Looking for a switch to add more network connections to your network? You'll find that there are many, many choices. We tested no less than 40 switches, with each model having either 5, 8, or 16 ports. What things should you pay attention to? And does it actually matter what model you buy? We'll try to answer these (and other) questions in this article.

If you're someone who frequently tinkers with their home network or small business network, then you probably know the feeling of lacking that one unoccupied port on your router that would have allowed you to connect your new printer or home automation equipment to your network. Or you want to create additional network connections in a spot that's quite a ways from your router, without having to lay multiple cables. In other words, you need a switch! Armed with this knowledge, you'll end up visiting numerous web shops, along with our Hardware.Info Price Comparison tool, after which you'll no doubt be rather overwhelmed by the wide range of products on offer. About time we clarified the situation a little, which we have done by testing no less than 40 different switches.