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v1.0, January 2011
Chapter 1
Introduction
Congratulations on the purchase of the NETGEAR Smart Switch. The NETGEAR Smart Switch is
a state-of-the-art, high-performance, IEEE-compliant network solution designed for users who
require a large number of ports and want the power of Gigabit connectivity to eliminate
bottlenecks, boost performance, and increase productivity. To simplify installation, the switch is
shipped ready for use out of the box.
This chapter serves as an introduction to the Smart Switch and provides the following information:
• Overview
• Features
• Package Contents
Overview
This Installation Guide is for the following NETGEAR Smart Switches:
• GS716T – This product offers support for 16 ports of 10/100/1000 Mbps and two Form-factor
slots, which support 1000 (1000BASE-SX/LX)/100 Mbps Small Form-factor Pluggable
(SFP).
• GS724T – This product offers support for 24 ports of 10/100/1000 and two Form-factor slots,
which support 1000 (1000BASE-SX/LX)/100 Mbps SFP.
Using Gigabit ports, high-speed connections can be made to a server or network backbone. For
example:
• Linking to high-speed servers
• Providing 10/100/1000 Mbps copper and fiber connectivity
The Smart Switch also provides the benefit of administrative management with a complete
package of features for the observation, configuration, and control of the network. With a Web-
based Graphical User Interface (GUI), the switch’s many capabilities can be viewed and used in a
simple and intuitive manner. The switch’s management features include configuration for port and
switch information, VLAN for traffic control, port trunking for increased bandwidth, and Class of