TP-Link Omada ES228GMP network switch 26 × 1G, 24 × PoE+ 384 W, 2 × SFP

PoE+ means a device receives both data and power over a single network cable, so cameras and access points need no nearby socket or power adapter. Each PoE+ port supplies up to 30 W and the whole switch has a 384 W budget. For example, 24 cameras drawing up to 16 W each fit within the budget at the same time; if you connect more power-hungry access points, add up their consumption first.

Instead of the usual 100 metres, the switch can carry data and PoE up to 250 metres according to TP-Link. That helps in a car park, a yard or at the end of a long corridor where installing an intermediate switch would be awkward. PoE Auto Recovery restarts power to a frozen device on its own, and port isolation keeps cameras separated from each other, which makes a surveillance network more dependable.

The ES228GMP is plug-and-play and works as soon as it is connected. When you need more, add it to the free Omada Cloud Essentials service and monitor or configure it in a web browser or the Omada mobile app. Omada access points and gateways appear in the same view, so the whole network of a small business sits in one place. The switch also has its own web interface for local configuration.

The switch supports up to 32 VLANs, including port-based, tagged and MTU VLANs, so cameras, office PCs and the guest network can be kept apart. QoS gives priority to time-sensitive traffic, IGMP snooping sends a video stream only to those watching it, and automatic loop prevention with broadcast storm control protects the network from a wrongly plugged cable. Link aggregation and port mirroring are available as well.

The case is metal, 440 mm wide and 44 mm high, and rack mounting brackets are included. Two fans handle cooling and the manufacturer states a noise level of 46.2 dB, so it belongs in a technical room rather than an open office. Surge protection is rated at 6 kV, input is 100–240 V AC and the operating range is −5 to 45 °C. Maximum power consumption is 454.8 W.

Surveillance installers connecting up to 24 IP cameras in one cabinet; small businesses building Wi-Fi with Omada access points and wanting to manage everything from one app; offices where IP phones are powered from the network cable; and administrators who need solid Layer 2 features without complex routing.