Category Archives: Fiber Optic Switch

Cheap PoE Switch: 24 Port PoE Switch Price Comparison

When searching 24 port PoE switch, you can find many vendors supplying various types of 24 port PoE switches. Sometimes you may feel confused about which to choose. This post will introduce some commonly seen 24 port PoE switches including US-24-500W, TL-SG3424P, DGS-1210-28P/ME, GS728TP, S1400-24T4F, S1600-24T4F, and compare these 24 port PoE switch price, feature, performance, then give some advice for 24 port PoE switch buying.

PoE switch

24 Port PoE Switches In the Market

US-24-500W: It is UniFi 24 port PoE switch with advanced port management. Each switch port offers custom settings including port name, PoE, network/VLAN configuration and operation mode as well as 802.1X Authentication and Radius VLAN support.

TL-SG3424P: It is TP-Link 24 port PoE+ switch with high performance, enterprise-level QoS, advanced security strategies and rich layer 2 management features, which is ideal for small and medium business networking.

DGS-1210-28P/ME: It is D-Link 24 port PoE switch featuring a variety of port configurations, and it can be managed with a CLI (Command Line Interface) or user-friendly web-based GUI (Graphical User Interface).

GS728TP: It is Netgear 24 port PoE switch with comprehensive networking features such as VLAN, QoS, IGMP and MLD snooping, static routing, link aggregation, ACL.

FS 24 Port PoE Switch Price vs. Other Vendors’

The table below summarizes the performance of those 24 port PoE switches and compares the 24 port PoE switch price to show which is more cost-efficient.

Model US-24-500W TL-SG3424P DGS-1210-28P/ME GS728TP S1400-24T4F S1600-24T4F
Gigabit RJ45 Ports 24 24 24 24 24 24
SFP Ports 2 4 4 4 4 4
Console Port 1 1 1 / 1 1
Switching Capacity 52 Gbps 48 Gbps 56 Gbps 56 Gbps 52 Gbps 52 Gbps
Forwarding Rate 38.69 Mpps 35.7 Mpps 41.7 Mpps No info 38.69 Mpps 38.69 Mpps
Power Consumption 500W 320W 251.5W 264W 400W 600W
Price US$399.00 $499.99 $623.36 $407.00 US$ 399.00 US$ 419.00

From the perspective of 24 port PoE switch price and performance comparison, we can see that FS S1400-24T4F and S1600-24T4F are the most cost-effective 24 port PoE switches.

FS 24 Port PoE Switch Highlights

S1400-24T4F is FS 24 port PoE switch, while S1600-24T4F is FS 24 port PoE+ switch. The 24 RJ45 ports support Power over Ethernet (PoE) and 10/100/1000 Ethernet connections. And the hot-swappable SFP ports support 1Gbps connections. Both of the two provides security, performance, quality of services, central managed and other network control capabilities. They are suitable for SMB or entry-level enterprise solution which demands industrial, surveillance, IP Phone, IP Camera or Wireless applications.

24 port PoE switch price

FS 24 Port PoE Switch Deployment Scenario

The two 24 port PoE switches can easily mount in a rack, on a wall, or on desktop. Here presents an example of using FS 24 port PoE switches and 8 port PoE switches to connect WAP, IP cameras, IP phones, desktops, etc.

24 port poe switch

As the picture shows, the 8 port PoE switches can be used to connect the powered devices (access point, IP camera and IP phone) via Ethernet copper cables which is very convenient and cost-effective for places like warehouse. And the 24 port PoE switches can be used in offices to connect desktops or laptops. In addition, using the management console interface, an administrator can control various PoE functions, such as remotely rebooting cameras or access points, from anywhere on the network, including over the Internet.

Kind Reminder for PoE Network

Before ordering a PoE switch, consider what your long range goals are for the network in question. Will your organization be adding employees, projects, or new equipment in the next 6-months? Knowing the answer to this question will help you better determine the number of ports you’ll need. In many cases, future-proofing with a better PoE switch (with more ports) may actually be a much better investment than smaller switches that have fewer ports. Please remember to compare the PoE switch price and performance to determine which to buy. Moreover, it is suggested that higher category rated cabling be used because higher category cables such as cat6a typically have larger gauge sizes, and as power currents increase, the larger conductors will perform better than smaller cable.

Conclusion

With PoE switches, you can get fast deployment at the endpoint as it enables power and data transmission over the same cable, thus eliminates the need for additional wiring installations, saving on cost and redundant cabling. This post has compared the 24 port cheap PoE switch price and performance. For PoE switches with 8 port, or 48 port, before buying, you’d better make a network plan first and compare the performance, price of different vendors to choose the most cost-effective one.

Related Article: FS 24-Port PoE Switch: Power Your Network for High-quality VoIP

How to Buy Right 48 Port 10GBASE-T Switch?

For recent years, the advent of 10Gbase-t copper solutions has seen growing adoption. Compared to fiber optics, copper has made great advances in latency and power consumption. 10Gbase-t is thus becoming more popular in network switches and servers. If you have not got any 10G switches, you should get 10Gbase-t switches, such as 12 port, 24 port, or 48 port 10gbase-t switches which are cost-effective 10g copper switches for data centers. This post mainly talks about 48 port 10gbase-t switch.

Why You Need 48 Port 10gbase-t Switch?

Like other BASE-T technologies, 10gbase-t uses the standard RJ45 Ethernet jack. 10gbase-t is backward compatible, auto-negotiating between higher and lower speeds, thereby not forcing an all-at-once network equipment upgrade. It means that the 10G copper connections can also work with 1 Gigabit Ethernet devices without requiring any expensive hardware replacements. The ability to autonegotiate between 1 and 10 gigabit speeds allows 10gbase-t server upgrades to occur on an evolutionary, as-needed basis. Cat5/Cat5e are supported for 10 Gigabit speeds up to 100 meters.

48 port 10gbase-t switch

48 port switch 10gbase-t helps to resolve the congestion issue between network edge and core, which is caused by the broader adoption of Gigabit-to-the-desktop. The utilizing of 48 port 10gbase-t switch provides more design flexibility and it can be used at the center of a small business network or as an aggregation/access switch in a larger organization. 48 port 10gbase-t switch is ideal for expanding network capacity, removing performance bottlenecks and support of premise expansion needs. In simply put, deploying 48 port 10gbase-t network switch can be less expensive to install and maintain while meeting the requirements of most short-distance connections within a data center.

What to Consider When Buying 48 Port 10gbase-t Switch?

Once there is a need for 48 port 10gbase-t switch, you shall buy the right switch from multiple vendors on the market? Which should you buy? What to consider when buying 48 port 10gbase-t switch? Here would give some guidelines by providing a comparison among three 10gbase-t switches 48 port from different vendors—Cisco (Cisco SG550XG-48T), NETGEAR (NETGEAR XS748T-100NES) and FS (FS S5850-48T4Q).

Model Cisco SG550XG-48T NETGEAR XS748T-100NES FS S5850-48T4Q
Ports 48×10 Gigabit Ethernet 10GBase-T copper port; 2x 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ (combo with 2 copper ports); 1x Gigabit Ethernet management port 44×10 Gigabit Ethernet 10GBase-T copper port; 4×10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ 48x 10 Gigabit Ethernet 10GBase-T copper port; 4×40 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+; Management and Console Ports (RJ45)
Switching capacity 960 Gbps 960 Gbps 1.28Tbps
Forwarding performance 714.24 Mpps 714.2 Mpps 952.32Mpps
Packet Buffer 4 MB 3MB 9MB

From the table, we can see that they have different features and capabilities. In comparison, FS 10gbase-t switch 48 port has the best switching performance. This 48 port 10gbase-t switch is built with 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, giving you the speed you need to share information quickly. Moreover, it supports low-latency, line-rate 10g copper base-t technology with backward compatibility to Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet. The 48 port 10gbase-t switch is also able to cost-effectively migrate current network to 10G capacity by utilizing the existing cat6 RJ45 short connections up to 30 meters and cat6a/cat7 connections up to 100 meters. In short, the 10gbase-t switch 48 port can deliver substantial productivity gains today and help future-proof your network for the demanding applications of tomorrow. Furthermore, it’s simple to manage and can get the fast data speeds, nonstop availability, and advanced security you need in LAN. Generally speaking, when buying such high-performance 48 port 10gbase-t switch, you should pay attention to the following aspects.

48 port 10gbase-t switch

Port Density & Speed

When buying a 48 port 10gbase-t switch, you should also pay attention to other speed of ports besides the 48x 10 Gigabit Ethernet 10gbase-t copper port. Typically, the 48 port 10gbase-t switches also come with 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports or 40 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ ports. With different vendors, the port numbers vary. There are 48x10gbase-t + 4x40g qsfp+, and 48x10gbase-t + 6x40g qsfp+ in the market, or network switches with 48x10gbase-t + 2x10g sfp+ are also available. Normally, with too few ports and not enough capacity will prove ineffective and one that is too large can be a waste of money. It is prudent to have an extra port or two available for future demand. The 48 port 10gbase-t switch with four qsfp+ ports can meet next generation Metro, Data Center and Enterprise network requirements.

Power and Latency

Advancements have allowed switch vendors to significantly lower power consumption on 10gbase-t switch ports. While early versions of 10gbase-t switches required up to 12 Watts per port, switch vendors now offer a range of 1.5 to 4 W per port depending on distance. FS 48 port 10gbase-t switch has rather low power consumption and low latency and remains relatively flat across all packet sizes.

Cost per Port

As power consumption has dropped, 10gbase-t switch prices have also dropped with per-port prices at less than $350. Take FS 48 port 10gb switch as an example, its price is $4599 with 48x10gbase-t ports and 4×40 gigabit qsfp+ ports. So the cost per port would definitely be less than $350.

Conclusion

The 48 port 10gbase-t switch presents the right solution for extending beyond simple reliability to higher speed and performance while delivering unprecedented non-blocking 10 gigabit bandwidth at an affordable cost. When buying the 10gbase-t switch 48 port, make a network plan first and take into consideration what has mentioned above. If you are not aware of which 48 port 10gbase-t switch to buy, FS would be a good place to consult, who can help to make network planning by your requirements and recommend the suitable network switches.

Related Article: FS 10Gbase-T Switch: Breaks the Price Barrier for 10G Network

NAS vs SAN: What’s the Difference?

In the era of information technology, data has become the most critical asset for companies. Without access to their data, companies may not be able to provide their customers with desired services. Thus how to effectively store, access, protect and manage critical data is a new challenge facing IT departments. Direct attached storage (DAS), network attached storage (NAS) and storage area network (SAN) are three main technologies for storage networking. Among them, SAN vs NAS: they are similar in using internet technology to ensure users can access and manage their storage data easily. But they are in fact two different storage technologies. This post will focus on the difference between NAS and SAN and gives a comparison over NAS vs SAN.

What Are Network Attached Storage and Storage Area Network?

Network attached storage is a file level storage system served as a local area network (LAN) node. It is usually referred to as a single storage device connected to network, allowing clients or associated devices in the LAN to share file-based data through a standard Ethernet connection.

Network attached storage

Unlike network attached storage, storage area network provides block-level network access to storage. It often consists of hosts, switches, storage elements, and storage devices that are interconnected using a variety of technologies, topologies, and protocols.

storage area network

NAS vs SAN Storage: What’s the Difference?

As the name implies, a network attached storage consists just of storage device while a storage area network is a network. The followings are some other differences between them:

NAS vs SAN

1. NAS vs SAN Connections

The network attached storage system can be connected directly to the network using an Ethernet cable into an Ethernet switch. Almost any device that can connect to the LAN (or is interconnected to the LAN through a WAN) can connect to a network attached storage and share files with the use of NFS, CIFS or HTTP protocol.

In contrast, devices in storage area network system are connected together using a network fabric, such as iSCSI or Fibre Channel. And only server class devices with SCSI Fibre Channel in a virtual computing environment can be connected to the storage area network.

2. NAS vs SAN Data Identify

As mentioned above, network attached storage is a file level storage system. So it identifies data by file name and byte offsets, transfers file data or file meta-data and handles security, user authentication, file locking.

Storage area network stores data in a block level. It addresses data by disk block number and transfers raw disk blocks. In this case, storage area network has lower latency and higher performance than network attached storage.

3. NAS vs SAN Backups and Mirrors

Backups and mirrors of network attached storage are done on files, not blocks, to save bandwidth and time. And the snapshot can be tiny compared to its source volume.

Backups and mirrors of storage area network require a block by block copy, even if blocks are empty. A mirror machine must be equal to or greater in capacity compared to the source volume.

NAS vs SAN: Which One to Choose?

Network attached storage and storage area network are two popular solutions for networking storage. NAS vs SAN, which one to choose largely depends on your actual requirements. With much simpler design, network attached storage is far less expensive than storage area network. And it is ideal for those who looking for an easily implemented storage solution. While storage area network is a high-performing and complex system, suitable for companies looking for top-of-the-line storage performance and reliability.

Related Article: What’s iSCSI Storage and How to Plan an iSCSI SAN?

Related Article: LAN Switch vs SAN Switch: What Is the Difference?

Related Article: Things You Should Know about IP SAN vs FC SAN

Compatible Optical Transceivers for Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches

According to a recent survey, over half (57%) of companies have already adopted the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. By 2019, that statistic is projected to reach 85% as the expectations for IoT to deliver value and innovation continue to grow. Many advocates are struggling to secure IoT devices. To lead the pack in the switches markets, Cisco recently announced the Catalyst 9500 Series switches, which are designed for security, IoT and the cloud. The switches will be the next generation of the most widely deployed switching platform. Here in this article will take you to understand more about Catalyst 9500 switches and which optical transceivers are compatible for it.

Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches

Cisco Catalyst 9500 Switches – Built for Security, IoT, and Cloud

The Cisco catalyst 9500 series switches are the next generation of enterprise-class core and aggregation layer switches, which are part of the new Cisco catalyst 9000 family. These switches come with 4-core 2.4-GHz CPU, 16-GB DDR4 memory and 16-GB internal storage. The catalyst 9500 comes in three different varieties: Catalyst 9500-24Q, Catalyst 9500-12Q and Catalyst 9500-40X. They support 10G and 40G Gigabit Ethernet network connection. The most important feature is that these switches support the advanced routing and infrastructure services, such as MPLS L2/L3 VPNs and MVPN. And they are designed for full fabric-control with Cisco DNA and Software-Defined Access (SD-Access). Therefore, these switches deliver stellar performance and functionality and extend Cisco’s networking leadership with significant innovations in security, mobility, IoT and cloud.

Model Description Total QSFP or SFP+ Ports
Catalyst 9500-24Q Cisco catalyst 9500 series 24-port 40 Gigabit Ethernet with QSFP 24 QSFP/24 SFP+
Catalyst 9500-12Q Cisco catalyst 9500 series 12-port 40 Gigabit Ethernet with QSFP (C9500-12Q-E etc) 12 QSFP/12 SFP+
Catalyst 9500-40X Cisco catalyst 9500 series 40-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet with SFP+ 40 SFP+
Software-Defined Access for Cisco Catalyst 9500 Switches

The Cisco catalyst 9500 series switches form the foundational building block for Software-Defined Access. Software-Defined Access is the industry’s first intent-based networking solution for the Enterprise built on the principles of Cisco’s Digital Network Architecture (DNA). It is an open and extensible, software-driven architecture that accelerates and simplifies your enterprise network operations. The programmable architecture frees your IT staff from time-consuming, repetitive network configuration tasks. Compared catalyst 9500 to the older switches, it performs more benefits for customers:

Cisco Catalyst 9500 Software-Defined Access

  • Reduced cost and complexity with Cisco Software-Defined Access by automating policy, enabling fast service creation and providing complete visibility into the wired and wireless access networks.
  • Create better customer and employee experiences through higher performance and improved support for mobility and new apps.
  • Advanced end-to-end security to handle threats before, during and after attacks.
Compatible QSFP+ / SFP+ Transceivers for Cisco Catalyst 9500 Switches

According to Cisco 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet Transceiver Modules Compatibility Matrix, C9500-12Q, C9500-24Q and C9500-40X can support SFP-10G-ER, SFP-10G-ZR, SFP-10G-ER-S, SFP-10G-ZR-S, QSFP-40G-SR4, QSFP-40G-LR4, SFP-40G-SR4-S ect. All SFP+ and QSFP+ transceivers can be found in FS.COM. And all of these cost-effective compatible modules have been strictly tested to make sure 100% compatibility.

QSFP+ Transceivers
Transceiver Model Part ID Transceiver Description
QSFP-40G-SR4 36157 Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4 Compatible 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ 850nm 150m MTP/MPO DOM Transceiver, $ 49.00
QSFP-40G-CSR4 36165 Cisco QSFP-40G-CSR4 Compatible 40GBASE-CSR4 QSFP+ 850nm 400m MTP/MPO DOM Transceiver, $ 59.00
QSFP-40G-SR4-S 36143 Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4-S Compatible 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ 850nm 150m MTP/MPO DOM Transceiver, $ 49.00
QSFP-40G-LR4 36170 Cisco QSFP-40G-LR4 Compatible 40GBASE-LR4 and OTU3 QSFP+ 1310nm 10km LC DOM Transceiver, $ 340.00
QSFP-40G-LR4-S 36153 Cisco QSFP-40G-LR4-S Compatible 40GBASE-LR4 QSFP+ 1310nm 10km LC DOM Transceiver, $ 340.00
QSFP-40G-ER4 36173 Cisco QSFP-40G-ER4 Compatible 40GBASE-ER4 and OTU3 QSFP+ 1310nm 40km LC DOM Transceiver, $ 1,500.00
QSFP-40G-SR-BD 48722 Cisco QSFP-40G-SR-BD Compatible 40GBASE-SR Bi-Directional Duplex LC Transceiver, $ 300.00
WSP-Q40GLR4L
(except C9500-40X )		 36172 Cisco WSP-Q40GLR4L Compatible 40GBASE-LR4L QSFP+ 1310nm 2km LC DOM Transceiver, $ 340.00
SFP+ Transceivers
Transceiver Model Part ID Transceiver Description
SFP-10G-SR 11552 Cisco SFP-10G-SR Compatible 10GBASE-SR SFP+ 850nm 300m DOM Transceiver, $ 16.00
SFP-10G-SR-S 36433 Cisco SFP-10G-SR-S Compatible 10GBASE-SR SFP+ 850nm 300m DOM Transceiver, $ 16.00
SFP-10G-LR 11555 Cisco SFP-10G-LR Compatible 10GBASE-LR SFP+ 1310nm 10km DOM Transceiver,$ 34.00
SFP-10G-LR-S 36434 Cisco SFP-10G-LR-S Compatible 10GBASE-LR SFP+ 1310nm 10km DOM Transceive, $ 34.00
SFP-10G-LRM
(except C9500-24Q / C9500-12Q )		 11556 Cisco SFP-10G-LRM Compatible 10GBASE-LRM SFP+ 1310nm 220m DOM Transceiver, $ 34.00
SFP-10G-ER 11557 Cisco SFP-10G-ER Compatible 10GBASE-ER SFP+ 1550nm 40km DOM Transceiver, $ 149.00
SFP-10G-ER-S 36435 Cisco SFP-10G-ER-S Compatible 10GBASE-ER SFP+ 1550nm 40km DOM Transceiver, $ 149.00
SFP-10G-ZR 11582 Cisco SFP-10G-ZR Compatible 10GBASE-ZR/ZW and OTU2e SFP+ 1550nm 80km DOM Transceiver,$ 299.00
SFP-10G-ZR-S 36436 Cisco SFP-10G-ZR-S Compatible 10GBASE-ZR/ZW and OTU2e SFP+ 1550nm 80km DOM Transceiver,$ 299.00

Note: For C9500-24Q / C9500-12Q, the Transceivers should be used with CVR-QSFP-SFP10G.

Conclusion

The catalyst 9500 switches solve some persistent challenges of enterprise networks by utilizing platform innovations built around four key areas: security, Internet of Things (IoT) convergence, mobility and cloud readiness. There is no doubt that catalyst 9500 is leading us to a new era of faster and securer network. And if you need any transceiver for Cisco catalyst 9500 series, please contact us via www.fs.com. All the products offered by FS.COM are tested before shipping to ensure superior quality.

Can A Computer Connected to the PoE Switch?

The PoE switch is commonly used in various networks. It can be low-cost unmanaged edge switches with a few ports or complex multi-port rack-mounted units with sophisticated management. When used in small or home networks, many people may wonder if it can be connected directly with a computer. This post will discuss how to build a PoE connection between the PoE switch and the computer.

What Are PoE and PoE Switch

Before the discussion, it is necessary to have a basic understand of what are PoE and PoE network switch:

PoE

As demands for connection from networking devices such as IP phones, IP cameras and access points increase, deployment complexity and cost rise as well. For less cable usage and investment, Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology is developed to provide both data connection and electrical power to devices through just one Cat5/Cat5e/Cat6 cable.

PoE Switch

PoE switch is a network switch that has Power over Ethernet injection built-in, which can transmit both power and data through an Cat5/Cat5e/Cat6 Ethernet cable at the same time. This kind of switch makes it easy for different sectors to deploy powered devices like VoIP phones, wireless access points and IP surveillance cameras in challenging places like ceilings, walls, outdoors, or wherever electrical outlets are not easily available.

poe connection

Can A Computer Connected Directly to the PoE Switch?

As shown below，PoE switch usually have the same RJ45 port as a computer. So many people will think they can be connected directly. But do not forget that PoE switch may also transmit electrical power through the RJ45 port and Cat5/Cat5e/Cat6 cable to the computer. Then can a computer be connected directly to the PoE switch? This is largely depend on the switch you have:

poe switch

If you have a PoE switch that conforms to 802.3af (the PoE standard) or 802.3at (the PoE Plus standard) and doesn’t claim to be “passive”, you can definitely build a PoE connection between the PoE switch and the computer. This is because this kind of PoE switch has the function of PoE detection which is designed to avoid damage to non-PoE devices. In other words, when you connect other network devices to your PoE switch, it will communicate with the these devices whether they need power or not. Power is only injected if and when this negotiation is successful. Ethernet devices such as phones and access points are detected by the switch as accepting PoE and will receive the additional power feature from the PoE switch/port. Whereas a computer and other non-PoE devices will not be detected as having PoE capability and will just use the data communications features of the port.

computer connect to poe switch

However, there exists a class of PoE switches, usually referred to as “passive” or “always on”, which supply power without PoE detection. Why would anyone do this? Because this kind of PoE switch is significantly cheaper. Whether it damages your device depends on the voltage of the passive PoE switch and your devices. For a computer, it may be damaged for excessive voltage or current.

Conclusion

PoE switch is a dedicated device that contains multiple Ethernet ports to provide power and network communications. It is usually used in NVR/IP camera networks. For small or home networks, if you want to connect a computer to the PoE switch, make sure your switch follows the standard 802.3af or 802.3at PoE requirements. So can you connect a computer directly to your PoE switch?

Related Article: Using 8-Port PoE Switch for IP Surveillance