Advice / recommendations on Inexpensive Managed Ethernet Switches
I'm sending this to the Debian user list first, even though it is probably
somewhat OT.
Background: Recently I started monitoring how many packets are going through
my LAN to my ISP (Earthlink (DSL)). I have (or maybe had) some thought about
considering a switch to HughesNet satelite service, which has some low limits
(before slowdown) on how many bytes you can download per month (without
looking, I think the limits are like 5, 10, and 15 GB).
Aside: I am actually gobsmacked (I don't think I've ever been gobsmacked
before ;-)--in a week of monitoring, we (my son and I, but with my son gone 8
to 12 hours a day) are downloading 1.5 to 4 GB *per day* (and uploading 100 to
300 MB *per day*).
Anyway, I want to try to figure out where all this data is going to and coming
from, at least in terms of the devices we have on our LAN (I'll discuss those
below), so I'm thinking that a(n inexpensive) managed (Ethernet) switch or two
(discussed below) might help me do that.
Just so you know, I've never used a managed Ethernet switch, nor read much
about them.
One thing I want to do is implement QOS--we have two ObiHai VOIP devices
(which we use pretty rarely, but still want to keep--they might be used for 4
calls / 10 to 30 minutes a week). Sometimes the conversation gets pretty
choppy, probably depending on what my son is doing at the time (I mean, like
watching a video or something), so I'm hoping that QOS would improve that
(assuming the packets from the ObiHai device can be recognized--I would think
they can based on their (private / on the LAN) IP addresses.
Like I mentioned above, the other thing I want to do is start monitoring (at
least on an occasional / diagnostic basis) the bandwidth used by each device.
Layout of the network (for background):
The Earthlink DSL modem (Westell) is followed by an Ethernet (unmanaged}
switch.
From that switch there are three cables:
* One to a WiFi hotspot that is almost always on (but only used by my son
playing games while watching TV)
* One to my desk where there are two desktop computers (one Wheezy, one
Jessie), an ObiHai device, and a WiFi hotspot that I turn on only very rarely
(if I need to download something to my phone or similar). (There is an
unmanaged Ethernet switch here to connect the various devices.)
* One to my son's desk where there are two computers--a desktop with
Jessie, and a Windows laptop, and another ObiHai device. (There is an
unmanaged Ethernet switch here to connect the various devices.)
My first thought is that with a second managed switch, I'd plug it in place of
(or after) one of the unmanaged switches at a desktop to monitor data flows in
those areas for a few days or so.
However, not having ever used a managed switch, I don't know how smart they
are. For example, from the one managed switch just after the Westell modem,
maybe I can monitor the flows to individual devices, either one at a time or
all at once?
I see managed 5-port gigabit switches on eBay starting at a little under $30,
and I'd like to stay close to that as a budget (i.e., ~$60 for 2). Of course,
if a more featureful switch can monitor the data flows to each device from that
(central) location, I could spend that ~$60 for the more featureful switch).
(But there is some value to me to have two managed switches such that one
would serve as a spare for the central one even if being used at other
locations for monitoring.)
Advice / comments / recommendations?
Reply to: