TP-Link T2600G-52TS managed L2 network switch 48 × 1G, 4 × SFP

Forty-eight gigabit copper ports cover a larger office or an entire floor: workstations, network printers, servers and other wired devices all get their connection from the same switch. Managing one large unit is simpler than daisy-chaining several small switches, and all traffic stays within one device where it is easier to monitor.

Besides the copper ports, the switch has four SFP slots. Through them it connects by fibre to the server room, a core switch or another building that a copper cable cannot reach. Several slots make it possible to add a redundant link or spread traffic across more than one uplink. Each slot takes a matching SFP module, chosen by cable type and distance.

A managed L2 switch lets you split the network into virtual segments (VLANs), so office computers, the guest network and servers, for example, are isolated from each other. You can also prioritise traffic and monitor the state of every port. The full feature list is on the TP-Link datasheet, as it is not part of the supplier data.

The T2600G-52TS is rackmountable and weighs 3.86 kg, so it fixes into a server or network cabinet next to other networking gear. The switch does not supply power over the network cable: it is designed for connecting computers, printers and servers. Powering access points and cameras requires a separate PoE switch.

Businesses with many wired workstations in an office or on a floor whose network needs to be split into VLANs; IT technicians who need a managed 48-port switch with a fibre uplink; and schools or institutions that want every connection in a single rack. If the same network also has PoE devices, a separate PoE+ switch can sit next to it.