[X4U] Ethernet hub recommendations?

[Stroller]

On Mar 13, 2005, at 1:01 pm, Anne-Marie Concepcion wrote:
> I have an old XSense M120 ... 4 slow Ethernet ports, one cross port 
> and one DSL uplink port (hooked up to the DSL modem), with NAT and a 
> usable browser admin panel. It's expanded with another XSense 
> hub/router/switcher thingie (never sure of the distinction) that has 8 
> additional slow Ethernet ports.

Hi there,

The distinction is important:
- the router connects to the modem & does the NAT to the Internet
- a hub or switch connects only the computers on your LAN (but may 
connect them to a router)

A switch is actually a bit faster & better than a hub, and switch 
chipsets are so cheap these days that I don't think you hardly ever see 
hubs at retail.

> MacSense hasn't updated firmware for it since 2001 and I'm pretty sure 
> the product is abandoned. The apparent replacement is an M130 which 
> doesn't look/function much different, as far as I can tell. Their 
> focus is elsewhere these days.

I can't actually find any information on the M120, but I'll assume it's 
similar to the MIH-120 <http://www.pcmech.com/show/reviews/281/>. Is it 
working at the moment?

> Does anyone have any recommendations for a fast, Mac OS X-savvy, 
> recent vintage Ethernet DSL router/hub/switcher thingie with NAT and 6 
> or 8 ports?

Why do you want replace it? Are there some features you need?

You mention "slow Ethernet ports" in your first paragraph. I know how 
frustrating that can be, but you don't need to replace the router - 
only add a switch. All the computers on the new 10base100 fast Ethernet 
switch will connect at full speed, and is it only the packets sent to 
the router which will fall back to its slower 10baseT speed - and that 
is surely faster than your internet connection!

Switches which will make your wired Ethernet experience faster are 
cheap as chips - see <http://tinyurl.com/5f7kc>. If you'rte fussy you 
might notice that there are some specification differences between 
them, and I'd probably buy a name brand myself, but I doubt if you'd 
notice any difference between them.

> I like having the flexibility with the powerbooks to use Ethernet 
> (there's ports all over the house with a patch panel in the basement)

<greenly jealous>

Stroller.