be loud. I know that's a rather strange thing to say about a device like this, but it's true. When I transfer large files in-between computers on the network, the little green traffic lights on the front of the hub flash with incredible speed... And for some reason you can hear it. It's similar to the high-pitched frequency your television emits when on mute, only it's pulsating at such a high rate that it almost hurts. If you're planning on using this hub for high local-traffic networks, I'm sure this would get pretty annoying... But for casual use in the home, it's not likely to be a problem. I'm still not as experienced with networking as I would like to be, so I can't offer any advice on whether a switch or a router would be more efficient for your needs... But I do know that this is an excellent solution for a simple network such as mine. It handles the traffic with ease, it's reliable, easy to install, and worry-free. I couldn't be happier with the way the hub has performed, and I'm positive you'll get the same results.
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