Internet switches

[NickB]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess the key to my question was whether or not it was worth getting a managed switch, and somehow prioritising the Devialet via AIR Ethernet. I was half expecting some IT language heavy responses that I didn't fully understand! Although it looks like a rather simpler answer, "no". Thinking about my set up, if I am streaming to AIR, then the chances are that all other devices running off the switch box will be idle. I don't watch IPlayer on the smart TV at the same time as streaming music, for example. So it looks like a cheap and cheerful TP link type device is all I need. It is easy to get carried away with these things though!

If you use a 100 or 1000 MB unmanaged switch you would have to try very hard indeed to swamp the amount of info a 24/192 music file would require for clear transmission. Also the network controllers at each end would sort out any problems with lost packets. The 1 to 2 second delay on the Devialet before music starts on the AIR system allows any errors like this to be sorted.
There is nothing cheap and cheerful about TP Link stuff I recommend their switches and routers to all my home clients but for any SMB's I always use Vigor.