router

If you want performance than you have to go for the 100Mbit Switch.

It has no point to use 100Mbit for Internet traffic cause your connection to your ISP probably isn't that fast. But the 10 NIC's cost almost the same as the 10/100 NIC's so...

My suggestion:

cheap Linux box with two cards:
10 Mbit NIC for Internet WAN (connects with xDSL / Cable modem, WAN backbone)
10/100 Mbit NIC for LAN (connects to 100Mbit Switch)
and with 'BBIagent Linux NET4' you don't need a HDD.

If you do have to purchase a switch, you can also buy a switch / router in one box:

like this one:

- D-Link Home Ethernet Cable/DSL Modem Gateway and 4-port Switch (it can use 100BASE-TX Ethernet on your LAN)
http://www.dlink.com/products/broadband/di704/

If you want more ports and features:

- DI-707 Internet Gateway/Firewall 7-port Switch
http://www.dlink.com/products/broadband/di707/

__ Some other brands __


*** SMC ***
http://www.smc.com
- Barricade 4-Port 10/100Mbps Broadband Router

- Barricade™ 8 Port 10/100 Mbps Broadband Router



*** LinkSys ***

- BEFSR41 - EtherFast® Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch
http://www.linksys.com/products/prod...rid=23&prid=20

- BEFSR81 - EtherFast® Cable/DSL Router with 8-Port Switch
http://www.linksys.com/products/prod...id=155&grid=23