NETGEAR 26-Port PoE Gigabit Ethernet Smart Switch (GS724TP) - Managed, 24 x 1G, 24 x PoE+ @ 190W, 2 x 1G SFP, Optional Insight Cloud Management, Desktop or Rackmount

I use several of these for my Dante and Digigrid recording setups. They are fast and reliable. The Power Over Ethernet feature makes it easy to power my satellite audio devices, too.

I needed a PoE+ switch to power some outdoor Wi-Fi APs and that also had an SFP port because my backhaul was coming from another building and there were available fiber strands that I could use to connect. The NetGear GS510TPP was perfect for the job. With a power budget of 190W, it was up to the task of powering 2 Wi-Fi APs and a PtP device. The fiber link worked without any problems, too. Also, it's a managed switch with SNMP so I was easily able to add it to my network monitoring setup. For less than $400, it's great little switch.

The switch arrived promptly, and I installed it without delay. Before programming, I performed a software update, which improved the user interface and added some great features. Setting up the PoE was straightforward, with the switch automatically calculating and displaying the maximum power usage—very useful for monitoring power supplied to connected PoE devices. I also disabled PoE on ports not connected to PoE equipment. After configuring my VLANs and connecting all devices, everything has been running smoothly. The switch has been in operation for about two weeks, so it’s still early, but performance has been solid so far. First Impressions: Sturdy, well-built design (my unit is rack-mounted) SFP expansion ports are a valuable addition Quiet operation Intuitive, user-friendly interface One layout issue worth noting is the placement of the Ethernet ports. Unlike my previous switch, where the ports were aligned from the left, this model positions them on the right side. This required me to replace some patch cables to accommodate the different layout—a minor inconvenience but something to be aware of. Overall, my experience with the switch has been positive, and it’s off to a great start!

Great switch. Just be sure you make sure you actually buy it new. Netgear refused to replace my old one under the lifetime warranty because it wasn't invoiced as NEW. As for this unit, a few oddities occurred when I set it up. By default there is a setting that caused the ports to disable when a downstream switch isn't playing nice. I was able to find the fault, so I turned it off. If I get a chance, I'll update this review with the actual setting. But overall, this is just a software upgrade of the previous model. Any hardware enhancements aren't notable. This unit functions very well. But if you don't need the advanced features and programability, stay with the unmanaged version. This supports VLAN, Port Aggregation and PoE, the three main features advanced users need. This also supports Netgears online dashboard for remote management. This is mainly for SMBs with multiple switches across small to medium offices. For me, this is as close to a top end unit you can get with these features with a subscription fee.

Super easy plug and go.