16 port switch or two 8 port switch? which is better?

[nikhmail]

I'm planning to install LAN in my hostel. we have in all 14 systems. the problem is how should we conect them. i want to know whether two 8-pin switch or one 16-pin switch will give better performance

[rohanbee]

get a wireless one dude prices have really fallen and the wirless cards are available for as low as 900rs now days..........

[theraven]

yet he will have to get a wireless router who's range will be limited ... and will cost 6k
besides there will just be multiple P@P connections formed for each pair of wireless device ...
a switch for 14 pc's would be a good idea

afaik neither of the options will make a much of a diff
using 2 switches however for the ip's on the secong switch the first switch will have to broadcast on all ports of the second switch
forwarding thru 2 mac addresses will take place ..
rather jsut get one if u can have a central place to keep it n connect all pc's

[digen]

Yeah afaik there wont be any difference in performance by getting either of the two.Only the hassle of maintaining the two as separate could be the only issue.

get a wireless one dude prices have really fallen and the wirless cards are available for as low as 900rs now days..........

And which company would that be from? What specs?
I never knew they were so cheap,if I remember correctly I enquired just yesterday for a Linksys WRT54G 802.11g Wireless router & a PCI Wireless adapter & the prices that I was given by the Bangalore distributor were Rs.3400 +tax & Rs.2300 +tax respectively.
But most importantly the setting of a wi-fi network with so many hassles involved may as well defeat its purpose in such a environment.Imho you are much better with a wired lan period.

[rohanbee]

Ok the cards that i am talking about are from this chinese company i saw in malaysia approx 900-1100, i assumed prices would be around that.

Routers from net gear have come down to even lesser than 3000rs, net gear is also cheaper, but as the raven said 6k and above would have to be the D-Link category.

As about the coverage, since nikhmail did not comment on what kind of a coverage area was he talking about , so i suggested a wireless network.

I personaly am very happy being on a wireless network (netgear router WGR-614) and i think nothing beats it. Much lesser hassle too. Less hardware problems.