With the ever-growing number of devices itching for port space on the home network, I've come to a crossroads in terms of what gets put into my Linksys 4-port router.

In other words, I ran out of Ethernet ports.  My four ports are reserved for:

1.  The desktop PC (mainly used for online gaming, which for personal reasons requires a wired connection).

2. The cable for the powerline adapter, which connects the TiVo sitting in the bedroom to the rest of the network for its ability to download TV schedules quickly.

3. One cable that connects to my work laptop for days when I work from home (our IT group insists on a wired connection).

4. Two contenders for this one - the cable connection for the Buffalo LinkStation network-attached storage (NAS) device, or the cable that I use to test new Ethernet-enabled devices (such as the Slingbox, or a new media center, or anything where I need a quick Ethernet connection).

I saved the fourth port for the extra cable, as it made hooking up new devices quicker and easier than reaching to the back of the router each time and disconnecting one of the other ports. This left the NAS box off the network for a short while.

But with five cables vying for four ports (and many more devices on the horizon), I felt it was time to get more ports. Luckily, Netgear sent me its new 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switches, the GS608, which costs $115 (Netgear also makes a 5-port switch, the GS605, which costs about $70.)

I set up the switch in less than 5 minutes - I connected a cable between one router port and one of the eight new ports on the switch. It was actually harder to find an open power outlet in the home office than it was to hook everything up. The switch includes Netgear's Auto Uplink technology, which automatically adjusts for straight-through or crossover cables. This means I didn't have to go rummaging around checking for the proper cable in order to connect this to the home network.

It was odd that Netgear didn't include a cable with the switch, but luckily I had an extra one lying around the office.

Once the switch was up and running, I was able to reconnect the NAS device and now have five open ports on the switch and one open port on the router (I moved the desktop PC connection from the router to the switch). I will soon be moving another PC into the office, which I can then connect to the switch or the router. I am now set for the future in terms of Ethernet-enabled devices.