TP-LINK TL-SF1024D 10/100M 24-Port Unmanaged Switch, Metal Case, Desktop Design, Power-saving TP-LINK TL-SF1024D 10/100M 24-Port Unmanaged Switch, Metal Case, Desktop Design, Power-saving

Pros: Full MDI/MDX detection, don’t need crossovers. Bonus: plays nice with other MDI/MDX switches (though this is to be expected)

Full duplex for every single port. 4.8 Gbps throughput for entire switch.

Fast negotiation, don’t have to wait long for connection, takes roughly 4 seconds (not bad, some enterprise switches with STP portfast turned off can take up to 15 seconds to connect to the network)

That 8000 MAC address table that it has ensures that you can plug this into a rather large network and it will be able to support many devices not connected to it.

Cons: Would LOVE for this to be a managed switch. Many times a switch with this many ports is split up with Vlans. This isn’t really a con though (wasn't advertised as a managed switch) - and TP Link does offer a managed version of this switch.

Doesn't make me Coffee.

Other Thoughts: The way this works is, lets say another switch is connected to port 1, the MAC table will put the MAC address of every packet that comes in on port 1 into the table for port 1. So that the network now knows that there are many devices located somewhere out port 1. Some tables can actually get to ~300-400 entries long in this fashion

This is a great switch for small offices looking to connect many devices to the internet, printer, or other network devices. Also great for home users who just have tons of different devices (many HTPC’s, network printers, HDTV boxes, TV’s themselves, game consoles, use your imagination)

Pros: This switch does everything it says it should. Auto-Sensing ports are very nice as a lot of 100M switches lack this feature. 24-ports make this fit great in a business environment. The built in universal power supply works pefectly so you can just plug in a standard PC power cable. Not needing a special power adapter is very nice. The LEDs are nice and bright. I have a tinted glass window on my server rack, and the LEDs were easily visible through the glass. The all metal casing means this switch will be very durable. The switch also runs cool to the touch, it doesn't even warm up when in use. This will likely lead to an extremely long life.

Cons: The only real con I can come up with is that this switch isn't Gigabit. However, for the price range I wouldn't expect Gigabit speeds with 24-ports. And if your goal is just to get a lot of computers connected to the network, this switch is all you need.

Other Thoughts: Long term reliability is going to be the real test for this switch. However, with the durable construction and cool operating temperatures, I can't see this switch failing. This really does seem like one of those switches that you'd install in a network closet and forget about; only to have some IT guy find it still functioning 20 years from now.

Pros: The TP-Link TL-SF1024D is a fantastic switch for the price. This switch is capable of handling 24 ports at full duplex 10/100 speeds with auto MDI/MDIX. Anyone looking to add more ports to their home or small business network will find that this switch is more than capable of solving their needs. This switch is very quiet and runs cool at all times, even when under peak load. I was able to test this switch with 16 ports with fixed 16Kb block sizes and didn't have a single hiccup.

This is a very inexpensive rack mount switch for what you get. The mounting ears for this switch can be rotated 90 degrees to mount straight against a wall or can be mounted in a rack, if you have one. The best place for home installation would be in an in-home network closet.

Cons: This switch lacks Gigabit speeds, which will limit its uses. Being unmanaged, this switch also lacks some additional control for anything but a simple switched network. It's perfect if you just need to get wired networking to several systems around a home or small office, and does so at a low price.

Other Thoughts: Switches are difficult to review in less than a few weeks. The main test for a switch is reliability over time. Because this switch runs quite cool, it doesn't appear that heat will degrade it's performance with age.