Networks Which Network Switch?

I'm looking to add a 16 or 24 port network switch to my network. I've been looking at Netgear Prosafe range.

I've also noticed TP Link are popular. Are there any I should also be looking at or not?

General requirements: some PoE is an advantage, ability to manage, either managed/smart and gigabit speed. Doesn't necessarily need to be stackable as expansion is unlikely as from a 16 port switch, we might have about 4 ports left over.

Thanks.

 

We use quite a few Zyxel switches at work, they're on the cheap end of the scale but they support pretty much all the features you might want

 

I've got a couple of NetGear "smart" switches, both of which are available in PoE flavours and can't fault them, apart from a recent issue whereby a menu was in a stupid location leaving me to scratch my head over what was actually wrong.

They're not of Cisco/Brocade calibre clearly, but they're cheap and appropriate for gentle management.

 

How many users?
Office or Home network?
How many servers?
Any phones on the network?

 

Netgear pro-safe switches also have a lifetime warranty, well about 40-50 years

 

Our house is run on a mix of netgear and tplink (1x24 and 2x8). Not smart/managed but never had problems with either.

Also have a tplink access point that's also been bullet proof.

Pretty much all the kit has been on 24/7 for at least 2 years - not sure the netgear has been switched off other than for cable tidying since Xmas 2013

 

Depending on where you want to put the switch will have an impact on what I would suggest, at work we have a dlink poe and it is noisy, it is tolerable for work, but I would go crazy if it was in my living room.

Is PoE essential, or could you use injectors for the poe devices?

 

2 servers, no ip phones as of yet, users can be around 5 sometimes more.

Office has a smart TV with Sky news or BBC news on the go all day.

 

PoE is preferable over injectors, as we'd outspend the PoE switch on injectors, plus a mains plug for each injector and space for them.

 

Cisco Small Business SG300 would be my choice then (unless you want to get some 2960X or 3650X's in)

 

Two have just come up for me to consider.

Both Netgear, one is the JGS516pe and the other is the FS728TLP.

Now, apart from the former being all gigabit, the latter has enough gigabit for my servers and both have plenty of PoE.

Now, is the JGS516pe really not even a smart managed switch? Netgear call it a 'plus switch', not entirely unmanaged, but not quite managed or even smart managed.

Would the smart managed features in the FS728TLP make for a better and more secure network? Will no ipV6 support be a problem do you think?

Both of these switches cover requirements within the price range I've got to play with.

Another option (for everything gigabit and ipv6), though perhaps less favourable, is to use a GS110tp for the PoE requirements and a GS716tv3 for everything else and connect them together.

Thoughts? Thanks.