Need recommendation: Managed switch L2+ 20+ ports

Would like to see if there are any better recommendations out there for a replacement switch. Currently running a Dell Powerconnect 6224P which does fulfill my needs. However since it is pushing a decade old and consuming almost 50W idle, I’m sure there is probably a better option out there…

Requirements:

  • Need at least 8 PoE ports (powering devices pulling up to 8W each)
  • Need at least 12 Gb ports
  • Needs to be capable of L2 management (VLANs)
  • Needs to be reliable. What I mean is the Netgear “pro” switch I have has a problem where web interface stops responding after about a week and has to be rebooted. Dell 6224P never has a problem.
  • Budget is under $500

Other notes:

  • Sound isn’t a problem. It is in an enclosed rack in it’s own HVAC controlled space.
  • Less power preferable. If a new switch isn’t going to be much better, please say so! I don’t want to spend $500 on a new switch just to save a few watts…
  • This is for a home network.

Thank you in advance!

I’ve had great experiences with the Unifi Switches. While working for a MSP we mainly deployed these.


Not sure on the power usage but super easy to setup and manage. You will need to install the Unifi controller software onto a PC (Windows or Linux) and setup to configure POE power on ports (but it does work out of the box detecting if the device needs power. Only for devices requiring more power will you need to specify the other power option) and VLANS.
I got alot experience with Unifi so I can help you out.

APs are great too!

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When the Dell one you have works fine, I don’t see a reason to do so.

The HPE Aruba 2530-24G-PoE+ fits the bill.


Alternatively, get a PoE-Injector and any switch will do. The MikroTik CRS326-24G-2S9+RM for example. The MikroTik will definetly be more efficent than the dell switch.

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Just recently switched (get it?) from my multiple strewn together netgear switch setup to a cisco sg250 for my 1Gb devices. Has been a pleasantly nice upgrade. The thing even does a good bit of L3, and new it was sub $200. know the PoE is a bit more expensive but fairly certain it is less than a $50 jump.
The netgears for me were fine if they were the newest versions that didnt have java and used static IP instead of dhcp.

Edit: no licenses required. The features compared to my mikrotik sfp+ switches makes the mikrotiks look like unmanaged dumb switches. ACLs, IP routing, kinda has it all.

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Similar experience here! I highly recommend them and think they cover most small/medium size business needs. Never had a problem working with any of their gear. I have been working with their equipment for the past 5ish years now. Lawerence Systems on youtube has some pretty good coverage and reviews on some of their gear.

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Thank you for the responses! It will give me several to compare so far. I’ve never messed with anything Unifi, HP, Mikrotik, or Cisco so would have to do some research to see how easy each would be to setup.

I have heard great things about Unifi products. I like the management interface between devices. Seems more…well unified…being able to adopt new devices into the management interface and see how they connect is appealing. Though unless I adopt more Unifi into the network, the management software would be a small pain to have to install onto a computer. I will have to research more into Unifi as I manage my Dell switch with the web GUI and SSH.

That switch looks like it ticks all the boxes and there are several on eBay at the moment as well! After a bit of Googling it, seems like the standby is way more efficient a bit over 25W…so if I end up with one from eBay I could even get a payoff of 1 or 2 years just in electricity.

I was considering a PoE injector, just don’t want to add complication with more wires. Also a PoE switch would give me the freedom to expand any extra ports with another VoIP phone, AP, and/or more cameras without having to buy a larger injector box or more injectors.

Looks like the Cisco SG250-26P Smart Switch would be the model I would look at, thank you for the recommendation. I’ll have to keep looking for more information about it. I’ve heard Cisco can be stingy if you aren’t certified. Hopefully the no license thing is true for the model I found as well.

From my research you are good within the SG series of switches. This is my one and only cisco product on my home setup so can’t say anything outside of that other than again, the feature sets are rediculously large. Well above the mikrotik, netgear and unifi products ive seen (think I’ve seen the top, if not close to it, of the line unifi switches).

Hmmm,

Hmmmm,

I get using POE for things like cameras or access points. I haven’t lived in a place that had a landline telephone number for over 10 years - I’m really surprised this is still a thing people are considering. Perhaps in a traditional office environment maybe if the company’s decided to go old school and have wired sip phones instead of wifi ones.

Poe on Ubiquiti unifi switches or edgeswitch series stuff is ok. Efficienct, flexible on standards, should fit your budget.

ISPs around here push pretty hard to get people to buy internet and phone bundles still… I didn’t know it wasn’t that common to have a home phone
anymore ¯ _(ツ)_/¯ I don’t have an ISP phone but actually do have an Obitalk with a Google voice number hooked to an old school 900Mhz cordless phone. It doesn’t cost anything and gives me a “home phone” without having to pay money for it.

Either way since you seemed so interested… No I don’t use a PoE VoIP phone for my house. I have been messing around with freePBX a little but haven’t actually committed to setup a line yet. That would be more for the experimentation “lab” not so much the actual home network. But since the computer I mess with that stuff does live at home, I figured if I ever did setup a VoIP system with more than just a cheap eBay office surplus phone, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Thank you for the suggestion