Cheap Network Switches

It's a good idea to keep a couple of cheap (about $20) four-or eight-port network switches on hand. You don't want to use them for your main network infrastructure. But they come in handy when you need to add a computer or printer somewhere and you don't have an available network jack. For example, suppose one of your users has a short-term need for a second computer, but there's only one network jack in the user's office. Rather than pulling a new cable to the user's office, just plug a cheap switch into the existing jack and then plug both of the computers into the switch.