26-Port Gigabit Ethernet Smart Managed Pro Switch (GS324T) - with 2 x 1G SFP, Desktop/Rackmount, S350 Series

I got the NETGEAR ProSAFE GS724T Gigabit Smart Switch to replace a failing old SMC SMC8126L2 Gigabit Smart switch at a client of my IT Practice. It is operating perfectly including one VLAN in the client's configuration as their primary switch. Bottom Line: this is a dependable switch that handles all the clients throws at it.The main switch specs/features that matter for my client are:• User Friendly Management GUI (consistent with other Netgear Smart switches)• VLAN support• 24 Gigabit copper Ports run at wire-speed• 2 dedicated SFP ports• Fanless Cooling for quiet operationThe switch come with a CD including documentation and Smart Control Center software. I only use the Smart Control Center software for initial setup of the IP address and changing the default passwords (a very good idea if you care about security). After that I use the built-in web GUI.A set of rack mount ears and hardware are also included in the box. These can be attached to the sides of the switch to facilitate wall or panel mounting.I usually check for updated firmware as one of the first steps when setting up new equipment. Often hardware comes with older firmware, so it's good to bring things up to date. The GS724T had current firmware when I purchased it: still worth checking!The web management GUI is consistent in layout and organization with other Netgear smart switches. Experience with other Netgear smart switches made setup and configuration of this one a snap. The client has another Netgear smart switch at this client in place for to provide Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) for their IP phone system on a separate sub-net making a consistent management experience for both switches.Netgear is confident about reliability offering a lifetime warranty for the GS724T. I also like the fanless design. Not only does it make a quiet switch for in office use (not a factor for this client) but without a fan there is one less mechanical part to fail. Switches are usually a mission-critical component and being able to depend on them matters to me and my clients. I think the GS724T qualifies.Switches are not usually very glamorous parts of a computing infrastructure but they are critical. Add dependability and performance are you have the 3 legs that make a good switch choice. Because of a consistently good performance at a very reasonable price the GS724T gets 5 stars from me.Hope this helps someone!

Aside from the affordable price, this switch provides just the right granularity of control for a small business, or in my case, a home-based business with networking that's slightly more complicated than average.Setup was simple enough. Although the switch has a static IP by default, it detected that it was on a DHCP network while I was setting it up, and accepted the IP assignment. The Web console was intuitive enough for a techie and offers a sufficient level of control and monitoring for most businesses.The user can also do nothing except plug in the cables and accept the defaults, which are sensible enough. If you don't have any need for advanced QOS, the defaults should work fine.I didn't install the software, so I can't comment on that. The built-in Web interface provided what I needed. The switch also includes both rack-mounting brackets and rubber feet for desktop use.All in all, this looks like a very capable switch at a very affordable price. If I were still in the on-site support and consulting end of the business, I think I'd buy a mess of them for small- to medium-sized business clients.Richard

Using one for the garage, one for TV entertainment center, three for electrical closet, and two for the office. It's delightfully over-kill. Pairs well with UniFi and Mikrotik gear if you set the LAG Static feature off (which will enable LACP) when configuring the LAG port.Easy to set up. Unusually low noise for a 10G managed switch. Low temperatures. Consistently low-latency L2 switching with VLANs enabled. LACP LAG works flawlessly on 10G RJ45 and SFP+ ports. Cheap remote cloud management with Insight ($10/year). What more could you want?Abridged comparison with other 10G managed switches available today: These are much cheaper than QNAP switches while offering more 10G ports. These are much cheaper than Mikrotik switches while offering lower thermals and higher reliability and ease of setup. These are 3x cheaper than CISCO 10G switches while offering better real-world performance and reasonably priced cloud management. These are in stock at MSRP, while UniFi ones are not.

This is the best value 10GbE switch I've seen so far; 6 10GbE ports (4 copper, 2 SFP+) and 4 2.5GbE ports - perfect for a home lab, or if you've got a property which is split into two parts (where the fiber is really helpful.) Does VLANs, LAGs, pretty much whatever you'd want in a managed-but-not-fully-professional switch. Seems to handle multiple full-speed 10GbE transfers just fine in my home lab as well as acting as a backbone for all of my family's PCs and streaming devices.Management features are web-based (no CLI) and a little basic out of the box but haven't found anything actually missing - I haven't paid for their central management to see if it feels a bit more powerful, and I've not seen whether they have a free mobile app.Also, for home use, while these do have fans, they are _really_ quiet compared to the older 16 1GbE+ 2 10GbE SFP+ switches that they are replacing.Worked with older generic SFP+ fiber modules, too, so it's nice to see that the SFP+ ports are not vendor-locked.