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Cisco offers the Meraki brand of Ethernet switches.
Best Ethernet Switches 2026
Ethernet switches are fundamental networking devices that connect multiple devices on a local area network (LAN) and forwards data packets between them. Unlike hubs, they use MAC addresses for efficient, targeted packet delivery, reducing network congestion and improving performance. Modern switches support features like Power over Ethernet (PoE), VLANs, and Layer 3 routing. Explore user reviews and comparisons to find the best Ethernet switch for your network infrastructure.
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All Products(1-25 of 58)
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Cisco's Catalyst IE3400 Rugged Series switches combine full Gigabit Ethernet switch solutions with advanced features in a modular design. Expandable up to 26 ports in a compact form factor, these rugged switches are optimized for size and power, and bring Cisco intent-based networking to Industrial ... - 3A solution to used to create smarter, safer, and faster industrial networks, as a switch designed for a wide variety of use cases across multiple industries. Rugged, the switch is designed to operate on production lines, inside electric substations, at the airport, and in roadway intersections.
- 4A solution to extend fast, secure, and fully managed connectivity to devices in harsh operating conditions and space-constrained environments.
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Cisco's Catalyst IE3200 Rugged Series is presented as a secure, fixed, full-Gigabit industrial switching platform managed with Cisco DNA Center. With 8 PoE+ in a compact form factor, these rugged switches are designed for power and space-constrained areas. The Cisco Catalyst IE3200 Rugged Series ... - 6
Cisco Catalyst IE3300 Rugged Series features full Gigabit Ethernet with a modular, optimized design. Expandable up to 26 ports in a compact form factor, these rugged network switches are optimized for size, power and performance. They can deliver up to 24 ports of PoE/PoE+/4PPoE (power budget of ... - 7
For campus, branch, and data centers, HPE's Aruba CX switches are presented as a flexible, programmable, and cloud-native ASIC design solution, boasting the power, precision, and versatility of a microservices-based wired architecture. - 8The Cisco Catalyst IE3400 Heavy Duty Series is an industrial ethernet switching platform for extending IoT connectivity to harsh environments, with a dust and waterproof design that is IP67 rated. Powered by Cisco IOS XE, its feature set includes software-based segmentation and flow visibility for ...
- 9The Catalyst ESS9300 is built for secure, high-bandwidth, mission-critical networks. The 10G switch is optimized for size, weight, and power and is ideal for mobile embedded networks that operate in extreme environments. The small-form-factor switch enables integrators to build custom solutions for ...
- 10The Embedded Service 3300 Series (ESS 3300) lets third-party partner integrators build custom Gigabit Ethernet switching solutions for a range of IoT use cases. The ESS 3300 is ideal for environments with specialized form-factor, size, weight, power, port-density, port-media, and ruggedization ...
- 11The Cisco Industrial Ethernet 4010 Series Switches are presented as a secure, reliable, and scalable Industrial Ethernet platform. Built to withstand extreme environments, they provide high-bandwidth switching to help improve uptime and performance for connecting to IP cameras, access points, and ...
- 12The Industrial Ethernet (IE) 1000 switches are small form factor switches designed for rugged environments and to meet the specific needs of industries such as smart cities, machine building, manufacturing, and more. These switches are used to extend the Ethernet technology to connect end points ...
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Juniper Networks offers the EX Series Ethernet switches, as cloud-grade switches designed for the converged enterprise branch, campus, and data center, and for service providers. They address growing enterprise demands for high availability, unified communications, and virtualization. - 14
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As a supplier of fabric networking, Extreme offers a portfolio of Ethernet and IP fabric solutions. Whether to transform a campus, data center, metro, or WAN, Extreme Networks Wired Access - Switches (ExtremeSwitching) fabric technologies aim to ensure a faster, more flexible, and more secure ... - 16Cisco Silicon One is a family of routers and switches that create a unifying architecture that delivers high bandwidth routing and web scale switching.
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Dell PowerConnect were a series of managed and unmanaged ethernet switches for data centers, discontinued by Dell. They have been superseded by the PowerSwitch line of switches, from Dell. - 18Cisco MDS 9000 Series Multilayer Switches help users to save on storage environments costs by combining robust but flexible hardware architecture with multiple layers of secure network and storage management intelligence.
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Latvian company MikroTik offers routers and switches. - 22
Datto Networking Switches are presented as a solution to allow MSPs to deliver affordable, high-performance switching to connect devices and users across a network. Datto’s Switches are designed to accommodate virtually any sized network configuration a small to medium sized business might need. ... - 23The Cisco Business 220 Series Smart Switches are presented as simple and affordable smart switches for business-class networks, boasting an intuitive dashboard, mobile app support, and multiple Power over Ethernet (PoE) options.
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NVIDIA® Spectrum®-3 based SN4000 is an open ethernet switch that combines cloud features with performance to support modern scale-out distributed data center applications. With support for all speeds 1GbE through 400GbE, SN4000 is ideal for building large layer-2, layer-3, and virtualized network ... - 25Adtran in Huntsville, Alabama offers the NetVanta brand of routers and switches.
Learn More about Ethernet Switches Software
What are Ethernet Switches?
Ethernet switches connect our devices, such as computers, laptops, and printers, to a local area network (LAN). They were first introduced in 1990 as a way to connect networks across a specific area. Ethernet switches are capable of creating networks and using multiple port connections to act as bridges between devices and the network. Usually, using multiple switch ports will allow for faster and more consistent connectivity.
Users of ethernet switches vary widely, from homeowners to businesses. If you’re looking to have some sort of connectivity at home, whether it be for work-at-home purposes or for pleasure, chances are you’ll need an ethernet switch. Likewise, workplaces will likely be using these devices to connect and share files. Ethernet switches are capable of reducing network downtime and improving available network bandwidth and performance.
Ethernet switches are similar to routers, which are designed to manage network traffic between devices. Routers are primarily used for establishing a connection between networks, while ethernet switches create the network.
Ethernet Switches Features
Many of the ethernet switches contain the following features:
- Auto-sensing
- Auto-negotiating
- Auto-crossover
- Store & forward switches
- Power over ethernet capability
- Software-defined networking
- Network security
- Single point of management
Ethernet Switches Comparison
When comparing ethernet switches, consider the following:
- Industry. Ethernet switches can be tailored to certain industries. Cisco Meraki, for example, works well with retail, education, and hospitality. Make sure the product is capable of supporting businesses in your industry.
- Integrations. The ability to integrate with other products and APIs can be a huge advantage. It allows users to benefit from the information collected by the equipment. You should evaluate the switch’s integration capabilities before making a purchase.
- Long-term investment. In addition to the cost of hardware, ethernet switches require users to continuously pay for new software licenses. You should determine if the long-term expenses match your budget.
Pricing Information
Pricing for ethernet switches depends on the number of ports within a device. A 16- port unmanaged switch usually costs between $50 and $60 per device. A 24-port unmanaged switch usually costs between $70 and $90 per device. Contact the vendor to receive an accurate price quote. Most vendors will offer a free demo.
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Ethernet Switches FAQs
What do ethernet switches do?
Ethernet switches help devices communicate within a local area network (LAN) by creating networks and using multiple ports. They are similar to routers, which connect devices to a network already created by ethernet switches. Ethernet switches and routers usually work together to provide the most efficient network connection for your devices.
What are the benefits of using ethernet switches?
Ethernet switches reduce network downtime, improve network performance and available bandwidth, and provide more advanced security features. They also connect multiple devices (sometimes up to a dozen) to a single network without slowing down the network connection.
How much do ethernet switches cost?
Pricing depends on the number of ports within an ethernet switch. A 16- port unmanaged switch costs between $50 and $60 per device. A 24-port unmanaged switch can cost between $70 and $90 per device. Contact the vendor to receive an accurate price quote.