Choosing a network switch that meets the needs of small businesses requires full consideration of the specifications and functions of the network switch.

Internet speed
In terms of transmission speed, 10G is undoubtedly the fastest, but the power consumption of 10G switches is much larger than the other two. Generally, tasks such as seamless streaming and meetings require 250M. Server hosting, multi-server hosting, massive online backup and continuous cloud-based computing require 500M, but if you want to complete all these tasks without interruption, you need 1,000 Mbps. . If we consider speed and cost at the same time, then the best choice is 1 Gbps. The use of gigabit switches is fully capable of handling the Internet business of small enterprises, including operations such as a wide range of multimedia applications and frequent transfers of large file transfers.

Number of ports
Generally speaking, the greater the number of ports, the lower the cost of a single port, but it does not mean that more is better. Popular choices for home networks usually include small and medium-sized hubs, such as 4-port, 5-port or 8-port network switches. At the same time, more complex enterprise or server networks may require more powerful hardware. The number of people in the company determines the number of switch ports used. If the number of people is between 3-14, and the number of long-term employees does not change much, you can choose network equipment such as 24-port switches with more than 15 people. When you need to do some redundancy in the number of ports, you can choose a 48-port switch.

Port type
There are two different physical ports: optical ports and electrical ports. Optical ports are divided into SFP, SFP+, SFP28, QSFP+, QSFP28, etc., and electrical ports are also network cable interfaces (RJ45), which are connected to network cables. Take our previously recommended 1G switch as an example. The most common port types for 1G switches are these two types: RJ45 ports and SFP fiber ports.

The performance of RJ45 connection and SFP connection is basically the same, but the cost of SFP port wiring is higher. Nevertheless, the SFP port is still essential, because it can support both SFP optical modules with electrical ports and SFP optical modules with optical ports. More importantly, the transmission distance of the SFP port optical transceiver is significantly longer than that of the RJ45 port.

Voice ready switch
By choosing a voice-ready switch with QoS policies, automatic VoIP, and automatic voice VLAN capabilities, such as the FS S2800S series, your business can run voice traffic over the LAN. You can replace traditional PBX or telecommunications services with advanced IP telephony systems and IP phones that interoperate with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or contracted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). With a voice-ready switch, you can reduce long-distance phone charges and conference service charges, unify voice mail and e-mail, and use the same extension to install phones in different locations. It can also help you increase user and employee productivity and improve customer service.

Constitutive factors
The type of switch you choose depends on the layout of your working environment. If you want flexible and quiet operation, desktop and fanless switches are good choices. Desktops can be placed on a desk or table. Fanless design provides quietness. Working environment, switches with these two designs are very suitable for meeting rooms and small offices. Rack-mounted switches are designed to be placed in wiring closets or other enclosed, physically secure rooms or data centers, which are usually equipped with other network equipment, such as servers and telephone equipment.