This $7.99 TP-Link gigabit switch lets you cheaply upgrade your home network, and it's back at its lowest ever price

Wi-Fi is great until you hit lag, network congestion, or interference. If you need to expand your network, you'll want a network switch with gigabit speeds. Luckily, Amazon's big sale means you can pick up this TP-Link Lightwave 5-port unmanaged Ethernet switch for just $7.99 right now, bringing it back down to its lowest-ever price.

● Check out this deal on Amazon

With the LS1005G, you're getting five extra Ethernet ports for your network, although you'll need to use one to connect it to your existing router. There isn't a better option than an Ethernet cable for maxing out the bandwidth on your internet connection, especially if you prefer to stream or play games online.

Gigabit speeds shouldn't seem that exciting these days, but plenty of people are rocking old network hardware that isn't this fast. You don't need to worry about Wi-Fi lag or interference here, as you'll get a solid, dedicated wired connection instead. There's no need to think about a setup process either, as the LS1005G is completely unmanaged. You just need to plug it in, hooking your router up to the switch's WAN port. The other four ports will then work straight away.

As it's unmanaged, you do lose some of the customization features that you'd gain with a more expensive managed switch. That isn't really a downside here. This switch is less than $8. For that price, you're still getting a network upgrade that'll let you connect almost any Ethernet-capable device. Gaming PCs, laptops, printers, NAS drives, consoles, TVs, and even another router or Wi-Fi extender will work with this switch. It's just going to work. It doesn't deliver power, though, so you can't use it to deliver power to PoE devices like cameras.

This TP-Link switch isn't big, so it won't take up much space. It's just 2.8 x 3.5 x 0.9 inches, so it'll fit near your existing router or around your home or office, as long as the cabling is long enough. No fans are required to keep it cool, either. That means it'll run silently without disrupting you.

I'd almost say it's impossible to beat the $7.99 sale price for this TP-Link Litewave LS1005G 5-port switch, but believe it or not, Ugreen has matched it. Both deals are running for a limited time only, but if the TP-Link runs out, you can pick up this Ugreen 5-port switch for the same $7.99 sale price. You'll get the same level of functionality, although TP-Link's brand is generally better known. Either way, for less than $8, this Ugreen model will be a good alternative if the TP-Link switch sells out.

There really isn't a better way to expand your wired network than with a network switch like this. For $7.99, both the TP-Link LS1005G and the Ugreen 35492US models will serve you well, delivering gigabit speeds across your LAN without worrying about Wi-Fi lag. It's a good, affordable option but, with Amazon's deal set to end tonight, you've got to be quick if you want to grab one (or two, or three) of these brilliantly-priced switches.