Switches
Network Switches
445 switches from TP-Link, Zyxel, Netgear, Ubiquiti, Tenda, Lanberg, MikroTik and Planet. From five-port units for the home to managed rack equipment for business.
- TP-Link 92 · Zyxel 78 · Netgear 69 · Ubiquiti 48 · Tenda, Lanberg, Cudy, Mercusys, MikroTik, Planet, Ruijie, Hikvision, Dahua
- Unmanaged, managed and power-over-cable (PoE) models
- From 5 ports to rack equipment
- The warranty is stated on each product — up to five years
What a switch does
It extends the wired network. Your router usually has four ports; a switch turns them into eight, sixteen or twenty-four. It does not create a network and needs no configuration on simple models: plug it in and it works.
In practice you need one when several stationary devices end up in one spot in the house or office — computer, printer, NAS, television, console — and only one cable reaches there.
Managed or unmanaged?
Unmanaged. No settings, no interface. For a home and a small office it is exactly what you need and there is no point paying more.
Managed. It allows network segmentation, traffic priority, port monitoring and remote administration. It makes sense in a business, in a camera installation, or when you want to separate a guest network from the corporate one.
PoE: power through the network cable
A switch with PoE sends data and power down the same cable. In practice it means a camera, an access point or an IP phone needs one cable and no power socket at the installation point.
It is the difference between mounting a camera in a ceiling corner easily, or needing an electrician. If you are planning an installation with cameras or access points, ask for PoE from the start.
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Frequently asked questions
- Does it need configuration?
- Unmanaged ones do not — connect the cables and they work. Managed ones have an interface for settings, but also work out of the box.
- How many ports should I buy?
- Count your devices and add two for future expansion. Remember one port always goes to the router.
- What is PoE?
- Power delivered over the network cable. It lets cameras, access points and IP phones work with no socket at their location.
- Does it affect speed?
- No, provided the ports support your network speed. An old low-speed switch, however, becomes a bottleneck.
- What warranty do they carry?
- It varies widely by manufacturer and range, with professional equipment reaching five years. It is stated on each product.
For a home, a simple unmanaged switch solves the port problem for very little. If you are installing cameras or access points, ask for PoE — and see the access points.