Stackable PoE+ Switches: an optimal option considering features and affordability

PoE+ switches greatly reduce cost, complexity, and make both power and data networks easier to manage and upgrade, which meets the requirement of many scenarios in SMBs. To stay ahead in a competitive marketplace, small businesses need to make every dollar count. With high network operability and reliability, PoE+ switches can help SMBs get the most value from their investments. Compared with common PoE+ switches, stackable PoE+ switches, which combine two or more network switches into one logical device, have more benefits and bring more possibilities for network construction.

What Stackable PoE+ Switches Can Bring to Your Network?

Simplify Network Management

As multiple network switches logically constitute a single device, only one IP address is presented, through which the network administrator can configure and manage the stack uniformly. And the total bandwidth and switch ports of the stack are expanded greatly. PoE+ switches are often used in the access layer and connect PDs (powered devices) such as wireless APs, VoIP phones, and printers. Stackable PoE+ switches allow easier management at the access layer and improve work efficiency.

stackable PoE+ switches

Improve Network Reliability

Stacking PoE+ switches together can realize a redundant backup across devices, as well as multiple uplinks on different physical switches. A hardware failure on a member of the switch stack will only bring down the physical interfaces of that switch. The uplinks and access ports of the other switches will remain online. Therefore, even if some PoE+ ports or devices fail, the normal forwarding of services can be guaranteed, ensuring the whole network reliability.

Enhance Network Expansion Capability

With the widespread use of wireless AP, security camera, and VoIP phone, adding more PD devices and PoE+ ports to the existing network topology is common. Stackable PoE+ switches can easily help to expand the number of ports and bandwidth, improving the processing capabilities of the system. And there are new features of today’s stackable PoE+ switches. For example, all ports support switch stacking or stacking PoE and non PoE switches. All these can greatly enhance the existing PoE+ network expansion capability.

Reduce Investment Costs

Stackable PoE+ switches can achieve convenient port and bandwidth expansion, which reduces the initial investment cost while keeping the original network planning structure.

FS Stackable PoE+ Switches Recommendation

FS releases a series of stackable PoE+ switches with different ports and power standard from 15.4W to 90W per PoE port, meeting a wide range of applications for SMBs. Here are the basic PoE+-related specifications.

S3410-24TS-P3410-48TS-PS5810-48TS-PS5860-24XB-US5500-48T8SP
RJ45 Ports24 x 100/1000M48 x 100/1000M48 x 100/1000M24x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G/10G-T48 x 100/1000M
Fiber Ports2 x 1G SFP (2 Combo)2 x 10G SFP+2 x 1G SFP (2 Combo)2 x 10G SFP+4 x 10G SFP+4 x 10G SFP+4 x 25G SFP288 x 10G SFP+
PoE Ports24 x PoE+48 x PoE+48 x PoE+24 x PoE++48 x PoE+
Max. PoE Budget740W740W740W740W740W
Management LayerLayer 2+Layer 2+Layer 3Layer 3Layer 3
StackingUp to 4 UnitsUp to 4 UnitsUp to 8 UnitsUp to 2 UnitsUp to 4 Units
Mixed StackingSupportSupportSupportSupportNot Support

Note: Mixed stacking means the PoE+ switch can stack with other stackable models within the same switch series. For example, the S3410-24TS-P and S3410-48TS-P PoE+ switches can be mixedly stacked. The S5810-48TS-P PoE+ switch can stack with other S5810 series non PoE switches. And the S5860-24XB-U multi-gig PoE++ switch can be mixedly stacked with the S5860-20SQ non PoE switch, and it also supports stacking via any 10G/25G ports.

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Stackable PoE+ Switches: an optimal option considering features and affordability

Ethernet Switch vs Splitter—How Much Do You Know?

Today, our lives hardly do without Internet communication. We do shopping, letter writing and business all relying on the Ethernet connections both at home and office. And Gigabit Ethernet switch and splitter are the networking devices that are primarily used for connecting different computers or other networking devices. However, they are quite different. Here focus on Ethernet switch vs splitter.

Ethernet Switch vs Splitter: What Are They?

First, let’s figure out the definitions of the two terms.

What Is Ethernet Switch?

An Ethernet switch is a high speed networking device that provides more ports for subnets to connect more computers, printers, cameras and so on in a building or campus. Through the ports, the data switch can receive incoming data packets and redirects the data to their intended destination within a LAN. Usually, an Ethernet switch not only works at the data link layer which is also called layer 2, but also can operate at the network layer (layer 3) or above.

What Is Splitter?

A network splitter acts as the optical power distribution device, like a coaxial cable transmission system. It’s one of the most important passive devices which means it doesn’t need external power except for light. As the name implies that it can split a single Internet connection to create extra connections, as a result the additional or other computers on a network could be connected.

Ethernet Switch vs Splitter: What Are the Differences?

Ethernet switch can be used for networks that include different devices, for example, a computer and a video game console or a printer. In addition, general switch needs a power input so that it can divide an Ethernet signal into various signals, and the signals can operate at the same time. As a result, different devices can be connected by the switch and work simultaneously.

As for Ethernet splitter, there is no need for power input. And splitters need to be used in pairs. It physically splits a single Ethernet connection into two connections. Simply put, if you want to connect two computers in one room and a switch in another room, then you need the splitters. Instead of using two Ethernet cables from one room to another, the splitters can physically split one Ethernet cable into two to connect the computers and the switch. This is the main principle for the issue that how to use Ethernet splitter.

Ethernet Switch vs Splitter: Where to buy?

The following products of Ethernet splitter vs switch are from FS.COM.

S5800-48F4S Switch

This is a 10gb Ethernet switch that has 48×1GbE SFP ports and 4×10GbE SFP+ ports. With a switching capacity of 176Gbps, it supports comprehensive L2 and L3 network management features. The switch offers MLAG, MPLS, IPv4/IPv6, SNMP etc. Designed with the max power draw of 75W and switching capacity of 176Gbps, this switch is ideal for traditional or fully virtualized data center.

Ethernet Switch vs Splitter-switch

Figure 1: S5800-48F4S Switch

Conlusion

As for Ethernet switch vs splitter, we have known how do Ethernet splitters work and how do switch work. Both of them can optimize our network that allow us to work in an efficient and high secure way. Welcome to visit FS.COM to pick your own Ethernet switch and splitter.

2 * 8 Port Gigabit Switch or 1 * 16 Port Gigabit Switch

In computer networking, an Ethernet switch is a LAN interconnection device that serves as a bridge between multiple equipment and a Local Area Network (LAN). Ethernet switches are categorized into two main types – modular and fixed configuration. Fixed configuration switches have a fixed number of ports and are not expandable. You can select the switches based on the number of ports. The larger the network, the greater number of ports you’ll need. Fixed configuration switches are generally available in 5, 8, 10, 16, 24, 28, 48, and 52-port configurations. Some people may question that is it a good idea to purchase two 8-port switches other than one 16 port gigabit switch since the price of two 8-port switches is much lower than that of one 16 port gigabit switch? 2 * 8 Port Gigabit Switch VS 1 * 16 Port Gigabit Switch—a good question worthy of discussing.

2 * 8 Port Gigabit Switch VS 1 * 16 Port Gigabit Switch

This question is very common and can be subjective according to the urgency of uptime, financial budget, network management and space involved. If most variables are not a problem, then, the answer is YES. Taking two switches from different vendors as an example, there is a wide gap between their price.

S1130-8T2F Managed PoE+ Switch

FS.COM S1130-8T2F managed PoE+ switch comes with 8x 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 Ethernet ports. It can supply power to network equipment such as weather-proof IP cameras with windshield wiper and heater, high-performance AP and IP telephone. This managed PoE+ switch is highly flexible, the transmission distance of the SFP fiber port can be up to 120km, and with high resistance to electromagnetic interference. It also features superior performance in stability, environmental adaptability and the price of it is $159.

S1130-8T2F 8 port Gigabit Switch

Intellinet 16 Port Gigabit Ethernet PoE+ Web-Managed Switch

Intellinet 16 port gigabit Ethernet PoE+ web-managed switch with 2 SFP ports is sold at $501. Equipped with sixteen Gigabit Ethernet ports, all of which support 802.3at/af Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+), this switch can power wireless LAN access points and bridges, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephones, IP surveillance cameras.

Apart from price, there are other elements need to be considered. If the entire network depends on a single switch and, unfortunately, the unit undergoes a catastrophic failure, the whole network would break down. However, if one of the 2 switches fails, only half the network is down but still able to limp along until there is a replacement. The only shortcoming is that you will lose two ports by connecting them, which means that you will have a 14-port switch if you buy two 8 ports.

If you need to expand in the future, it’ll be nicer to work with a 16 port gigabit switch instead of a couple 8’s. In smaller setups and homes, you can hardly notice the difference between the two, because you seldom have lots of transfers all at the same time and all destined for ports on the opposite switch. While in larger data centers, it can make a difference as you are constricting data flow by forcing 7 ports through one port to get to the other switch.

Conclusion

Gigabit Ethernet transmitting at approximately one gigabit per second, as well as fiber optic cable are all products created in line with people’s desire for faster broadband. Most people turn to gigabit switches as they are easy to use, provide plug and play installations and can save the power consumption. After analyzing the issue—2 * 8 Port Gigabit Switch VS 1 * 16 Port Gigabit Switch, I sincerely hope it can help you make a right choice.

Related Article: How to Choose an 8 Port Gigabit Switch?


Gigabit Switch Review: Ethernet Switches Recommendations

Ethernet switches, also known as network switches, serve as the brain of the whole network, especially for data center. On the market, there are various types of Ethernet switches which are designed for different requirements, such as port number, speed, managed or unmanaged. Faced with so many choices, you may get confused about which one is the best switch. In fact, not just you, there are a lot of people who don’t know how to make the choice. In the year 2017, Gigabit switch has been the hot topic at several big forums, and the question “Can you recommend a Gigabit switch for me?” frequently occurred. This article will focus on Gigabit switch review and recommend several Ethernet switches for you.

Gigabit Switch Review 1: D-Link DGS-1008G Gigabit Switch

D-Link DGS-1008G Gigabit switch has eight gigabit ports and boasts data transfer speeds of up to 2000 Mbps. It comes with QoS features, which automatically organize and prioritize important and time-sensitive data packets, ensuring efficient delivery. This feature helps enable smoother media streaming, VoIP calling and online gaming features. In addition, it utilizes D-Link’s Green Technology which allows the switch to reduce heat and use less energy. D-Link DGS-1008G Gigabit switch is a solid choice if you are looking for a fast, easy-to-use and reliable network switch.

Gigabit Switch Review 2: FS S5800-8TF12S Managed Switch

FS S5800-8TF12S switch is a 12 port smart managed switch. It is designed with twelve 10G SFP+ ports and eight 1000BASE-T/ SFP combo ports. The 1000BASE-T copper RJ45 ports support Gigabit speeds over Cat6 cable up to 100 meters, and the 1G SFP fiber ports can be connected to other devices via SFP transceivers over fiber optic cable. FS S5800-8TF12S 12 port smart managed switch is designed to support a demanding and dynamic environment of SMB networks. It is a good choice for 10G access Layer switch for hyper-converged infrastructure.

Gigabit Switch Review: FS-S5800-8TF12S 12-port smart managed switch

Gigabit Switch Review 3: UniFi US-24-500W PoE Switch

UniFi US-24-500W switch is a 24 port PoE switch which comes with 24 Gigabit RJ45 ports and 2 SFP ports. Its non-blocking throughput is up to 26 Gbps and the switching capacity is up to 52 Gbps. UniFi US-24-500W PoE switchh is a fully managed Gigabit switch which can deliver robust performance and intelligent switching for networks. Besides, it offers the forwarding capacity to simultaneously process traffic on all ports at line rate without any packet loss. It is really a cost-effective PoE switch at $399.00. For more details about Gigabit PoE switch review, you can read my previous article: 8 Port PoE Switch Recommendations.

Gigabit Switch Review 4: FS S5850-48T4Q 10GBASE-T Switch

FS S5850-48T4Q 10GBASE-T copper switch is a 1U managed L2/L3 Ethernet switch. It has forty-eight 10GBASE-T RJ45 ports and four 40G QSFP+ ports. And it can provide 1.28Tbps switching capacity. FS S5850-48T4Q switch is designed to meet next generation Metro, Data Center and Enterprise network requirements. For example, it can be used for Spine-Leaf network which is a popular architecture design for data center. For 1GBASE-T copper switch at lower cost, FS S5850-48T4Q switch is a great option to help you migrate to 10GbE network.

Conclusion

The above content Gigabit Ethernet switch review has recommend 8 port unmanaged Gigabit switch, 12 port 10G smart managed switch, 24 port PoE switch and 48 port 10GBASE-T copper switch. All of them are good choices when compared with the same type of Ethernet switches. I hope this article can help you choose the best switch when you feel confused.

Related Article: FS 1000BASE-T Gigabit Switch: S3800-24T4S vs. S3800-48T4S