Do you run a small or medium-scale business or even a large enterprise? Then, network connectivity is the primary thing that helps all businesses run efficiently.

The majority of the businesses today run on Gigabit Ethernet. They not only tend to be more reliable but are also highly secure at the same time.

So, having an appropriate Gigabit switch is reasonably necessary for enabling high-speed internet connectivity. Likewise, the market is full of a wide range of Gigabit Switches options. Thus, the main question here is whether they all are the same.

Well, through this guide, I will lead you toward the best answer.

What is a Gigabit Switch?

Technology has made everything brighter now. Both small and medium enterprises have been thriving, which has improved the scope of improvements to a greater extent.

Gigabit switches have emerged as an essential component for establishing secure and faster network construction. This Ethernet option is relatively inexpensive. Even more, that makes it easier for the users to expand the network on the business premises.

Gigabit Ethernet Switch is a kind of Ethernet service that connects multiple devices such as servers, computer systems, gaming consoles, local area networks, and different others perfectly.

It is an absolute way to enable different devices like DVRs and 4K HDTVs to connect directly to the internet. It speeds up the overall network speed and data transfer. Besides, it also improves the response time and frame rate to a greater extent.

Gigabit Ethernet is a perfect way to improve the security of the network on your business premises. One can quickly expand the network connectivity of a business area by using a Gigabit Ethernet Switch through different ports.

What Are the Different Categories of Switches?

If you search on the market, you can easily find a wide range of Gigabit Switches. A person should check out the number of devices to connect to the network while selecting the relevant switch.

Gigabit Switches are supposed to be a suitable option for small and medium business entrepreneurs. The best thing about this kind of switch is that you can extend it depending on the requirement.

Moreover, Gigabit switches not only boost the overall performance of a network but also improve its efficiency as well.

Now, I will introduce the four basic Gigabit switches available. It includes Unmanaged, Managed, PoE, and stackable switches.

Unmanaged Switch

Unmanaged Switches are pretty standard in home networks, temporary network setups, and small businesses. It is one of the most manageable switches you can use to connect devices with a fixed configuration that we can’t change any more.

These switches often need a simple setup that works great for adding more Ethernet ports to your network.

Managed Switch

As the name describes it well, managed Gigabit switches are simple yet customizable per your preferences. You can quickly improve the functionality of a particular network connection with the help of managed switches.

The best thing about managed switches is that they can be easily monitored and adjusted as per our choices. Whether you are willing to monitor the traffic on your network, report some network connectivity, or adjust your network’s speed; Managed switches make all of the activities relatively more manageable for you.

You have to pay for everything you are going to access on the internet world. Yet, the managed switches provide more flexibility over the network than unmanaged switches but are a bit expensive.

Both managed and unmanaged switches have unique features. Here you can check the differences between both unmanaged and managed PoE switches.

PoE Switch

PoE stands for Power over Ethernet technology. The majority of the Gigabit Switches come up with PoE technology that ensures a power delivery of about 12.94 watts. I have already discussed a common question – What is PoE? You can read it to learn more about this technology.

PoE switches have a unique design to support better power and data transmission over a network cable simultaneously. The introduction of PoE technology has simplified the cabling process a lot, and it has also improved internet connectivity to a greater extent.

Stackable Switch

A stackable switch is a fully functional, standalone switch option designated to provide high-end flexibility over Ethernet services. Users here are free to set up and operate one or more network switches simultaneously without any hassle.

You can configure stackable switches as per your preferences. Another good thing about this kind of switch is that you can reroute it during cable or port failure.

Factors that Distinguish Gigabit Switches

Secure network connectivity is one of the basic requirements for every business network connectivity. And that’s the main reason you need to be quite particular while making the final selection of appropriate equipment.

The market is full of different gigabit switches, which sometimes increase network users’ confusion. To make the final selection more comfortable for you, I’ll present some of the fundamental factors here. I hope they will help you distinguish Gigabit Switches efficiently.

User Count

As the point states, you should consider the number of users you need to connect. I want to clear one thing here the number of users is not the number of people.

The number of users means the devices connected to a particular network. Whether these are firewalls, printers, VoIP phones, or even surveillance cameras and wireless access points, everything is countable here.

The more users in a particular Ethernet connection, the more ports will be required. Thus, you need to add more ports to ensure proper working and faster transfer speeds also.

Power

Power is another essential factor that has a more significant impact on the Gigabit Switches. Adding access points makes it relatively complex for traditional power outlets to reach the desired switches ideally.

But some access points can quickly get their electricity through Power over Ethernet. And that makes things even more convenient.

These access points usually don’t require any external power to stay connected to the internet.

While establishing Ethernet connectivity, make sure to check for a network switch with Ethernet ports. It should well support the PoE requirements of your network.

Speed

The Gigabit Switches don’t create any speed, but they ensure faster access to the users. A wrong selection of gigabit switches can badly interrupt your internet connectivity and even slow down your network connection anytime.

Thus, I suggest you look at your preferences first before making the final selection of the gigabit switches. Just make sure to look at the number of ports you need to handle the preferable speed perfectly.

One can easily choose gigabit switches with 8, 12, 14, 16, and even 24 ports to allow excellent internet connectivity.

Below are some relevant products;

12 ports gigabit Ethernet switch

14 ports gigabit Ethernet switch

The gigabit switches have a unique design so that the ports involved there automatically sense the speed. Moreover, it can use the fastest speed shared for transferring data over different devices.

Value

Finding the value of the gigabit switches can assist you in finding a suitable switch. Just be sure to go through the different gigabit switch options and select one that fits your network well.

Final Thoughts!

The world of computer networking is quite vast. The involvement of Gigabit switches not only improves the connectivity over a network of business premises, but it also secures the devices to a greater extent.

Not all gigabit switches present there in the market are the same. I tried to explain different kinds of switches along with some factors to distinguish between them. I hope it will help you find your preferred Gigabit switch quite conveniently.