4 Port 2.5G Web Managed Ethernet Switch with 2X 10G SFP+, 2.5Gb Network Homelab Switch Support LACP/VLAN/QoS/STP/IGMP, Fanless 2.5 Gigabit Managed Switch, Metal Housing, Desktop/Wall-Mount

I got the 9-port managed switch (8x 2.5GbE + 1x 10Gb SFP+) recently because it was on sale for about $62. This has got to be one of the best value switches I've ever seen. Normally I stick to Netgear's prosumer/business stuff because their consumer grade web management interfaces are straight up trash, but you just can't pass up $62 when a switch with similar specs from any major manufacturer runs $150 to $200. The funny thing is, this switch is no harder to manage than a GS108Ev3, they both have an equally bare bones but functional management UI.Anyway, the interface by default is on 192.168.10.12. Some users dinged the switch in their review for not having a management UI, or for the difficulty in finding it. I mean, it's clearly printed on the sticker on the bottom of the device, along with the default user/password combo. First thing you should do is connect a computer/phone/tablet to it, assign yourself a manual IP in the 192.168.10.0 subnet, and connect to the switch interface so you can change its IP to your desired subnet so it's accessible from any computer on your LAN.From the UI, you've got access to VLAN port mapping, QoS, loop detection, port mirroring, isolation, MAC filtering, bandwidth controls, etc. All the usual stuff. When I received mine, it had firmware version 1.3 on it, and a quick search of the model number brought up a page stating that the latest was 1.9, so I downloaded that and did the upgrade pretty painlessly. If I remember correctly, I think it factory reset everything in the process, so maybe do that first before you bother changing the IP address and setting it up. I'm pretty sure it went back to 192.168.10.12 after the update.Otherwise? Everything has been fine with it. Solid feeling metal case, doesn't get too warm. The only annoying thing (and it's super minor, hardly even worth mentioning) is that on the rare occasion that I need to log into the management UI, it never remembers my language preferences, always reverting to Chinese. So whenever I log in I have to click the radio button for English. But I will happily do that on the rare occasion that I need to, in exchange for saving over $100 on the cost of an 8x 2.5GbE managed switch!

Pros:Unbeatable Value: 8x 2.5G ports + full management (VLAN, LACP, QoS) for this price? Insane.Surprisingly Solid Build: The aluminum casing feels far more premium than expected – runs cool and silent too.Feature Complete: Has every managed feature I needed (and more) for my home lab/network.Just Works (Once Setup): Rock-solid performance once configured. Handles 2.5G flawlessly.Cons:The UI is TERRIBLE: unintuitive, poorly translated. Setup feels like navigating a maze blindfolded. Expect frustration.Good Luck finding the firmware to updated it

The POE 2.5G version of this switch DOES SAVE SETTINGS, EVEN AFTER POWERING OFF! You have your typical save button when making changes to your PID/VLAN/etc. etc settings, but to save it permanently (from what i've seen), is to go to Tools > Save > Save. That will save your settings permanently, which I guess saves it to the nvram. I've tested this on both of my switches (I bought 2 of them).This POE managed switch works perfectly, and have had no issues. As managed switches can be a bit complex, if there are any issues, it's more than likely user error.I've had no issues... stable, fast, solid, boots quickly, provides power to multiple cameras, hardly any heat buildup. GUI frontend is a bit basic looking, but functionally... solid.

The product seems to work. It does what I need and was easy enough to program despite being aimed at the Chinese audience.However, the firmware is atrocious. The default is an obscure hardcoded IP address. This requires you to adjust your PC so it matches the network. The default should be, and should always be for network equipment, DHCP. I could then Once logged in I could set and save the settings as I needed them. However, after I upgraded the firmware, the device lost all settings. I had to go back through the process of adjusting my network to match and the reprogram the device. I could not even load the saved configuration file. It said it loaded it, but it did not.Finally, I cannot seem to login remotely. I can get to the login screen, but the device ignores my username and password. I suspect this is due to the encoding across the Internet and through three routers. I must be directly on the actual network in order to connect up and program.Documentation? What documentation. They give you a basic get started manual. You must go to their web site to get full documentation. They don't even tell you on the box or i the get started manual what their web site is. You have to guess or use a search engine to find it.

The first switch I received did not have management (was probably provisioned as an unmanaged switch). XikeStor support was very responsive, which was nice. I ended up returning the first switch and the replacement worked as expected, I could reach the management IP 192.168.10.12 without any issues. You can change the management IP (static) or DHCP is supported. The switch boots up very fast (less than 10 seconds), is very compact, fanless and uses very little power (12V DC). The Web UI is a bit basic but very usable. Some nice features are included: front-panel view, port tables with speed/duplex, flow control, VLAN untagged-tagged, QoS strict priority - weighted, STP/RSTP, IGMP snooping, LAG, port mirroring, port isolation, bandwidth control (not sure if it rate limits or shapes), Jumbo frames, MAC limit (qty of learned MACs), static MAC, EEE, storm control (broadcast / multicast) and overall port stats table (good/bad Tx/Rx packets). Config can also be backed up / restored to/from a local file. Given the relatively low price point and feature set, I feel this switch provides great value for a home lab or high end home network.