FS S3900-24T4S 24 Port Stackable Switch Introduction

For a wide range of home lab and SMB users, 1/10G Ethernet switch saves budget and plays a big role in network expansion. In this regard we have recommended various gigabit switches with 10GbE uplink, say S3900-24T4S managed 24 port switch with 4 x 10G SFP+ uplinks. Actually, S3900-24T4S also highlights stackable capability. So today let’s dive into S3900-24T4S gigabit 24 port stackable switch.

S3900-24T4S

FS S3900-24T4S  24 Port Stackable Switch Overview

FS S3900-24T4S stackable 24 port switch is one of FS S3900 Series Ethernet switches. It is designed for class-carrier 1GE access and 10G uplink network, and dedicated to covering all kinds of enterprises and operator customers. This gigabit switch comes with 1 x console port, 24 x gigabit ports and 4 x 10G uplinks. Profit from 4 x 10G SFP+ ports, S3900-24T4S 24 port gigabit switches can be stacked together to work as a whole unit for cost-effective 10GE access or aggregation. Besides, it adopts high performance processor to achieve full wired speed forwarding and line-dormant capacity to coordinate with NGGN unified software. Table below lists the detail specifications of S3900-24T4S 24 port switch.

Switch Class Layer 2+ Stacking Capacity Up to 6 Units
Switch Capacity 128Gbps Switch Chip BCM56150
Forwarding Rate 95Mpps VLAN 4K
Power Supply Dual Power Flash Memory 64MB
Power Consumption 21W DDRIII Memory 512MB
Highlights of S3800-24T4S 24 Port Stackable Switch

In addition to the above mentioned information, S3900-24T4S 24 port stackable switch also features other characteristics.

·Multiple Port Configuration

S3900-24T4S gigabit 24 port switch provides high port density with 24 x 10/100/1000base-T RJ45 copper ports and 4 x 10G SFP+ uplinks in a compact 1RU form factor (17.3’’ x 11’’ x 1.7’’). The port diversity allows one to directly connect it to a sever, to a 10G switch with uplink port for 10GbE network, or to stack up to six S3900-24T4S gigabit switches together to expand network bandwidth.

·Dual Power Supply

It is noted that FS S3900-24T4S 24 port switch comes with dual power supply. 1+1 redundant power supplies can provide reliability and availability for switch systems. The dual power supply plays a backup role in power failure, thus it is ideal for mission-critical applications.

·Fanless Design 

FS S3900-24T4S 24 port stackable switch is designed with fanless cooling which significantly reduces the power consumption with no noise. For those small businesses or people working at home, such a quiet fanless switch can be very useful.

·Fully Managed Advanced Feature

As fully managed gigabit Ethernet switch, S3900-24T4S 24 port switch can be managed by both CLI command and web user interface. Moreover, for excellent hardware and software, the gigabit switch is perfectly matching applications of small networks. For instance, it supports various advanced functions, including QoS, DHCP, VLAN/VxLAN, BCM56150 Chip and etc.

How to Use S3900-24T4S 24 Port Stackable Switch?

As a  managed gigabit stackable switch, S3900-24T4S 24 port switch can be either used as standalone switch or a part of stacking system. This flexibility enables availability in various physical networks.

For expanding network capacity and simplifying management, stacking switches is very popular in data centers. A single S3900-24T4S stackable 24 port switch can provide 128Gbps switching capacity to your network. However, it will double the capacity to 256Gbps as 2 switches are stacked as a whole. In fact, S3900-24T4S gigabit Ethernet switch supports up to 6 switches stacked together, extending your network to a total switching capacity at 768Gbps. Also, operators can easily control all the stacked switches with the console port and add or remove a gigabit switch without affecting other switches in the stacking system.

To stack up S3900-24T4S 24 port switches with 10G SFP+ ports, you should connect them via SFP+ modules with fiber patch cable or via DAC or AOC directly. Here is a video presentation for S3900 Series 24 port switch stacking.

Conclusion

FS S3900-24T4S managed stackable 24 port gigabit switch with 4 x 10G SFP+ uplinks is an excellent solution to expand your network from 1G to 10G. Furthermore, with physical stacking technology, 6 S3900-24T4S 24 port stackable switches can be stacked as a whole system, which boosts your network to 768Gbps total capacity and simplifies management. Besides S3900-24T4S gigabit Ethernet switch, FS S3900 Series also include S3900-48T4S 48 port gigabit switch and S3900-24F4S fiber SFP gigabit 24 port switch.

Related article: FS S3900-48T4S 48 Port Switch Introduction

Buy Gigabit Switch: 2 x 24 Port Switch or 1 x 48 Port Switch

As for the issue of network switch setups for more than 24 connections, we usually stick in the dilemma to buy Gigabit switch: deploying 2 x 24 port switch or 1 x 48 port switch, which one to take? We are here to weight the 2-24 port gigabit switch and 1-48 port gigabit switch pros and cons for your selection guide.

Buy Gigabit Switch: 2 x 24 Port Switch or 1 x 48 Port Switch Overview

Budget is always a big concern before touching other factors. It is somehow a common sense that 2- 24 port switch price is lower than 1- 48 port switch price. Thus many people go for 2 x 24 port switch. In fact, that’s not always the same case. For example, buying 1 48 port switch ($410.00) S3900-48T4S will save you over 100 dollars than 2 24 port switch ($280.00) S3900-24T4S from FS.COM. For people pursuing high performance but with tight budget, just go for FS S3900-48T4S 48 port managed switch, which best satisfies your dual demands. To help you buy gigabit switch: 2 x 24 port switch or 1 x 48 port switch, table below shows the model comparison of FS.COM 24 port gigabit switch and 48 port gigabit switch.

specification of 2 x 24 port switch or 1 x 48 port switch

Buy Gigabit Switch: 2 x 24 Port Switch Solution Pros and Cons

For concerning about 2 24 port switch solution, one should know its pros and cons compared to 1 48 port switch.

  • First, having 2 x 24 port switch gives you more sense of security. If one 24 port gigabit switch goes down, users in another switch will still be running. However, the collapse of the sole 48 port switch will lead to the whole network’s breakdown.
  • Second, 2 x 24 port switch solution provides more flexibility for separate placing. If you need to connect different devices on different floors or offices, 2 x 24 port switch is the way to go.

However, it is noted that this solution has the cons of higher potential bottleneck, less available ports, extra uplink port demand, space consumption and management inconvenience.

Buy Gigabit Switch: 1 x 48 Port Switch Solution Pros and Cons

Apart from the cost-efficiency of 1 x 48 port switch offered by FS.COM, there are other cases 1 x 48 port switch is preferred over 2- 24 port switch.

  • First, 48 port gigabit switch is natural for high-performance network environments. In 2 x 24 port switch solution, due to one extra uplink port for connecting the 2 24 port gigabit switches, a potential bottleneck/congestion is created and only 46 ports are left available for devices. So in cases only one uplink is available, 48 port switch is the choice.
  • Second, 48 port gigabit switch managed has the pros of ease of management and rackspace saving even if 2 x 24 port switch are stacked.
  • Third, one 48 port switch costs less power than the 2 x 24 port switch strategy. However, this solution will lose the redundancy for network outages and separate placing flexibility.

Buy Gigabit Switch: 2 x 24 Port Switch or 1 x 48 Port Switch Selection Guide

After explaining the 24 port gigabit switch and 48 port gigabit switch respectively, we made the following conclusion. For most concerns about performance, one should go for 1 x 48 port switch instead of 2 x 24 port switch, which owns lower potential congestion at the uplink port and can travel at the wire speed. For concerns of space saving, management convenience and more port numbers, also go for the same way. But in terms of redundancy and separate placing, one should better take 2 x 24 port switch.

Table below lists the edges for selecting one solution over the other.

Solution 2 x 24 Port Switch 1 x 48 Port Switch
Edges over the other Redundancy: one more backup switch in network outages High performance: wire speed; power saving; less potential congestion
Separate placing: different floors or offices More available ports: saving extra uplink for connecting two switches
Generally less cost Rackspace saving; Ease of management

In some cases requiring special conditions, pay attention to their built-in features when you buy gigabit switch. For instance, in quiet places such as classrooms, take fanless 2 x 24 port switch because 1 x 48 port switch can be noisy due to equipped fan radiator.

Conclusion

For buy Gigabit switch: 2 x 24 port switch or 1 x 48 port switch, it’s extremism to simply say which one is superior or inferior. We decide 2 24 port gigabit switch or 1 48 port gigabit switch to buy by the factors we are most concerned about and the respective edges over the other in each case. No matter you need 24 port switch or 48 port switch, FS.COM would be a good place to go.

Related Article: 2 * 8 Port Gigabit Switch or 1 * 16 Port Gigabit Switch

24-Port Switch Selection: Which Is the Suitable Choice?

An Ethernet switch acts as a bridge to connect different parts of a network together. Although many routers also possess the network switching capabilities and multiple Ethernet ports, the Ethernet switch is not the replacement for routers. It is worth emphasizing that Ethernet switches are smarter than routers in that they operate at the data link layer (Layer 2) and the network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI Reference Model and therefore support any packet protocol. Ideally, switches will make better use of bandwidth if you prefer wired to wireless connections but have more devices than available Ethernet ports. On the other hand, an Ethernet switch is a costly way to expend the network in home or small business. So it is very important to invest an Ethernet switch with the appropriate number of ports to fit your needs. In the midst of various Gigabit Ethernet switches, a 24 port switch is considered as the most common Gigabit switch that connect devices in a local area network. Then this article will explore how to select a suitable 24-port switch.

Popular 24 Port Switch in the Market

FS S3900-24F4S 24-Port Switch

FS S3900-24F4S 24-port switch comes with 20x 100/1000BASE SFP, 4x 1GE combo and 4x 10GE SFP+ slots. The flexible port combination form provide a high bandwidth aggregation connectivity for multiple switch in network to enhance network capacity. Moreover, it is a stackable SFP managed switch, which can provide true stacking of up to 6 switches in a stack acting as a single unit with totally 168 ports (144x 1G Ports and 24x 10G ports). The switching capacity is 128Gbps. This 24-port Gigabit managed switch fits for enterprise network operators who need high performance and low power processor to provide full speed forwarding and line-dormant capacity.

S3900-24F4S Stackable Switch

Figure 1: FS S3900-24F4S 24-Port Gigabit Switch

Cisco SGE2000 24-Port Switch

Cisco SGE2000P comes with 24 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ45 ports and 4 shared Gigabit SFP slots. This 24 port switch can provide ACL (access control lists), DoS (denial-of-service), VLAN and IEEE 802.1X port authentication. And the enhanced quality of service (QoS) and traffic-management features help ensure clear and reliable voice and video communications. This Gigabit network switch enable you to take advantage of the comprehensive feature set for a better-optimized, more secure network.

Cisco SGE2000 24-Port Gigabit Switch

Figure 2: Cisco SGE2000 24-Port Gigabit Switch (Source: Cisco)

NETGEAR ProSAFE GS724T 24-Port Gigabit Switch

The Netgear ProSafe GS724T is armed with 24 copper 10/100/1000 ports and 2 SFP 100/1000 ports. Each port can transfer data at maximum throughput for a total maximum switching speed of up to 48 Gbps. This 24-port switch is intended for SMB organizations using the switch for applications like VoIP, video conferencing, and system security, etc. And it features a fanless system, allowing the switch to work silently without overheating. This is great for use on homelab, as its quiet operation won’t cause a distraction.

NETGEAR ProSAFE GS724T 24-Port Gigabit Switch

Figure 3: NETGEAR ProSAFE GS724T 24-Port Gigabit Switch (Source: NETGEAR)

TP-Link TL-SG1024 24-Port Switch

The TP-Link TL-SG1024 features 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports and non-blocking switching, which can provide large file transferring and also be compatible with 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ethernet devices. Moreover, this network switch has 48Gbps switching capacity with 8K MAC address table, 10KB Jumbo Frame and 4MB buffer memory. This TP-Link switch is a fanless rack mount design with LED diagnostic lights, so you can easily tell which ports are in use. It can automatically adjust power consumption according to the link status to limit the carbon footprint of your network. The price is $69.99 on Amazon. So this fanless Ethernet switch is good for your wallet both because it is inexpensive to buy and because of its energy-saving technology.

TP-Link TL-SG1024 24-Port Gigabit Switch

Figure 4: TP-Link TL-SG1024 24-Port Gigabit Switch(Source: TP-Link)

Comparison of 24-Port Switch

Gigabit Switch Mode Ethernet ports Gigabit SFP SFP+ Uplink ports Switching Capacity Forwarding Rate Power Consumption Price
FS S3900-24F4S 24 4 combo 4 128Gbps 95Mpps 43W $400
Cisco SGE2000 24 4 / 48Gbps 35.7Mpps 90W $390
NETGEAR ProSAFE GS724T 24 2 / 48Gbps No Information 29W $219.99
TP-Link TL-SG1024 24 / / 48Gbps 35.7Mpps 13.1W $69.99

From the chart we can see, all the Gigabit switches listed above provide 24 port Ethernet RJ45 ports, only FS S3900-24F4S 24 port switch has 4 SFP+ uplink ports. They have some characteristics in common that make them suitable for being used in places like home or small business office. In terms of the power consumption, TP-Link TL-SG1024 and NETGEAR ProSafe GS724T are lower than others, but the huge price spread exists between these two switches because NETGEAR ProSafe GS724T has another two SFP ports for more flexible application. Among these four switches, if you have no limited cost budget, FS S3900-24F4S is a good choice. It has a more flexible port combination and higher switching capacity, that is why it may cost a little more than the other three switches. If you need stronger data transferring capability, FS S3900-24F4S is a better choice considering its forwarding rate. On the contrary, TP-Link TL-SG1024 is the best budget choice. If you want a fanless switch, NETGEAR ProSafe GS724T is an inexpensive and reliable choice, but the install program only works on Windows and the secure management is very difficult to be enabled.

Conclusion

When choosing a Gigabit Ethernet switch, the first factor to consider is how many devices need to be networked together. Purchasing a network switch with too few ports and not enough capacity will prove ineffective, and one that is too large can be a waste of money. Generally, small offices with a few employees should start with a 16-port switch, but a business that is looking to expand its operations soon needs a 24-port switch. So 24-port switch is the most future-proofing and cost-effective choice in small business network. Except for the above mentioned S3900-24F4S, FS.COM also provides other cost-effective 24 port switches for different demands. For instance, S3900-24T4S is a Gigabit stackable managed switch with 24 10/100/1000BASE-T ports and 4 10GE SFP+ uplinks ports.

Related Article: 48-Port 10GE Switch Selection: What Is the Right Choice?